British Defence Cuts: the official announcements...

[Richard from Rotterdam]

For the full story read:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Defen ... lished.htm


In order to meet this new structure the Royal Air Force will:

• Reduce by around 5000 personnel to about 33,000 by 2015 , and with an assumption, for now, of a requirement of about 31,500 by 2020;
• Withdraw the C-130 Hercules transport fleet ten years earlier than planned as we transition to the more capable and larger A400M;
• Withdraw the Sentinel surveillance aircraft once it is no longer required to support operations in Afghanistan; (this is the Global Express/ASTOR Sentinel)
• Rationalise the RAF estate;
• Retain Tornados, which will continue to operate in Afghanistan;
• Remove Harrier from service in the transition to a future fast jet force of Typhoon and JSF. This will mean a gap for carrier fast jet operations. JSF, like Harrier, will be operated jointly by RAF and Royal Navy pilots;
• Not bring into service the Nimrod MRA4;
• Withdraw VC-10 and the three variants of Tristar aircraft from 2013 as we transition towards the more capable A330 future strategic transport and tanker aircraft.

[SquAdmin]

Wow, kill the C-130's, Sentinels, Harriers, Nimrods, VC-10's and Tristars!

[Arjan]

And...reducing a number of airfields!

[mart]

these seem pretty amazing cuts for the brittish air force..
mostly i am surprised with the sentinals, as these are brand spanking new aircraft

when is 10 years earlier then planned? So what was planned for the withdrawel of the hercules fleet?

[Trueno]

when is 10 years earlier then planned? So what was planned for the withdrawel of the hercules fleet?

The original planned date was 2034! So now the RAF Hercules fleet will be withdrawn in 2024

Trueno

[Polecat]

when is 10 years earlier then planned? So what was planned for the withdrawel of the hercules fleet?

The original planned date was 2034! So now the RAF Hercules fleet will be withdrawn in 2024

Trueno

...in case the A400M is operational by then...

[DJdeRidder]

• Retain Tornados, which will continue to operate in Afghanistan;

Well, 'retain' may not be the most appropriate word. This is what I read at key.aero:
"Despite the Harrier being axed entirely, the Tornado force will also be reduced by two squadrons and one of the two operating bases, either RAF Lossiemouth in Moray or RAF Marham in Norfolk, will be surplus to requirements."

[Polecat]

an SNP Member of Parliament asked the PM about both Scottish bases. Cameron didn't want to talk about closures, as the number of personnel from the units (though not neccesarily RAF) returning to the UK from Germany is bigger than the number of let-offs in the UK, and therefore it is likely that these will be based on existing facilities.. I can hardly imagine both Lossie and Kinloss being closed entirely.

But fair enough, should Lossie no longer be an active RAF flying station, there's no need for spotting trips to Scotland anymore...

[Richard from Rotterdam]

@DJdeRidder: my info was official MoD/RAF info so 'retain' is their choice of words.

Kinloss is destined to become the Army base to house the German regiment. Leuchars will probably stay open as well. My guess is that Lossiemouth will close, with Marham staying open.

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[Stratofreighter]

http://www.key.aero/view_news.asp?ID=26 ... n=military

Harrier operations will cease by April 2011.

It will be interesting to see how Britain will cope without any long-range maritime patrol aircraft, i.e. Nimrod...

[ehusmann]

I am amazed nothing is said about training equipment. If they cut that many aircraft it will also mean they will need less pilots. Hence, the number of training aircraft on strength should also be reduced.

Erwin

[Bram]

As you say amazed ... especialy about the Nimrod and Sentinel.

Sad news.

Bram

[Coati]

Maybe it isn't as sad and strange when we have a close look at the announced cuts:

Trying to refurbish Nimrods from the 60s to me always seemed like an expensive and strange plan.
Retirering the VC10 and Tristar: seems like a smart plan when you look at the operating costs and performance of these oldies. Especially with the A330 coming into service soon.
Slashing the Harrier aircraft. Expensive aircraft with limited capabilities, especially A2A.
Changing the F-35B to F-35. Better performance, cheaper and no needless VTOL capability.
Sentinels: extremely expensive to operate, so why keep them flying when they are not needed anymore?
C-130: why operate two different types of prop transports?

To me, it seems like in the UK they are gatting a bit more realistic and practical. They have a very large Defence force, still Cold war size.

Somewhere I read in one of the news announcements the training capabilites will be proportionally downsized as well. But number are still rare in the Review reports, especially about aircraft (unknown number of F-35C, unknown number of Tornado's etc).

[Polecat]

They have a very large Defence force, still Cold war size.

I dare to challenge this statement, at least as far as combat aircraft and bases are concerned.. Wattisham, Gutersloh, Laarbruch, Bruggen, Wildenrath, Finningley, Coltishall, Binbrook, Brawdy, Chivenor, St Mawgan, Honington, Church Fenton, Wyton to name just a few, were all closed after peace broke out... (though some still house an AEF or similar..)

[Coati]

Aircraft carriers, nuke subs, 200+ attack planes, new Eurofighters, large tank force, almost 200.000 regulars plus the same number of reserve personnel.

Navy of 87 vessels, plus active Marines organisation (7.400).

And in defence spendings the 3rd country in the world!

The UK has the third largest declared military expenditure in the world, after the United States and China. It is also the second largest spender on military science, engineering and technology.

I rest my case...