RAF may scrap Tornado fleet

An RAF Tornado GR4 and Typhoon. (UK Crown Copyright)

The RAF may be forced to scrap its fleet of 120 Tornado GR4s and possibly its Harrier GR9 fleet as well as part of the UK’s overreaching Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).

The SDSR has stated aims to make savings of between 10 and 20 per cent across the UK’s defence forces, and the move to retire the Tornados and Harriers would leave the RAF with about 130 Eurofighter Typhoons, many of which are yet to be upgraded to the latest standard which includes enhanced air-to-surface modes.

The retirements would also see the closure of several air bases, and thus realise savings of several billions pounds. Other programs under threat include one of the Royal Navy’s two new QEII class aircraft carriers, and the Nimrod MRA4 program.