EDIT: was a "false rumour" in the end...

[Stratofreighter]

EDIT: indeed Harrier was axed eventually, not Tornado...

Still not officially announced (that's next Monday/Tuesday), but this is not looking good at all...

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ ... -battle.do

RAF to lose Tornado squadrons as Navy wins defence cuts battle
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent

14.10.10

The RAF will bear the brunt of defence cuts after the Royal Navy fought a successful action to protect its funding.

Today David Cameron, Defence Secretary Liam Fox and Chancellor George Osborne are finalising details of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Despite last-minute pleas, the RAF is due to see its Tornado jet squadrons phased out. Air bases are set to close and jobs lost in the shake-up.

The new Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards, has won his fight to stop the Army losing 20,000 men.

Any cuts to its manpower will be “around the edges” while British troops are still fighting in Afghanistan, though there will be reductions in the number of tanks, artillery and heavy armour.

The Navy will lose at least four ships, with Type 23 frigates facing the axe. It retains two new aircraft carriers being built for £5 billion, though one may be mothballed.

The number of Joint Strike Fighter planes from the ships is set to be reduced but the submarine fleet is due to escape largely unscathed.

Defence ministers had considered quitting over the initial planned swingeing cuts to the defence budget but this threat is now understood to be diminishing after the Prime Minister intervened in the row between the Treasury and Ministry of Defence and personally pledged to protect the armed forces.

However, he also warned that the military must modernise and ditch capabilities that were devised for the Cold War and are now seen as less vital for future conflicts.

He argued that Britain should no longer have to rely on “aeroplanes that are ready to do dogfights with the Soviet Union air force”.

But this week Air Marshal Tim Anderson, director general of the Military Aviation Authority, warned MPs that the country would become vulnerable to a 9/11-style terror attack if large cuts were made to the number of military aircraft.

The review will be published in two parts next week.

[mazzel]

wow, that would leave the RAF with how many operational fighter squadrons? four?

[Le Addeur noir]

The RAF slides to a all-Typhoon air force?.

The Harriers are on the way out and if the Tornado fleet is chopped entirely,there will only be some 6 squadrons of Typhoons in service.Leuchars and Coningsby would be the only 2 RAF fast jet bases in Britain.

[frank kramer]

Thinking just a wee bit further, it is obvious that this will also have a huge impact on the training fleet (both pilot and navigator trainers) as there will be much less front seats to fill (and no more backseaters needed).

[pjotrtje]

Now would be a good time to start thinking "European": specialized roles per country. Why would each individual country need a full blown air defence, strike, recce organization? It's a sign of the times, really...

[Coati]

Besides the Typhoons, the UK will get a fleet of F-35C aircraft. So they will have two types of fast jets.

[Hurricane]

It's a sign of the times, really...

According UK-information this descission between the Tornado vs Harrier axing was brought to a higher level by involved Generals. These anticipated on a England with only RAF or with a 50-50 RAF/RN. Reminding the new carriers orderd it would be a financial disaster if the RAF would have won this battle so there for this outcome was expected, surtainly with the Typhoon proven more then capable to replace the Tornado.

I do remain currious to the opeartion plans with the Harriers as these are more sentive in maintenance vs flying hours and despite the GR9 design is outdated in some areas that might provide troubles in the following years untill the transit to a possible JSF replacement.