Current RAF aircraft

[nadger]

Hi all,

Doing a bit of research and was wondering if anyone had any recomendations for where I could find the number of each type of aircraft the RAF currently have in service?

Cheers

[POL]

I've not bothered to split out things in regular maintenance, but I have taken out a few long-term repairs/christmas trees/etc. This is the list I have, therefore.

AgustaWestland AW109 - 1
Airbus Voyager KC.2/3 - 10
Airbus Atlas C.1 - 20
Beechcraft Shadow R.1/2 - 6
Bell Griffin HAR.2 - 2
Boeing Globemaster - 8
Boeing Sentry AEW.1 - 5
Boeing Rivet Joint - 3
Boeing Chinook HC.3/4/5/6 - 60
Bombardier Sentinel - 5
British Aerospace 146 - 4
British Aerospace Hawk T.1/2 - 64
Britten Norman Islander/Defender - 12
Embraer Phenom - 4
Eurofighter Typhoon T.3/FGR.4 - 117
Grob Viking TX.1 - 20
Grob Prefect T.1 - 23
Lockheed Hercules C.4/5/6 - 18
Lockheed Lightning II - 17
Raytheon Texan T.1 - 10
Short Tucano T.1 - 26
Westland Puma HC.2 - 23

DHFS helicopters also not included.

[tm74sqn]

Also nearly an alphabet's worth of Puma helicopters!
Cheers, TM74

[paddyboy]

I didn't realise our beloved RAF was THAT bereft of 'frames

[nadger]

Interesting. Thanks EGVP.

What is your source on these BTW?

[wezgulf3]

Well isn't that a sad state of affairs!! Would love to see the list from July 1979, July 2009, just to see how much it has changed.

[Nighthawke]

I didn't realise our beloved RAF was THAT bereft of 'frames

To be honest I'm surprised it's that big!

[big john]

Well isn't that a sad state of affairs!! Would love to see the list from July 1979, July 2009, just to see how much it has changed.

Military Aircraft Markings for 1979 has about 70 pages of UK serials with about 70 aircraft per page. That will give you some idea of what's gone.

[Mike]

Have any of you seen the state of most of the other European air forces - especially The Netherlands and Belgium? I think we're doing rather well especially with the P-8s and E-7s on order compared to the rest of Europe.
We had a huge amount of aircraft in the 60s & 70s, but one Typhoon can probably do what around 10 Lightnings could do all those years ago, and how many Victor Tankers did it take to get one single Vulcan to the Falklands?
Aircraft these days are built to do a job, not like the old days of converting them once they're old and knackered to change them into something they weren't designed to do!
Not to mention the huge amount of training that can be carried out in simulators, instead of wearing out airframes.

[ColintheCaterpillar]

I've not bothered to split out things in regular maintenance, but I have taken out a few long-term repairs/christmas trees/etc. This is the list I have, therefore.

AgustaWestland AW109 - 1
Airbus Voyager KC.2/3 - 10
Airbus Atlas C.1 - 20
Beechcraft Shadow R.1/2 - 6
Bell Griffin HAR.2 - 2
Boeing Globemaster - 8
Boeing Sentry AEW.1 - 5
Boeing Rivet Joint - 3
Boeing Chinook HC.3/4/5/6 - 60
Bombardier Sentinel - 5
British Aerospace 146 - 4
British Aerospace Hawk T.1/2 - 64
Britten Norman Islander/Defender - 12
Embraer Phenom - 4
Eurofighter Typhoon T.3/FGR.4 - 117
Grob Viking TX.1 - 20
Grob Prefect T.1 - 23
Lockheed Hercules C.4/5/6 - 18
Lockheed Lightning II - 17
Raytheon Texan T.1 - 10
Short Tucano T.1 - 26
Westland Puma HC.2 - 23

DHFS helicopters also not included.

The Tutor would significantly boost those numbers too.

[Pi]

We have 3 Griffins think one is operated at Boscombe from 84 Sqn

[MRTT]

Aircraft at Boscombe was operated by QinetiQ, now stored.

[Agent K]

Interesting isn't it, but somewhat sad, I remember when the MoD (RAF) ordered 220 Tornado GR1's and 165 F3's to serve alongside Jaguars and Harriers and Buccaneers and Phantoms...….

[Jaymer15]

What with low numbers and so few types of aircraft. What would happen if a fault was found with one type and had to be grounded? Would there be suitable aircraft to take up the slack. The typhoon for example. If that was grounded would the F-35 being are only other frontline fighter be able to take over the QRA with it's current fleet?

[Agent K]

What with low numbers and so few types of aircraft. What would happen if a fault was found with one type and had to be grounded? Would there be suitable aircraft to take up the slack. The typhoon for example. If that was grounded would the F-35 being are only other frontline fighter be able to take over the QRA with it's current fleet?

The simple answer is no, there is nothing in reserve, no other fleet type, the F35 is not a QRA aircraft, and unless the situation was dire wouldn't serve QRA, but is indeed our (not "are" I think you mean) only other front line type.

Thankfully it's not quite so simple usually, so, given the ages of the Typhoon fleet for example are quite widespread, if a structural or indeed other failure was identified, then it would usually be more prevalent/progressive on the older airframes where maintenance/repair/moidification would happen and the younger airframes may continue to operate perhaps under a reduced hours, lower fatigue limit, increased inspections regime until necessary fleet wide action is completed.

[Vulcanone]

Essentially a wise move buying them in tranches, slower than all at once....

[tommc]

What with low numbers and so few types of aircraft. What would happen if a fault was found with one type and had to be grounded? Would there be suitable aircraft to take up the slack. The typhoon for example. If that was grounded would the F-35 being are only other frontline fighter be able to take over the QRA with it's current fleet?

Think how much worse a type grounding would be for Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark etc

[Vulcanone]

And Norway as well, once all 4 have retired good old F-16s.

[Vulcan74]

Mike

Maybe so but I rather have it as it was in the 70's & 80's that's when we had an airforce. Better flypasts then as compared to now, just grey things flying in the sky, more airshows to go to I went to Waddington airshows in the 70's Vulcan scrambles, Victor in formation with phantoms etc. Also the USAF based in the UK put on good displays, maybe the aircraft are more advanced now but not as good as it was!!

[POL]

Ah yes, the primary objective of any nation's military forces, to keep planespotters happy.