RAF may retire older Typhoons in 2015

Due to a lack of upgrading funds, the RAF may retire more than 50 Tranche 1 Eurofighter Typhoons in 2015. Later models would have entered service at the time, although the Tranche 1 aircraft will only be eight years old at the time.

France, Britain to hold Air Exercise in March

As part of the British-French defense treaty signed in November 2010, the Armee de l'Air will hold a weeklong exercise with the Royal Air Force over French airspace in late March. Dubbed Thousand Mistral, 25 to 30 French aircraft will fly in the exercise alongside about ten RAF aircraft.

RAF Rivet Joint crews to train at Offutt

As part of the RAF's deal to purchase three RC-135V/W Rivet Joint Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft, the initial cadre of RAF Rivet Joint crewmembers will arrive at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska for training later this month. The RAF crew will then co-man USAF Rivet Joints until the RAF's aircraft reach operational status.

VC10 pressed into service with RAF's transport fleet

In another sign of the RAF's lack of resources, its 50-year old VC10s are flying passengers again after the RAF's Tristars have been grounded by technical faults. This despite the type being banned from flying passengers bar “exceptional circumstances”.

KC-135 arrives at L3 for Rivet Joint conversion

The first of three KC-135 Stratotankers has arrived at L-3 Communications for conversion to RC-135 Rivet Joint SIGINT aircraft for the Royal Air Force. The RC-135s will replace the soon-to-be withdrawn Nimrod R1, but will only be delivered in 2014.

RAF Torndaoes almost collided over Scotland in June

According to the UK's Airprox Board, a pair of RAF Tornado GR.4s almost collided head-on with each other over Scotland in June. The combined closure speed was reportedly almost 1000 miles per hour and one crew did not see the other plane till it was in his rear-view mirror.

UK Harriers to make final operational flights today

Photo by Jamie Hunter/Aviacom

British use of the Harrier GR9/9A ground-attack aircraft will come to an end today with the UK’s Joint Force Harrier organisation to perform a final series of sorties from the Royal Air Force Cottesmore with 16 Harriers. The aircraft, including an aircraft painted in a retro Dark Sea Grey/Dark Green scheme, will perform a flyby of various locations throughout the UK.

RAF to double Reaper fleet

Following a 2008 request to the DSCA, The Royal Air Force has confirmed it will double its fleet of General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicles. The RAF's current Reaper fleet is being used to support ISAF operations in Afghanistan.

RAF may have just six fast jet units by 2020

The commanding officer of the Royal Air Force's No. 1 Group says Britain may halve its fast-jet fleet to just six squadrons by 2020 or so. He estimates that the RAF is headed for five Typhoon and one F-35 JSF squadron.

RAF, UAE conduct air exercise

The RAF and UAEAF have conducted a joint exercise in the emirate named Ex Air Khanjar. RAF Typhoons joined the hosts' F-16s and Mirage 2000s in Dissimilar Air Combat Training and simulated ship attack and defence scenarios. The Royal Navy's HMS Cumberland was the ship involved.

RAF Tornados demonstrate their capabilities

In what has been seen in some quarters as an attempt to justify the decision to retire the Harrier, the RAF has put on a capability demonstration at RAF Marham to show off the Tornado GR.4's capabilities. A typical mission in support of ground forces in Afghanistan was shown during the demonstration.

Last Harrier jet launch from HMS Ark Royal

The end of 2 different eras, as the HMS Ark Royal launches Harriers for the last time. Both the ship and the Harriers are to be docomissioned by the Royal Navy and Air Force next month.

Boeing delivers RAF's 7th C-17

Boeing Photo

Boeing has delivered the United Kingdom’s seventh C-17 Globemaster III to the Royal Air Force (RAF) at Boeing’s final assembly facility in Long Beach, California. The United Kingdom's current fleet of C-17s has already logged more than 60,000 flight hours.

France, United Kingdom sign historic defence cooperation deal

The political leaders of France and the UK have signed a defence cooperation deal lasting 50 years, that includes, among other things:

• An integrated strike force ensuring aircraft can operate off both the planned British carrier and the French carrier Charles de Gaulle. Britain will modify its future aircraft carrier to make it compatible with French aircraft.


• A joint common support plan for the future fleets of A400m transport aircraft being brought by both countries.


• Joint development work on UAVs

Costs, payload and range swayed UK's F-35C decision

The United Kingdom's vice defense chief has said that the high costs of the STOVL F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, coupled with the better payload and range of the carrier-based F-35C were the main factors that convinced the UK to switch to buying the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter.

UAV/UCAV technology to Influence U.K. F-35C Buy

A senior British defense official has said that development of next generation combat UAVs along with the health of the Royal Air Force’s current fighter fleet will be key factors in determining how many F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters the United Kingdom will buy. The UK plans to swap 138 F-35B STOVL aircraft for an unspecified number of F-35C carrier-based JSFs.

British Harriers to be up for sale

Following their axing in the recent UK's strategic review, the RAF's fleet of Harrier are to be put up for sale. However, defence officials and industry figures acknowledge that there are limited prospects of a quick sale

Second RAF Airbus A330 MRTT FSTA makes first flight

The second A330 MRTT Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) for the Royal Air Force has successfully completed its maiden flight. The aircraft will join the first FSTA in a flight-test programme which will lead to first delivery to the RAF towards the end of 2011.

RAF and IAF AEWACs participate in joint exercise.

Indian and Royal Air Force Airborne Early Warning aircraft are participating in Exercise “Indradhanush” at West Bengal's Kalaikunda Airbase. The RAF's Eurofighter Typhoons, E-3D Sentry and VC-10 tankers are involved in the exercise with IAF SU-30MKIs, Mirage 2000s, MiG-27s and Il-76 AEW aircraft.

Summary of UK's Strategic Defence and Security Review

The British Ministry of Defence has put up a summary of the changes which will occur as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review which has just been made public. Most of the details reported here yesterday have come to pass, and among other things:

• Either the HMS Ocean or HMS Illustrious will be decommissioned, and after a capabilities study comparing the two, instead of the HMS Illustrious as reported


• The upcoming buy of Chinooks will be reduced to 12 from 22


• The Nimrod MRA.4 program will be cancelled


• All RAF C-130s to be withdrawn ten years ahead of schedule in favour of the A400M