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NATO: Autonomous Weapons

Asked by James CartlidgeConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 11 March 2026UIN 117357

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK and European allies to develop low-cost air defence weapons to protect NATO skies, published on 20 February 2026, whether the new surface-to-air missile will be assessed using Minimum Deployable Capability.

Answered by Luke Pollard

The low-cost air defence effector project under the LEAP initiative, as announced on 20 February, is now entering the international industrial selection phase. The new weapon system will be introduced through the spiral acquisition model, delivering a Minimum Deployable Capability followed by iterative enhancements.

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