BAE Systems has told MPs that the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) ageing fleet of Tranche 1 Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4s – which is slated to be phased out of UK military service in 2025 – could be upgraded and retained for operational use.
In giving evidence to the UK government’s Defence Select Committee’s ongoing inquiry into the nation’s military aircraft procurement, the UK-based company said that while the relevant upgrade work was possible, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has not asked for an assessment of the work needed or the costs involved. In written evidence, BAE Systems said: “It is technically feasible to bring a Tranche 1 (T1) aircraft to the standard of a Tranche 2 (T2) or Tranche 3 (T3) aircraft. BAE Systems has previously provided data to the MOD that outlines the scope of structural and avionic modifications that would be required.
“BAE Systems has not been asked to provide an assessment of the non-recurring design effort, nor associated costs, to implement such an upgrade. However, Spain has embarked upon a similar programme with some degree of concurrency available through multiple modification lines.
“Other Typhoon partner nations have also reviewed their fleets – Germany has concluded that it will retire its T1 ai…
