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Seedcorn Initiative

Answer

The Seedcorn initiative will sustain the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s capability to operate high level fixed-wing Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and maintain the associated skills of its personnel. Qualified RAF aircrew will be on exchange with a variety of Allied MPA forces, where they will maintain their anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, long-range search and rescue, and Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) skills.The estimated cost of the initiative on average is £2.4 million per year for the next five years; this includes salary and allowances.Retaining skills and MPA knowledge is vital if the United Kingdom is to be in a position to regenerate our own MPA capability at some point in the future.The number and location of personnel and equipment to be used is as follows:

Location		Aircraft	Number of personnel
Canada	Royal Canadian Air Force Greenwood	CP-140 Aurora	7
New Zealand	Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Whenuapai	P-3K Orion/P-3K2 Orion	5
	Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea	Beech King Air B200	1
Australia	Royal Australian Air Force Base Edinburgh	AP-3C Orion	4
United States	Naval Air Station Norfolk	Non-flying appointment related to maritime operational staff duties.	1
	Naval Air Station Patuxent River	P3C Orion	2

Additionally, discussions are ongoing with the US Navy on an exchange initiative for fully qualified RAF aircrew to support the US P-8A Poseidon programme.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

81671; 536 c548W

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Armed forces Deployment

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk