RAF Robs Typhoon Jets Worth £500m For Spares To Keep Others Flying

RAF butchers four Typhoon jets worth £500m for spare parts to keep warplanes flying

12:07, 6 DEC 2015 UPDATED 12:08, 6 DEC 2015
BY BEN GLAZE

The embarrassing revelation comes as six Typhoons were sent to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to boost the UK mission against Islamic State in Syria

 

The RAF is butchering state-of-the-art Typhoon fighters for spare parts to keep vital warplanes flying.

Four jets, costing £125million each, are being cannibalised to cover a desperate shortage of key kit.

The embarrassing revelation comes as six Typhoons were sent to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to boost the UK mission against Islamic State in Syria .

They are set to pound targets in Iraq and Syria after MPs gave the green light to extending military action.

Defence Minister Philip Dunne made the embarrassing admission about stripping for spares following a written parliamentary question.

He insisted: “It is routine practice to move parts between aircraft within the RAF Typhoon fleet to ensure optimum aircraft availability.

Read more: British Tornado jets in Syria ‘wipe millions from ISIS war-chest’ during first bombing raid on oil field

A British Royal Air Force Typhoon leaves for a missionA RAF Eurofighter Typhoon arrives at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, the base for bombing Syria

“Four Typhoon aircraft held in the sustainment fleet are currently being used as donor aircraft and consequently are unable to fly.”

The 1,500mph Eurofighter Typhoon force is on 24-hour standby to protect UK airspace from hijacked airliners and Russian bombers.

Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) jets are stationed are two RAF bases: Coningsby, Lincs, and Lossiemouth in Scotland.

David Cameron recently announced plans to extend the life of the planes for 10 years through to 2040.

As the QRA aircraft, they are regularly ordered to roar into the skies to challenge potential threats to UK airspace.

Last year a Typhoon escorted a Qatar Airways A330 into Manchester Airport after an onboard bomb scare.

Jeff J MitchellMaintenance: Typhoons at Lossiemouth. The MoD insisted the practice was normal

Four of Britain’s 126 Typhoons are stationed at RAF Mount Pleasant on the Falklands to deter Argentinians.

Earlier this year(2015), four jets were sent to Estonia under a Nato deployment to beef-up air protection against the Kremlin.

The Typhoons were scrambled 17 times in four months, intercepting more than 40 Russian aircraft ranging from transport planes to long-range fighters.

They also struck targets in Libya in 2011 as part of Operation Ellamy, dropping bombs on forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) suggested four years ago that stripping Typhoons – built under a deal between the UK, Spain, Italy and Germany – for spares would end by 2015.
It expected the supply of spares to have finally reached a “steady state”. But Mr Dunne’s admission reveals the problems are ongoing.

Westminster’s spending watchdog, the powerful Commons Public Accounts Committee, previously revealed five Typhoon pilots were temporarily grounded in 2010 because there were not enough planes for them to keep up their required flying time.

“The department relies on a small group of key industrial suppliers who have the technical and design capability to build, upgrade and support Typhoon,” the committee said in 2011.

“Problems with the availability of spare parts have meant that Typhoons are not flying as many hours as the department requires.

“The Typhoon supply chain is complex and stretches across Europe. However, the department admitted that it had not been managed well enough or delivered all the required parts when needed.”
GettyButchered: Four RAF Typhoons worth £500m are being cannibalised for spare parts

The RAF is butchering state-of-the-art Typhoon fighters for spare parts to keep vital warplanes flying.

Four jets, costing £125million each, are being cannibalised to cover a desperate shortage of key kit.

The embarrassing revelation comes as six Typhoons were sent to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to boost the UK mission against Islamic State in Syria .

They are set to pound targets in Iraq and Syria after MPs gave the green light to extending military action.

Defence Minister Philip Dunne made the embarrassing admission about stripping for spares following a written parliamentary question.

He insisted: “It is routine practice to move parts between aircraft within the RAF Typhoon fleet to ensure optimum aircraft availability.

Read more: British Tornado jets in Syria ‘wipe millions from ISIS war-chest’ during first bombing raid on oil field

A British Royal Air Force Typhoon leaves for a missionA RAF Eurofighter Typhoon arrives at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, the base for bombing Syria
“Four Typhoon aircraft held in the sustainment fleet are currently being used as donor aircraft and consequently are unable to fly.”

The 1,500mph Eurofighter Typhoon force is on 24-hour standby to protect UK airspace from hijacked airliners and Russian bombers.

Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) jets are stationed are two RAF bases: Coningsby, Lincs, and Lossiemouth in Scotland.

David Cameron recently announced plans to extend the life of the planes for 10 years through to 2040.

As the QRA aircraft, they are regularly ordered to roar into the skies to challenge potential threats to UK airspace.

Last year a Typhoon escorted a Qatar Airways A330 into Manchester Airport after an onboard bomb scare.

Jeff J MitchellMaintenance: Typhoons at Lossiemouth. The MoD insisted the practice was normal
Four of Britain’s 126 Typhoons are stationed at RAF Mount Pleasant on the Falklands to deter Argentinians.

Earlier this year(2015), four jets were sent to Estonia under a Nato deployment to beef-up air protection against the Kremlin.

The Typhoons were scrambled 17 times in four months, intercepting more than 40 Russian aircraft ranging from transport planes to long-range fighters.

They also struck targets in Libya in 2011 as part of Operation Ellamy, dropping bombs on forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) suggested four years ago that stripping Typhoons – built under a deal between the UK, Spain, Italy and Germany – for spares would end by 2015.
It expected the supply of spares to have finally reached a “steady state”. But Mr Dunne’s admission reveals the problems are ongoing.

Westminster’s spending watchdog, the powerful Commons Public Accounts Committee, previously revealed five Typhoon pilots were temporarily grounded in 2010 because there were not enough planes for them to keep up their required flying time.

“The department relies on a small group of key industrial suppliers who have the technical and design capability to build, upgrade and support Typhoon,” the committee said in 2011.

“Problems with the availability of spare parts have meant that Typhoons are not flying as many hours as the department requires.

“The Typhoon supply chain is complex and stretches across Europe. However, the department admitted that it had not been managed well enough or delivered all the required parts when needed.”