Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Accepted
Paragraph: 90
Doubts persist regarding sufficient UK aircraft for North Atlantic and High North presence.
Conclusion
RAF assets based in Scotland contribute to defence in the North Atlantic and the High North in a number of important ways, including surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and threat response by way of the Quick Reaction Alert jets stationed at RAF Lossiemouth. Several witnesses expressed doubts as to whether the UK has sufficient aircraft to maintain the necessary presence in the North Atlantic and the High North without withdrawing resources from elsewhere.
Government Response Summary
The government asserts that its force structure is regularly tested and that capability is not solely measured by aircraft numbers, but by the totality of platforms, systems, and coalition operations. It highlights the 2021 Defence Command Paper and the P-8 fleet, stating it remains confident it has the right force mix, supported by NATO allies.
Paragraph Reference:
90
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The force structure is regularly tested against current and anticipated operational demands. Where risk due to platform numbers is identified, this is considered in the annual balance of investment and funding is allocated or adjusted accordingly. It is important to note that numbers of aircraft alone is not a measure of capability. It is the totality that matters; capability of our platforms, the system they operate in and the fact that we operate within coalitions all need to be considered. In the 2021 Defence Command Paper, we set out how it would transform and modernise the Armed Forces to meet the threats we face, in the High North and beyond. For the RAF, this meant retiring equipment that had limited utility in the future operating environment while continuing to deliver decisive air and space power in a complex and contested environment. The capabilities defined in the 2021 Defence Command Paper provide sufficient combat mass to meet the threats we face and, as laid out in the 2023 Defence Command Paper refresh, remain valid. The RAF’s combat air capacity will continue to grow, as it fully establishes all seven operational Typhoon Squadrons and grows the F-35 Lightning Force in parallel. Together they will provide a formidable capability, which will be continually upgraded to meet the threat, exploit multi-domain integration and expand utility. On Typhoon specifically, the future Typhoon Force will be comprised of seven front-line squadrons of the most modern Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 aircraft, equipped with the world’s most advanced radar, and a funded plan to ensure they are continually modernised until they leave service. The fleet of three E-7A Wedgetail aircraft, with improved availability when compared to the E-3D Sentry it replaces, will offer Defence a step-change in airborne early warning capability enabling the UK to deliver its national and international commitments, including to NATO, in the High North and beyond. Our P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft protect UK waters, providing constant vigilance to threats above and below the waves and protecting the UK’s nuclear deterrent, covering hundreds of square miles in a single mission. The decision to procure a fleet of nine aircraft was taken in 2015, after extensive operational analysis, balancing capability with affordability. The ability to monitor threats from the High North and North Atlantic was a key factor then, as it is now; and the UK’s renewed maritime patrol capability is part of a broader NATO capability, including assets from the US, Norway and other Allies, ensuring the security of the High North more broadly. This combination of capabilities—whether modern Typhoon and a growing F35B fleet, leading ISTAR capabilities and a range of additional air enablers—provides the UK a potent air capability and clear operational advantage, working in concert with our Allies. Defence is threat-led, so will always keep its capabilities under review, but remains confident it maintains the right force mix to meet the security demands in the North Atlantic and the High North.