Lords committee discusses air and maritime domains in Ukraine

On Wednesday 1 May, the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee will hear from a former Chief of Defence Staff, a former naval Commander, and an academic expert in an evidence session that will consider the lessons for UK defence from the deployment of air defences in Ukraine and developments in the maritime domain.

The session will start at 10.30am and will be available to watch live or on demand at Parliament TV, or attend in person in Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster.

Giving evidence will be:

• Air Chief Marshal the Lord Peach GBE KCB DL, former Chief of the Defence Staff and Chair of the NATO Military Committee;
• Rear Admiral (Retd) Alex Burton, former Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces and Rear Admiral Surface Ships; and
• Nick Childs, Senior Fellow for Naval Forces and Maritime Security, The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Questions will include:

• What are the key lessons to be drawn from the deployment of air defences in Ukraine?
  
  
• What have been the key features of the maritime conflict in Ukraine and what lessons can be drawn from Ukraine’s success in inflicting serious damage on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet?
  
  
• What other lessons should we draw from the Ukraine war for UK air and maritime capabilities?
  
  
• What capabilities does the UK currently have in terms of suppression and destruction of enemy air defences, and would these capabilities be sufficient in a warfare scenario against a state adversary such as Russia? Should the UK be doing more to develop SEAD/DEAD capabilities?
  
  
• Some experts have stated that European air forces, including the RAF, are not prioritising warfighting training at the necessary scale. Do you agree with this assessment, and, if so, how can improvements be made to the training conducted by the RAF?
  
  
• Should the Royal Navy be further investing in uncrewed and autonomous capabilities? Does the Royal Navy have enough protections against enemy drones?
  
  
• Is the Royal Navy in a position where it can protect and maintain its fleet, and remain lethal in the event of a warfighting scenario?