New inquiry: Future Maritime Surveillance

Maritime surveillance is a broad area, covering many different aspects and involving several Government departments and agencies. The MoD and UK Armed Forces play a crucial and pivotal role in the provision of maritime surveillance capabilities. The Committee wishes to examine their current and future contribution to the provision of these capabilities in an ever changing global situation. In particular, the Committee is interested in:

• how the MoD has determined the future strategic requirements for the UK Armed Forces’ maritime surveillance capabilities, including current and evolving threats;
• what current maritime surveillance capabilities and assets will remain in service by 2020, including their specific roles, effectiveness, deployability, coordination, and interoperability; and what are the likely gaps and deficiencies?;
• what are the future capabilities needed by the MoD and UK Armed Forces for maritime surveillance and what measures are being taken to address these, including applying lessons learned from recent operations?
• the costs of current and future maritime surveillance assets of UK Armed Forces;
• how does the MoD intend in future to coordinate its work with other Government departments and agencies, including its effectiveness, their interaction, the lines of demarcation and the consequences for, and impact on, UK Armed Forces;
• to what extent the UK should collaborate and is collaborating with allies, including through NATO, in the provision of maritime surveillance capabilities; and
• what provision is the MoD making for the possibility that maritime surveillance forces might have to be regenerated at relatively short notice?

How to respond

The Committee would welcome written evidence to this inquiry. A copy of the submission should be sent by e-mail to defcom@parliament.uk and should have ‘Future Maritime Surveillance' in the subject line. Submission should be sent to the Second Clerk of the Defence Committee by Monday 12 March 2012

If you have any queries on the submission of evidence contact Ian Thomson, Inquiry Manager, tel: 020 7219 6951, email: thomsonir@parliament.uk

• Guidance on submitting evidence