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

Main article: Royal Air Force
Type Origin Class Role Introduced In service Total Notes
Airbus A400M Atlas C1 Spain Propeller Transport 2014 20 20 [1] Two on order expected to be delivered in the early 2020s[2]
Airbus Voyager Spain Jet Tanker / Transport 2011 9 9 [1] Five additional aircraft available upon request from AirTanker Services for a total of 14
Beechcraft Shadow R1 USA Propeller ISTAR 2009 8 8 [1] Expected OSD 2030.[3] A further two aircraft are to be added in 2023 along with an upgrade to the current aircraft[4]
Bell Griffin HAR2 Canada Rotorcraft Utility 2003 3 3 [1] Supplied and maintained by Cobham but operated by military aircrew. Used for SAR, fire fighting and ISTAR duties amongst others in RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus
Boeing Airseeker R1 USA Jet SIGINT 2013 3 3 [1]
Boeing Chinook USA Rotorcraft Transport 1980 60 72 [1]
Boeing C-17A Globemaster III USA Jet Transport 2001 8 8 [1]
Boeing Sentry AEW1 USA Jet AEW&C 1991 5[a][5] 7 [1] Expected OSD December 2022.[6] To be replaced by Boeing E-7 Wedgetail from 2023.[7]
Boeing P-8 Poseidon USA Jet ASW 2019 5 5 [8] A further four are on order
Britten-Norman Defender UK Propeller Patrol 2003 9 9 [1] Will be jointly operated by Army and RAF during transition period [9]
Britten-Norman Islander UK Propeller Patrol 1997 3 6 [1] Will be jointly operated by Army and RAF during transition period [9]
British Aerospace 146 UK Jet Transport 1986
2012		 4 6 [1] Expected OSD 31 March 2022.[10] They have also been put up for sale[11]
British Aerospace Hawk T1 UK Jet Trainer 1976 56[b] 76[c] [1] To be retired from aggressor role by 2025;[12] those flown by the Red Arrows retired by 2030.[13] Used in the aggressor role by No. 100 Squadron and the Red Arrows
British Aerospace Hawk T2 UK Jet Trainer 2009 28 28 [1] Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by No. IV (R) Squadron & No. XXV(F) Squadron
Eurofighter Typhoon Europe Jet Multi-role 2007 136[d] 157[e] [1] Of the 22 two seat trainer aircraft[14] 16 Tranche 1s have been progressively withdrawn and scrapped under the RTP requirement[15] which started in late 2016[16][17]All Tranche 1s to be retired by 2025.[18]
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper USA UAV ISR / Attack 2007 9 10 [1] Expected OSD 2024. To be replaced by Protector UAV[19][20]
Grob Tutor T1 Germany Propeller Trainer 1999 91[f] 119 [1] Used by the RAF Air Experience Flight. 28 Tutors have been sold to the Finnish Air Force as of 2018 [21]
Grob Viking TX1 Germany Glider Trainer 1990 52 60 [1]
Leonardo AW109SP Italy Rotorcraft Transport 2016 1 1 [1] Used for transportation of senior military commanders or government ministers
Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules USA Propeller Transport 2000 14 25 [1] All to be withdrawn by 2023. [22]
Lockheed Martin F‑35B Lightning USA/UK [23] Jet Multi-role 2013 18[g] 18[h] [24] Jointly operated with Fleet Air Arm. Maximum of 60-80 aircraft to be procured[25][26][27]
Westland Puma HC2 UK Rotorcraft Transport 1971 23 24 [1]

RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

Main article: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Type Origin Class Role Introduced In service Total Notes
Avro Lancaster (PA474) UK Propeller Bomber 1942 1 1 B.I
De Havilland Canada Chipmunk UK Propeller Trainer 1946 2 753 2 T.10
Douglas Dakota USA Propeller Transport 1942 1 1 C.3
Hawker Hurricane UK Propeller Fighter 1937 2 14533 2 Mk IIc
Supermarine Spitfire UK Propeller Fighter 1938 6 20341 1 Mk IIa, 1 Mk Vb, 1 LF.IXe, 1 LF.XVIe, 2 PR.XIX

Fleet Air Arm

Main article: Fleet Air Arm
Type Origin Class Role Introduced In service Total Notes
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat HMA2 UK Rotorcraft Attack 2014 28 28 [1]
AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin HM2 UK Rotorcraft ASW 2000 30 44 [1] Maritime helicopter; out of service date is 2029[28]
AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin Mk3i/4 UK Rotorcraft Transport 2000 25 28 [1] Troop carrying aircraft used to support the Royal Marines
The Mk4/4A are undergoing a capability upgrade and will be fully delivered by 2021[29][30] All Mk3 have now been upgraded to Mk4 with just the Mk3i remaining; out of service date is 2030.[31][28]
British Aerospace Hawk T1 UK Jet Trainer 1994 14 14[32] [1] Used in the aggressor role by 736 Naval Air Squadron
Beechcraft Avenger USA Propeller Trainer 2011 4 4 [1] Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by 750 Naval Air Squadron
Lockheed Martin F‑35B Lightning USA Jet Multi-role 2013 21 Firm order of 48 Jointly operated with Royal Air Force. Initial Operational Capability (Maritime) in 2020[24]

Army Air Corps

Main article: Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)
Type Origin Class Role Introduced In service Total Notes
AgustaWestland Apache AH1 UK Rotorcraft Attack 2004 30 67 [1] To be replaced by the AH-64E Apache Guardian in 2024[33]
Boeing AH-64E Guardian United States Rotorcraft Attack 2020 0 6 [34] A total of 50 aircraft are on order to replace the Apache AH1.
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat UK Rotorcraft Utility 2014 34 34 [1]
Bell 212 Canada Rotorcraft Utility 1995 5 5 [1] Used by No. 7 Flight AAC and No. 25 Flight AAC in Brunei and Kenya in support of TTB and BATUK
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II France Rotorcraft SAS 2009 5 5
Thales Watchkeeper WK450 UK UAV ISR 2014 49 50 [1]
Westland Gazelle UK Rotorcraft Patrol 1974 26 34 [1] Expected OSD 2025. Two additional units are currently undergoing work to bring them back into service[35]

UK Military Flying Training System

The contractors providing the new UK Military Flying Training System will eventually operate 42 fixed wing aircraft and 36 helicopters on the military register, but the aircraft are initially civilian-registered.[citation needed]

Type Origin Class Role Introduced In service Total Notes
Grob Prefect T1 Germany Propeller Trainer 2018 23 23 [1]
Beechcraft Texan T1 USA Propeller Trainer 2018 14 14 [1]
Embraer Phenom 100 Brazil Jet Trainer 2018 5 5 [1]
Airbus H135 Juno Germany Rotorcraft Trainer 2018 29 29 [1]
Airbus H145 Jupiter Germany Rotorcraft Trainer 2018 3 3 [1] A further 4 aircraft to be procured[36]

Empire Test Pilots' School

Main article: Empire Test Pilots' School
Type Origin Class Role Introduced In service Total Notes
British Aerospace Hawk UK Jet Trainer / experimental 2 2 [37] Operated for the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine[38]

Ministry of Defence

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

Type Origin Class Role Introduced In service Total Notes
Agusta AW109 Italy Rotorcraft Utility 1 1 QinetiQ, Boscombe Down
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II France Rotorcraft Utility 1999 2 2 [1] Used as transport of instructors as part of FOST training. Operated by British International Helicopters under MRCOA[i] [39]
Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil France Rotorcraft Trainer 3 3 Cobham Helicopter Academy, Newquay under CFAOS[j]
Eurofighter Typhoon UK Jet Multi-role 3 3 BAE Systems, Warton[k]
Hawker Hunter UK Jet Fighter 3 3[40] Hawker Hunter Aviation, RAF Scampton
Lockheed Martin F‑35B Lightning II USA Jet Multi-role 2013 3 3 Lockheed Martin, United States[26]
Westland Sea King UK Rotorcraft Trainer 2 2 HeliOperations under CFAOS[l]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Two airframes are in long term storage awaiting disposal but remain on the military register (see ref)
  2. ^ Not including the 14 operated by 736 NAS
  3. ^ Not including the 14 operated by 736 NAS
  4. ^ Not including the 3 IPA aircraft listed below
  5. ^ Not including the 3 IPA aircraft listed 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. ^ Not including the 3 used by No. 17(R) squadron based in the US listed below
  8. ^ Not including the 3 used by No. 17(R) squadron based in the US listed below
  9. ^ Military Registered Civil Owned Aircraft
  10. ^ leased from the Ministry of Defence and operated on the military register under the Contractor Flying Approved Organisation Scheme {CFAOS)
  11. ^ IPA 1, IPA 5, IPA 6
  12. ^ leased from the Ministry of Defence and operated on the military register under the Contractor Flying Approved Organisation Scheme {CFAOS)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj "UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations 2020". Gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  2. ^ "UK Atlas breaks parachute delivery record during DE&S cargo drop trials" (PDF). desider. No. 125. Ministry of Defence, DE&S. December 2018. OCLC 928842222. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  3. ^ "DE&S signs £250 million aircraft deal to sustain the RAF's intelligence-gathering Shadow aircraft fleet" (PDF). desider. No. 127. Ministry of Defence, DE&S. February 2019. OCLC 928842222. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  4. ^ [1] Archived 13 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine UK-orders-Leonardo-Thales-protection-system-for-RAF-Shadow-fleet
  5. ^ "MOD FOIA" (PDF). MoD. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Ministry of Defence: The Equipment Plan 2019 to 2029" (PDF). National Audit Office. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  7. ^ Quin, Jeremy (8 June 2020). "AWACS: Procurement:Written question - 51653". UK Parliament. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  8. ^ https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/fifth-raf-poseidon-arrives-in-uk
  9. ^ a b "UK transfers Defender and Islander special mission aircraft from AAC to RAF". IHS Janes. 2 April 2019. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Confirmation that Royal BAe 146 aircraft to be replaced". UK Defence Journal. 17 January 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  11. ^ "DSEI 2019: RAF puts BAe 146s up for sale". Janes.com. 13 September 2019. Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  12. ^ https://www.airforce-technology.com/features/what-is-in-the-defence-command-paper-for-air-and-space-capabilities/
  13. ^ https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/typhoon-c-130j-and-puma-retirements-fcas-investment-headline-uk-defence-review/142990.article
  14. ^ "UK Typhoon Fleet by Block « Articles « Fast Air Photography". www.fast-air.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  15. ^ "RAF to scrap twin-seat Typhoons - Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  16. ^ "Scrapped: Eurofighter Typhoon ZJ815 Sent for RTP - Urban Ghosts". 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  17. ^ ((cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations-2020
  18. ^ https://www.airforce-technology.com/features/what-is-in-the-defence-command-paper-for-air-and-space-capabilities/
  19. ^ Osborne, Tony (29 July 2019). "RAF Retiring Reaper In 2024, Paving Way For Protector". Aviation Week.
  20. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. ^ "Five More ex-UK Grob Tutors Delivered to Finnish Air Force". Royal Air Force. 22 October 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  22. ^ https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/the-uk-s-integrated-review-and-defence-command-paper
  23. ^ https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/how-much-of-the-f-35-is-british-built/
  24. ^ a b "UK progresses F-35B deliveries". Janes. 1 December 2020.
  25. ^ https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-looking-at-60-maybe-up-to-around-80-f-35b-jets/
  26. ^ a b Delivering Carrier Strike. National Audit Office. 10 March 2017. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-78604-110-4. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  27. ^ "Written question HL867: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem 17-07-2017". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  28. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  29. ^ "Farnborough 2018: More Merlin magic for the UK (video) - DH - Defence Helicopter - Shephard Media". www.shephardmedia.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  30. ^ "UK Merlin Mk4/4a programme hit by delays - DH - Defence Helicopter - Shephard Media". www.shephardmedia.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  31. ^ "UK completes Merlin HC3/3A helo upgrades". IHS Janes. 11 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  32. ^ "736 NAVAL AIR SQUADRON". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  33. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). DESider. February 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  34. ^ "Apache AH-64E heralds new era in modern British military aviation". British Army. 26 November 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  35. ^ "Farnborough 2018: UK helicopters in Transition". DH – Defence Helicopter. Shephard Media. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  36. ^ "£183m boost for UK military helicopter training". ADS Advance. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  37. ^ Empire Test Pilots' School - Our Fleet and Facilities Archived 19 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, etps.qinetiq.com
  38. ^ "Hawk T1". RAF.mod. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  39. ^ "MAA Approved Organistations" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  40. ^ "Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd - Aircraft". Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.

External links

Lists of aircraft
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