§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total requirement of the(a) RAF and (b) Royal Navy, broken down by aircraft type in (i) 1997, (ii) 2002 and planned for (iii) 2007, (iv) 2010 and (v) 2017; and if he will make a statement. [52133]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 25 April 2002]: Holdings of RAF and Royal Navy aircraft in 1997 and 2002, and planned holdings in 2007—including both operational aircraft and those in sustainment fleets but excluding aircraft operated by the Defence Procurement Agency and QinetiQ—are set out. A separate table shows the aircraft which form the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Beyond 2007, numbers are dependent upon continuing analysis and evaluation and upon decisions about how particular capability requirements might in future most cost-effectively be met. In some areas the capabilities currently provided by RAF and RN aircraft may be provided under service provision contracts with commercial partners under PFI arrangements—in these cases fleet sizes and aircraft types will normally be a matter for the service provider to determine in light of the specified requirement.
960W
RAF aircraft Requirement Current planning assumption Type 1997 2002 2007 A400M 0 0 0 Astor 0 0 4 BAel25 8 6 6 BAel46 3 2 2 Bulldog1 116 0 0 C17 0 4 4 Canberra 9 7 0 Chinook2 34 — — Dominie3 10 11 11 Eurofighter 0 0 78 JSF 0 0 0 FSTA 0 0 1 Gazelle4 21 0 0 Glider—Vigilant 53 57 56 Glider—Viking 82 89 84 Glider—Valiant 4 0 0 Glider—Janus 2 0 0 Harrier5 70 83 75 Hawk3,6,7 100 118 112 Hercules 56 51 51 Islander 2 2 2 Jaguar 54 66 35 Jetstream3 10 11 11 Nimrod 29 24 24 Puma2 37 — — Sea King Mk3 25 25 25 Sea King replacement 0 0 0
RAF aircraft Requirement Current planning assumption Type 1997 2002 2007 Sentry AEW1 7 7 7 Tornado F3 107 113 72 Tornado GR 142 187 142 Tristar 9 9 9 Tucano3 73 126 126 Twin Squirrel8 0 3 — VC10 26 20 19 Wessex9 50 4 0 1 Training now provided under the Light Aircraft Flying Task (LAFT) contract. 2 Support Helicopters now form part of the Joint Helicopter Command (Army). 3 The UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) requirement to replace current fixed wing aircrew training aircraft (Tucano, Hawk, Jetstream and Dominic) will potentially be met through a PFI contract. 4 Training now provided under contract by Defence Helicopter Flying School. 5 Excludes RN Sea Harriers (see RN table as follows). 6 RAF requirement excludes aircraft for RN Fleet Requirement and Aircraft Direction Unit (FRADU) tasks. 7 The specific capability required to meet the non aircrew-training tasks currently performed by the Hawks has yet to be determined. 8 Leased aircraft for VIP transport, current contract runs to March 2004. 9 Cyprus SAR only until 2002, to be replaced by contractor operated aircraft from April 03.
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight currently consists of: Type Total Aircraft Holding 1997 Total Aircraft Holding 2002 Dakota 1 1 Hurricane 2 2 Lancaster 1 1 Chipmunk T10 1 1 Spitfire 5 5
RAF aircraft Requirement Current planning assumption Type 1997 2002 2007 Gazelle 8 8 0 Hawk1 15 14 15 Jetstream2 15 13 13 Light Utility — — 6 Helicopter — — — Lynx 82 80 362 Merlin 2 38 41 Sea Harrier4 49 54 0 Sea King5 111 88 67 1 The specific capability required to meet he tasks currently performed by the Hawks has yet to be determined.
2 The UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) requirement to replace current fixed wing training aircraft (Jetstream T2) will potentially be met through a PFI contact. Numbers and types of aircraft to meet the requirement would be a matter for the contractor. The remainder of the Jetstream aircraft (Jetstream T3), employed in the communications role, have a later OSD.
3 Our current planning assumption is that the Lynx Mk 3 and 8 will be replaced by the Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft, in the latter part of the decade.
961W4 Under the Joint Force Harrier migration plan the Sea Harrier will be withdrawn from service by Apr 2006.
5 Our current planning assumption is that the Sea King MK4 (and Puma) will be replaced by the Support and Amphibious Battlefield Rotorcraft programme. The Anti Submarine Sea King force is being replaced by the Merlin Mk I. Numbers shown reflect this run down.