Written question asked by Stuart Anderson (Conservative) on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 9 July 2026. It was answered by Luke Pollard (Labour) on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Unmanned Marine Systems: Minesweepers

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the £1.1bn for Autonomous Mine Hunting Capability will be matched equally by France.

Answer: The Defence Investment Plan states that the Department will deliver the full scope of the next phase of the Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme. This programme forms part of Defence's wider investment in the Royal Navy's Hybrid Navy and will deliver enhanced autonomous mine countermeasures capability. Elements of Block 1 Mission Systems are being procured through the OCCAR-led UK/FRANCE Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) programme. These deliveries will complete in 2026 and funding arrangements are agreed between the participating nations based on capability needs. We will continue to discuss further cooperative opportunities with France on autonomous mine-hunting systems through our regular dialogues.

Secondary information