Engineering:List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

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Tri-service badge of the United Kingdom's armed forces.

This is a list of military aircraft currently in service with the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom .

Royal Air Force

|- ! colspan="8" | Combat Aircraft |- | Eurofighter Typhoon || United Kingdom || Jet || Multi-role || 2007 || 137[1] ||137[lower-alpha 1][1] ||[2] 16 Tranche 1s have been progressively withdrawn and scrapped under the RTP requirement[3] which started in late 2016[4][5]
All Tranche 1s to be retired by 2025.[6] |- | Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning || United States [7] || Jet || Stealth Multi-role || 2013 || 31[lower-alpha 2] || 32[lower-alpha 3] || [8][9][10] Jointly operated with Fleet Air Arm. Maximum of 60-80 aircraft to be
procured[11][12][13][14] |- ! colspan="8" | AEW&C |- | Boeing E-7 Wedgetail AEW.1 || United States || Jet || AW&C || 2022 || 0 || 3 || Originally five on order, now reduced to three, to begin operating in 2024.[15][2] |- ! colspan="8" | Reconnaissance |- | Beechcraft Shadow R.1 || United States || Propeller || ISTAR || 2009 || 6 || 6 || [2] Expected OSD 2030.[16] A further two aircraft are to be added in 2023 along
with an upgrade to the current aircraft[17] |- | Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint || United States || Jet || SIGINT || 2013 || 3 || 3 || [2] Formally known as Airseeker[18] |- | Boeing Poseidon MRA.1 || United States || Jet || ASW/Anti-ship[19] || 2019 || 9 || 9 || |- ! colspan="8" | Tanker / Transport |- | Airbus Voyager || Spain || Jet || Tanker / Transport || 2011 || 12 || 12 || [2] Two additional aircraft available upon request from AirTanker Services |- ! colspan="8" | Transport |- | Boeing C-17A Globemaster III || United States || Jet || Transport || 2001 || 8 || 8 || [2] |- | Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 || Spain || Propeller || Transport || 2014 || 22 || 22[lower-alpha 4][20][21] || [2] Up to six additional aircraft to be procured by 2030[22][23][24] |- | Dassault Envoy IV CC.1 || France || Jet || Transport || 2022 || 2[25] || 2 || Two aircraft to be introduced from March 2022. To be initially operated under civil contract until 2024[26] |- ! colspan="8" | Helicopter |- | Leonardo AW109SP || United Kingdom / Italy || Rotorcraft || Transport || 2016 || 1 || 1 || [2] Used for transportation of senior military commanders or government ministers. [27] |- | Boeing Chinook || United States || Rotorcraft || Transport || 1980 || 41 || 59 || |- | Westland/Airbus Helicopters Puma HC.2 || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Transport || 1971
2013 || 14 || 17 || Deployed in Cyprus and Brunei as of 2023[28][2][29] |- | Airbus H145 Jupiter HC.2 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Transport || 2024 || 0 || 6 || Six aircraft ordered; to replace Puma HC2 in Cyprus and Brunei from 2024.[30][31] |- ! colspan="8" | Trainer Aircraft |- | Airbus H135 Juno HT.1 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Trainer || 2018 || 29 || 29 || [2] |- | Airbus H145 Jupiter HT.1 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Trainer || 2018 || 7 || 7 || [2] |- | British Aerospace Hawk T.1 || United Kingdom || Jet || Jet trainer || 1976 || - || 172[lower-alpha 5] || [2] Retired from aggressor role in March 2022;[32] retained by the Red Arrows; to be retired by 2030.[33] |- | BAE Systems Hawk T.2 || United Kingdom || Jet || Jet trainer || 2009 || 28 || 28|| [2] Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by
No. IV (R) Squadron & No. XXV(F) Squadron; aircraft to remain in service until 2040[34][35] |- | Beechcraft Texan T1 || United States || Propeller || Trainer || 2018 || 14 || 14 || [2] |- | Embraer Phenom T.1 || Brazil || Jet || Trainer || 2018 || 5 || 5 || [2] |- | Grob Prefect T.1 || Germany || Propeller || Trainer || 2018 || 23 || 23 || [2] |- | Grob Tutor T.1 || Germany || Propeller || Trainer || 1999 || 91 [lower-alpha 6] || 119 || [2] Used by the RAF Air Experience Flight. 28 Tutors have been sold to the
Finnish Air Force as of 2018 [36] |- | Grob Viking T.1 || Germany || Glider || Trainer || 1990 || 52 || 60 || The Grob Viking T1 is the RAF's primary aircraft for delivering basic glider and flight training to the RAF Air Cadets[2] |- ! colspan="8" | Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance UAVs |- | General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper || United States || UAV || ISR / Attack || 2007 || 9 || 10 || [2] Expected OSD 2024. To be replaced by Protector UAV[37][38] |- | Protector RG1 || United States || UAV || ISR / Attack || 2023 || 1 || 16 || 16 ordered; first aircraft delivered in September 2023[39] |}

RAF Red Arrows

|- | British Aerospace Hawk T.1 || United Kingdom || Jet || Trainer || 1980 || 7 || 12 || [2] Retired from aggressor role in March 2022;[40] retained by the Red Arrows; to be retired by 2030.[33] |- |}

RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

|- | Avro Lancaster (PA474) || United Kingdom || Propeller || Heavy bomber || 1942 || 1 || 1 || 1 B.I |- | de Havilland Canada Chipmunk || United Kingdom || Propeller || Trainer || 1946 || 2 || 2 || 2 T.10 |- | Douglas Dakota || United States || Propeller || Transport || 1942 || 1 || 1 || 1 C.3 |- | Hawker Hurricane || United Kingdom || Propeller || Fighter || 1937 || 2 || 2|| 2 Mk IIc |- | Supermarine Spitfire || United Kingdom || Propeller || Fighter || 1938 || 6 || 6 || 1 Mk IIa, 1 Mk Vb, 1 LF.IXe, 1 LF.XVIe, 2 PR.XIX |}

Army Air Corps

|- ! colspan="8" | Attack helicopters |- | AgustaWestland Apache AH1 || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Attack || 2004 || 14 || 16 || [2] 50 to be upgraded to AH-64E Apache Guardian specification by 2024[41] |- | Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian || United States || Rotorcraft || Attack || 2020 || 27 || 31 (+19) || [42] 50 Apache AH1 will be remanufactured to AH-64E specification. Armed with M230 cannon and JAGM, Hellfire K1 and Hellfire Romeo missiles |-|- ! colspan="8" | Reconnaissance helicopters |- | AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Utility || 2014 || 25 || 34 || [2] |- ! colspan="8" | Transport helicopters |- | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II || France || Rotorcraft || SAS || 2009 || 5[43]|| 5 || |- ! colspan="8" | UAV |- | Thales Watchkeeper WK450 || United Kingdom || UAV || ISR || 2014 || 49 || 50 || [2] |}

Fleet Air Arm

|- ! colspan="8" | Combat Aircraft |- | Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning || United States || Jet || Multi-role || 2013 || - || - || Jointly operated with Royal Air Force . Initial Operational Capability (Maritime) in 2020;[44] 809 Naval Air Squadron stood up in December 2023 with squadron operational capability projected for 2025[45] |- ! colspan="8" | Attack helicopters |- | AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat HMA2 || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Attack || 2014 || 28 || 28 || [2] |- | AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin HM2 || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft ||ASW/AEW || 2000 || 30 || 44 || [2] Expected OSD 2040[46][47] |- ! colspan="8" | Transport helicopters |- | AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin Mk4/4A || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Transport || 2000 || 25 || 28 || [2] Expected OSD 2040[46][47] |- ! colspan="8" | Trainer Aircraft |- | Beechcraft Avenger || United States || Propeller || Trainer || 2011 || 4 || 4 || [2] Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by 750 Naval Air Squadron |- |}

Ministry of Defence

As well as the military services, a number of defence contractors operate military aircraft on behalf of or lease them from the Ministry of Defence.

|- | Agusta AW109 || Italy || Rotorcraft || Utility || || 1 || 1 || QinetiQ, Boscombe Down |- | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II || France || Rotorcraft || Utility || 1999 || 2 || 2 || [2] Used as transport of instructors as part of FOST training. Operated by British International Helicopters under MRCOA[lower-alpha 7] [48] |- | Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil || France || Rotorcraft || Trainer || || 3 || 3 || Cobham Helicopter Academy, Newquay under CFAOS[lower-alpha 8] |- | Eurofighter Typhoon || United Kingdom || Jet || Multi-role || || 3 || 3 || BAE Systems, Warton[lower-alpha 9] |- | Hawker Hunter || UK || Jet || Fighter || || 3 || 3[49] || Hawker Hunter Aviation, RAF Scampton |- | Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II || United States || Jet || Multi-role || 2013 || - || - || Three of 31 F-35Bs operated in the United States by 17 Squadron RAF; test and evaluation role[50] |- | Westland Sea King || United Kingdom || Rotorcraft || Trainer || || 2 || 2 || HeliOperations under CFAOS[lower-alpha 10] |- | Airbus Zephyr || United Kingdom || High-altitude pseudo-satellite || UAV || || 3 || 3 || Solar-powered long-endurance UAV; observation and communications platform[51][52] |}

UK Military Flying Training System

|- | Grob Prefect T.1 || Germany || Propeller || Trainer || 2018 || 23 || 23 || [2] |- | Beechcraft Texan T.1 || United States || Propeller || Trainer || 2018 || 14 || 14 || [2] |- | Embraer Phenom T.1 || Brazil || Jet || Trainer || 2018 || 5 || 5 || [2] |- | Airbus H135 Juno HT.1 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Trainer || 2018 || 29 || 29 || [2] |- | Airbus H145 Jupiter HT.1 || Germany || Rotorcraft || Trainer || 2018 || 7 || 7 || [2] |}

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Total inventory, including aircraft in maintenance at any given time
  2. ↑ Includes the 3 used by No. 17(R) squadron based in the US listed below
  3. ↑ Includes the 3 used by No. 17(R) squadron based in the US listed below; also includes one lost in November 2021
  4. ↑ Final aicraft in initial batch delivered May 2023
  5. ↑ Total inventory ordered, now only flown by Red Arrows as noted below
  6. ↑ As detailed in source this also includes the 5 Tutor platforms which were operated by the Royal Navy, previously categorised as Tutor (RN Flying Grading)
  7. ↑ Military Registered Civil Owned Aircraft
  8. ↑ leased from the Ministry of Defence and operated on the military register under the Contractor Flying Approved Organisation Scheme {CFAOS)
  9. ↑ IPA 1, IPA 5, IPA 6
  10. ↑ leased from the Ministry of Defence and operated on the military register under the Contractor Flying Approved Organisation Scheme {CFAOS)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Oral evidence: Work of the Chief of the Air Staff, HC 1108". 1 February 2023. https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/12649/html/. 
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 "UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations 2022". Ministry of Defence. 11 October 2022. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations-2022. 
  3. ↑ "RAF to scrap twin-seat Typhoons - Jane's 360". http://www.janes.com/article/77413/raf-to-scrap-twin-seat-typhoons. 
  4. ↑ "Scrapped: Eurofighter Typhoon ZJ815 Sent for RTP - Urban Ghosts". 12 December 2016. https://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2016/12/typhoon-zj815-rtp/. 
  5. ↑ "UK armed forces equipment and formations 2020". https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations-2020. 
  6. ↑ "What is in the Defence Command Paper for air and space capabilities?". 22 March 2021. https://www.airforce-technology.com/features/what-is-in-the-defence-command-paper-for-air-and-space-capabilities/. 
  7. ↑ "How British is the F-35?". 14 October 2019. https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/how-much-of-the-f-35-is-british-built/. 
  8. ↑ Manuel, Rojoef (26 June 2023). "Lockheed Delivers Two New F-35B Fighter Jets to Royal Air Force". https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/06/26/uk-f35-fighter-delivery-lockheed/. 
  9. ↑ "Britain takes delivery of more F-35 jets". 21 November 2022. https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-takes-delivery-of-more-f-35-jets/. 
  10. ↑ "F-35 Lightning II". https://twitter.com/thef35/status/1453753508734414848. "The UK’s F-35 fleet has grown to 24 aircraft after @OC207Sqn pilots ferried three new jets from the @LockheedMartin plant in Fort Worth, Texas." 
  11. ↑ "UK looking at '60 and then maybe up to 80′ F-35B jets". 23 March 2021. https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-looking-at-60-maybe-up-to-around-80-f-35b-jets/. 
  12. ↑ Delivering Carrier Strike. National Audit Office. 10 March 2017. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-78604-110-4. https://www.nao.org.uk/report/delivering-carrier-strike/. Retrieved 30 April 2017. 
  13. ↑ "Written question HL867: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem 17-07-2017". http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2017-07-17/HL867/.  One F-35B crashed November 2021.
  14. ↑ "More F-35B jets being delivered to the UK". 15 February 2022. https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/more-f-35b-jets-being-delivered-to-the-uk/. 
  15. ↑ Bozyk, Piotr (10 October 2022). "RAF Lossiemouth Base preparing for arrival of UK E-7 Wedgetail fleet". https://aviationsourcenews.com/military/raf-lossiemouth-base-preparing-for-arrival-of-uk-e-7-wedgetail-fleet/. 
  16. ↑ "DE&S signs £250 million aircraft deal to sustain the RAF's intelligence-gathering Shadow aircraft fleet". desider (Ministry of Defence, DE&S) (127). February 2019. OCLC 928842222. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780384/February-desider-v2.pdf. Retrieved 5 August 2019. 
  17. ↑ [1] UK-orders-Leonardo-Thales-protection-system-for-RAF-Shadow-fleet
  18. ↑ "RC-135W Rivet Joint". Royal Air Force. https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircraft/airseeker-rc-135w-rivet-joint/. 
  19. ↑ "New Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft lands in UK for first time". Royal Air Force. 4 February 2020. https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/new-poseidon-maritime-patrol-aircraft-lands-in-uk-for-first-time/. 
  20. ↑ Dunlop, Tom (22 May 2023). "New Atlas transport aircraft delivered to UK". https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/new-atlas-transport-aircraft-delivered-to-uk/. 
  21. ↑ "Oral evidence: Work of the Chief of the Air Staff, HC 1108". 1 February 2023. https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/12649/html/. 
  22. ↑ "Oral evidence: Work of the Chief of the Air Staff, HC 1108". 1 February 2023. https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/12649/html/. 
  23. ↑ "UK Atlas breaks parachute delivery record during DE&S cargo drop trials". desider (Ministry of Defence, DE&S) (125). December 2018. OCLC 928842222. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/761467/December-desider-Web-v1.pdf. Retrieved 5 August 2019. 
  24. ↑ "RAF Brize Norton". 11 October 2022. https://twitter.com/RAFBrizeNorton/status/1579876246154276866. 
  25. ↑ "Royal Air Force's newest aircraft fleet reaches full-service capability" (in en-gb). https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/royal-air-forces-newest-aircraft-fleet-reaches-full-service-capability/. 
  26. ↑ Allison, George (8 February 2022). "Britain purchasing French jets for VIP transport". https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-purchasing-french-jets-for-vip-transport/. 
  27. ↑ "Sloane Helicopters: Contracts". https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-11-15/2114. 
  28. ↑ "RAF Akrotiri Helicopter Capability Transfers From Griffin To Puma" (in en-gb). https://raf.mod.uk/news/articles/raf-akrotiri-helicopter-capability-transfers-from-griffin-to-puma/. 
  29. ↑ "Puma HC2". Royal Air Force. https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircraft/puma-hc2/. 
  30. ↑ https://www.janes.com/defence-news/defence/latest/uk-to-acquire-h145-helicopters-for-cyprus-brunei-missions
  31. ↑ https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/uk-mod-to-buy-six-h145s-in-fresh-blow-to-nmh-plans/155777.article
  32. ↑ "First-Generation Hawk Trainer Bows Out of UK Military Service". https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2022-03-31/first-generation-hawk-trainer-bows-out-uk-military-service. 
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 "Typhoon, C-130J and Puma retirements, FCAS investment headline UK defence review". https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/typhoon-c-130j-and-puma-retirements-fcas-investment-headline-uk-defence-review/142990.article. 
  34. ↑ Allison, George (6 September 2021). "MoD confirm Hawk T2 2040 out of service date". https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/mod-confirm-hawk-t2-2040-out-of-service-date/. 
  35. ↑ "Hawk T2". Royal Air Force. https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircraft/hawk-t2/. 
  36. ↑ "Five More ex-UK Grob Tutors Delivered to Finnish Air Force". Royal Air Force. 22 October 2017. http://warnesysworld.com/five-ex-uk-grob-tutors-delivered-finnish-air-force/. 
  37. ↑ Osborne, Tony (29 July 2019). "RAF Retiring Reaper In 2024, Paving Way For Protector". https://aviationweek.com/defense/raf-retiring-reaper-2024-paving-way-protector. 
  38. ↑ "UK signs £65m contract for first three Protectors". https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/uk-signs-65m-contract-for-first-three-protectors/139302.article. 
  39. ↑ Jennings, Gareth (12 October 2023). "RAF reconstitutes 31 Squadron as new Protector unit" (in en). https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/raf-reconstitutes-31-squadron-as-new-protector-unit. 
  40. ↑ "First-Generation Hawk Trainer Bows Out of UK Military Service". https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2022-03-31/first-generation-hawk-trainer-bows-out-uk-military-service. 
  41. ↑ "Archived copy". DESider. February 2019. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780384/February-desider-v2.pdf. 
  42. ↑ "New version of Apache attack helicopter enters service". UK Defence Journal. 23 January 2022. https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/new-version-of-apache-attack-helicopter-enters-service/. 
  43. ↑ "UK Army Air Corps lose Dauphin in accident". https://helihub.com/2023/08/03/uk-army-air-corps-lose-dauphin-in-accident. 
  44. ↑ "UK progresses F-35B deliveries". Janes. 1 December 2020. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/uk-progresses-f-35b-deliveries. 
  45. ↑ "Building up the Lightning Force – when will the UK get its F-35 jets? | Navy Lookout". 14 September 2022. https://www.navylookout.com/building-up-the-lightning-force-when-will-the-uk-get-its-f-35-jets/. 
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 "UK extends Merlin operations until 2040". https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/uk-extends-merlin-operations-until-2040/144123.article#.YMNwX-04Hks.twitter. 
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 "When will the Royal Navy's Merlin helicopters be retired?". 9 July 2020. https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/when-will-the-royal-navys-merlin-helicopters-be-retired/. 
  48. ↑ "MAA Approved Organistations". https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/750339/MAA_Approved_Organizations.pdf. 
  49. ↑ "Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd - Aircraft". https://hunterteam.com/hunterteam_airfleet/. 
  50. ↑ Stevenson, Beth. "RAF's 17 Sqn assumes control of F-35 test and evaluation". https://www.flightglobal.com/rafs-17-sqn-assumes-control-of-f-35-test-and-evaluation/115866.article. 
  51. ↑ Chuter, Andrew (17 February 2016). "British MoD Acquires Solar-Powered Zephyr UAV". https://www.defensenews.com/air/2016/02/17/british-mod-acquires-solar-powered-zephyr-uav/. 
  52. ↑ "Airbus, UK MoD cites Zephyr trials success on path to 'operationalising pseudo satellite'". https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/airbus-uk-mod-cites-zephyr-trials-success-on-path-to-operationalising-pseudo-satellite. 

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