Minesweepers
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Mine Hunting Capability, what steps he is taking to improve the Delivery Confidence Assessment Rating of Red.
Answered by Ministry of Defence
The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) assess the Mine Hunting Capability programme to be affordable and deliverable. Delivery confidence continues to improve with close collaboration between the MoD, industry partners and the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR).
The recognised capability challenge is to sustain mine countermeasures outputs while transitioning from legacy crewed vessels to new autonomous and remotely operated systems. The pace and sequencing of this transition must balance operational requirements, legacy vessel out-of-service dates, integration and delivery risk, affordability and wider Defence priorities.
The Mine Hunting Capability programme received a £1.1Bn uplift under the Defence Investment Plan. The Department is committed to delivering the full scope of the next phase of the programme and keeps its cost, schedule, scope and delivery risks under regular review.
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