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Select Committee · Defence Committee

Aviation Procurement

Status: Closed Opened: 21 Mar 2022 Closed: 11 Dec 2023 5 recommendations 14 conclusions 1 report

The Committee has decided to inquire into aviation procurement across the Armed Forces and will undertake two distinct but connected inquiries. The first will focus on the strategic context, existing contracts and capabilities, and the impact of planned reductions to the fleet, and will consider in particular: Will the proposals set out in the Integrated …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Tenth Report - Aviation Procurement: Winging it? HC 178 10 Sep 2023 19 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
2 Conclusion Tenth Report - Aviation Procurement: Wi… Rejected

Increase combat air mass urgently to address the short-term capability gap

The RAF’s combat aircraft fleet now provides a boutique high capability: it lacks numerical depth and has an inadequate attrition reserve. Exquisite capability has its place, but in a peer-on-peer conflict such as a shooting war with Russia, every airframe will count. Combat aircraft numbers are already low. The Defence …

Government response. The government rejects the need to increase combat air mass, arguing that effectiveness is not solely judged by numbers, and current investment in capabilities like Typhoon and F-35B, along with NATO contributions, provides sufficient deterrent capability.
Ministry of Defence
5 Conclusion Tenth Report - Aviation Procurement: Wi… Rejected

Deliver Typhoon fleet upgrades at pace and consider mothballing Tranche 1 aircraft

Planned sensor and weapons upgrades to the Typhoon fleet must be delivered at pace. In light of the RAF’s lack of any operational reserve, the MoD should seriously consider mothballing the Tranche 1 Typhoons which are due to be retired in 2025 rather than disposing of them.

Government response. The government has rejected the recommendation to mothball Tranche 1 Typhoons, citing that regeneration would cost over £300 million due to capability, obsolescence, and regulatory needs. It also states retaining them would prevent harvesting components essential for sustaining Tranche 2 …
Ministry of Defence
8 Recommendation Tenth Report - Aviation Procurement: Wi… Rejected

Set out NATO discussions and revisit Wedgetail fleet reduction to five aircraft

Of all of the Defence Command Paper’s cuts, the decision to reduce the UK’s Wedgetail E-7 fleet from five to three aircraft stands out as the most perverse, with the fleet cut by 40% for an acquisition saving of just 12%. Moreover, our witnesses told us that three aircraft will …

Government response. The government rejects revisiting the decision to reduce the Wedgetail fleet to three aircraft, stating the reduction saves £700 million and meets key requirements despite acknowledging increased risk. It confirms ongoing engagement with NATO via NAPMO to update them on …
Ministry of Defence
18 Conclusion Tenth Report - Aviation Procurement: Wi… Rejected

2021 Defence Command Paper cuts weakened UK air power, leaving the nation dangerously exposed.

The far-reaching cuts to aircraft numbers set out in the 2021 Defence Command Paper weakened the UK’s air power capability at a time when the armed forces were already over-stretched. The scale of this gamble became clear less than a year later, when Europe faced its most serious security crisis …

Government response. The government rejected the committee's conclusion, asserting that increased defence spending and transformation programmes ensure the RAF continues to modernise and play a vital role in UK and allied security, rather than being diminished.
Ministry of Defence

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
17 May 2023 Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton KCB · Ministry of Defence, James Cartlidge MP, Minister for Defence Procurement, Vice Admiral Rick Thompson · Ministry of Defence View ↗
22 Mar 2023 Andy Netherwood - Squadron Leader (Rtd), Captain Royal Navy (Rtd) Dan Stembridge · Royal Aeronautical Society, Lieutenant General USAF (Rtd) David Deptula · Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies View ↗
29 Nov 2022 Anna Keeling · Boeing Defence UK, Ian Muldowney · BAE Systems Air, Paul Livingston · Lockheed Martin, Sir Kevin Leeson · Airbus UK View ↗
28 Jun 2022 Dr Sophy Antrobus · Kings College London, Justin Bronk · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) View ↗