RAF to withdraw Tornado air defence squadrons early

[CougarKing]

Wasn't this expected with the gradual entry of more Typhoon units into service?

UK Set to Remove Tornado Air Defense Squadrons Early
16-Apr-2009 12:22 EDT

Recent reports had indicated that the RAF was set to disband the 2 Tornado F3 Air Defence Variant squadrons in Leuchars, Scotland a year early. That is now confirmed. The original plan had been to stand down 43 Sqn (The Fighting Cocks) and 111 Sqn (Treble Ones) in late 2010, but they will now disband in September 2009 as a budgetary measure.

The Tornado was originally developed as a variable-sweep wing strike fighter optimized for low-level penetration. With 40% of NATO aircraft slated to base in the UK during wartime, and a need to cover NATO’s northern flank in the war’s early days, RAF Strike Command decided that long-legged interceptors were the missing piece. A Foxhunter air-defense radar was added in the nose, one of the two 27mm Mauser cannons was deleted, the fuselage was lengthened to allow carriage of 4 Skyflash medium range air-air missiles (MRAAMs), an extra internal fuel tank was fitted in the lengthened fuselage, and another was placed in the tail fin. There wasn’t much to be done about the RB.199 turbofans, which were optimized for low-level performance and tended to under-perform at high altitudes. Later, the F3’s RB199 Mk104 helped a bit by extending the afterburner section; it was also the first operational fighter engine to fly with the Full Authority Digital Engine Controls (FADEC) that are now standard in modern fighters. The aircraft have undergone a number of upgrades since their operational debut in 1984, including new avionics, radar improvements, and the ability to use newer missiles like the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-132 ASRAAM.

The move will reportedly cut the number of fighter jets on standby to protect Britain from 25 to 12, which amounts to about 8 operational jets at the current readiness rate. It is possible that 43 Sqn, which is the last surviving front-line fighter squadron formed in Scotland, could eventually re-form with the Eurofighter Typhoon. The first set of Typhoon squadrons are becoming operational at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, but 2 other Typhoon squadrons will be formed in 2011 and 2012.

 

[aesop081]

The "unexpected" part is the timeline. A year early puts the RAF in a odd position. There are further delays in receiving tranch 2 Typhhons because of the RSAF buy and there still has been no firm decision on the Tranche 3 buy for the RAF.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Singaporeans bought the Typhoon?  Since when???

 

[CougarKing]

Singaporeans bought the Typhoon?  Since when???

I think CDNAviator meant the Saudis when he said RSAF.

 

[aesop081]

I think CDNAviator meant the Saudis when he said RSAF.

Correct. The Saudi Tranche 2 typhoons are comming from a batch originaly intended for the RAF thus setting the RAF delivery schedule back.

The UK MoD faces a 2 billion pound shortfall. Compound this with some , IMHO, less that brilliant spending decisions like spending all of the available hellicopter money on the Capability sustainment program for the Merlin HM1 and the continuation of funding for "future Lynx", as oposed to fillng what is reported as a 38% shortfall in battlefield lift. There are more tough coices ahead for the UK and this decision on the Tornado F3s was most likely made by accountants.