RAF facing major combat capability shortage

The RAF is facing a serious combat capability shortage, thanks to recent combat operations. RAF records show that 36 of 91 Typhoons, and 39 of 96 Tornado aircraft are grounded for required maintenance. After the decision to retire the Harriers the workload of both aircraft climbed to almost unsustainable levels, especially for the Tornado, which is nearing the end of its life cycle, and is preparing to retire.

Continuing combat operations in Iraq may require more aircraft, which will lead to more aircraft being grounded for maintenance.

Ministry of Defence figures show that 36 of the 91 Typhoon fighters and 39 of 96 Tornados are grounded needing repairs. RAF sources say campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya have taken a heavy toll on fighter aircraft.

The £10million Tornados, dating back to 1978, have taken a “real battering” attacking Islamic State positions in Iraq almost daily since last summer.

As the Iraq crisis worsens, even more planes could be needed

www.express.co.uk...

Time for a new Spitfire, perhaps?

I remember British MP's promising to find ways of making the "Eurofighter project more affordable", to which one aerodynamics engineer asked "What are they going to do? Take the engines out and put in elastic bands?".

a reply to: stormcell

And then came the manufacturing issue with them that required grounding them and repairing certain portions of the bulkheads, adding cost.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the Tornado is at the end of its life cycle, shouldn't they have been working on a new machine to fill the gap?

I ask because while I love me some fixed wing CAS, I never paid a lot of attention to the development and procurement. It just seems like it would be a good idea to have a replacement bird in the pipeline before losing a big part of your capability. Has the U.S. ever done something like this? I know they've had problem with birds in development (and use, obviously) but has there been a period of time when one platform was in its sunset days with no replacement on the horizon?

a reply to: Shamrock6

Having built one...No.Overly complicated and engineered for no apparent reason :-)
I think the Raf is starting to feel the effects of an ageing legacy fleet while waiting for the F35 to come on board.Or as they used to say here Clipped,Cropped and Clapped out..Combat ops put a lot of strain on airframes.

a reply to: Shamrock6

The F-35 will replace at least some of them. They stand up 617 Squadron next year, at MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina. They'll achieve IOC-Land in 2018, the RN stands up their first squadron in 2018, and FOC in 2023.

Now thats really interesting as 617 is historically a precision bombing squadron..

a reply to: Zaphod58

Seeing as it was the RAF that saved us from speaking German im angry how the goverment has neglected them.

Labour and conservatives have dropped the ball.

a reply to: crazyewok

Yeah, they've really let the UK military go. With the loss of the Nimrods, and Harriers, they gutted their capabilities, and now are paying for it. They're years away from even having an MPA RFP, let alone an actual replacement.

They are not the only country facing the same problem.

Australia is in a similar position with trying to make do while the delayed F35s are on back order.

What we really needed were a few wings of F22s to fill in the gaps but the US eventually said no.

P

Take all the weak birds and wire them for autonomous attack. The next first strike will be a biggie.

a reply to: pheonix358
When the pigs retired it left a big hole in our capabilities..The Orions are next.

a reply to: pheonix358

G,day pheonix
your right on the ball with your comment mate
some years ago on this site someone mentioned that the U.S. navy went cap in hand to the U.S. air force asking for the airforce types to fly f22 top cover for their f35,s

originally posted by: Blackfinger
a reply to: pheonix358
When the pigs retired it left a big hole in our capabilities..The Orions are next.

G,day mate.
i do miss the pigs a real quality machine and a bloody good force muliplier
plus the riffraff techies ripped out all the wiring and made em digital birds if my memory serves me well
The clowns in canberra keep harping on about how the f35 is going to replace tbe pigs
cant fly as far
cant fly as fast
cant fly as high
cant carry the same war load
and breaks the rule set after the final years of the mirage
ALL future aircraft must have 2 engines
oh well things have been going backwards for quite a few years now
we have not been this short handed since 1939
we had so ething like 19 orion frames i wonder how many we have left
they are talking about only 8 replacements and a gaggle of drones

I can see sats and drones being our eyes in the sky for the future.With our biggest threat being from the north west the pollies have resorted to diplomatic ties now instead of a big stick.The Pigs were our biggest asset as they could go anywhere fast and low and do the job better than a lot of aircraft in use today.Even the Tonkas dont even have the abilities and they are getting old.Superhornets will be a good stand in while waiting for the F35 but our forces need a level playing field for the future to bring all our assets up to a good stable platform for cross communications and battlefield control.

O dead, what a pity, never mind!