Falcon 900s will be BAe 146 replacements...

[TonyO]

From MoD...

New jets to enhance UK’s international presence

· New fuel-efficient aircraft to promote Global Britain

· Defence to replace old transport fleet with modern aircraft

· £80m contract with Bristol-based contractor

Under a new £80 million contract with Bristol-based Centreline, four BAe146 aircraft, will be replaced by two more sustainable aircraft to continue the UK’s global engagement.

The new planes will be more sustainable thanks to their smaller engines, leading to a reduction in fuel burn and emissions. They will also be able to fly further, providing the UK greater opportunity to engage with key allies and partners.

The contract with Centreline, placed by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the MOD’s procurement arm, includes the purchase of two Dassault 900LX aircraft and two years of initial support, plus three option years if required.

Dassault 900LX was successful in this competition as the standout candidate in performance, cost value and time requirements.

The two-phase programme will see the aircraft initially operated by a mixed crew of civilian and RAF personnel. The aircraft will be upgraded with missile jamming systems and military communications to deliver full capability and crewed by RAF personnel.

The Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper set out a bold and global vision stressing the importance of soft power, enhancing our international presence, developing on current relationships and building new ones.

After four decades of service, two BAe 146 aircraft are being preserved at the British Airliner Collection at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, and the South Wales Aviation Museum at St Athan in South Glamorgan. The remaining two aircraft have been bought by a civilian operator.

[POL]

The press release is very well written to hide the capability gap in terms of the different missions of the two marks of 146, but we'll over look that!

Centreline make sense as a contractor, being that they're probably the only Falcon operator left in the UK.

Next question then is which two airframes have been allocated to this, there's a couple of 900LXs that went to the Dassault's facility in Little Rock for cabin outfitting that are possibilities...

[TonyO]

The press release is very well written to hide the capability gap in terms of the different missions of the two marks of 146, but we'll over look that!

Centreline make sense as a contractor, being that they're probably the only Falcon operator left in the UK.

Next question then is which two airframes have been allocated to this, there's a couple of 900LXs that went to the Dassault's facility in Little Rock at the same time for cabin outfitting that are possibilities...

On your last point, do you know which ones?

[POL]

c/n 326 and 327, the last two Falcon 900s off the production line so far as much as I can see! This is c/n 327 late last year: https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/10409754

Note I was very wrong when it came to the British E-7 airframes so I don't hold out much hope that I'll be right this time

[Unknown74]

So will these also take over from the Cessna Citations which the Royals seem to be using, just I saw one arriving at Edinburgh on Saturday.

[Vulture 01]

It's bound to be more fuel efficient -it's got one less engine so a 25% saving of co2.
Good PR for the RAF

[Canberra TT.18]

It's bound to be more fuel efficient -it's got one less engine so a 25% saving of co2.
Good PR for the RAF

Also
Bae146 70-90 Pax
Falcon 900 19 Pax

[Alf]

It's bound to be more fuel efficient -it's got one less engine so a 25% saving of co2.
Good PR for the RAF

Also
Bae146 70-90 Pax
Falcon 900 19 Pax

The 146 CC2 were fitted for 19 vip pax also.

[Canberra TT.18]

It's bound to be more fuel efficient -it's got one less engine so a 25% saving of co2.
Good PR for the RAF

Also
Bae146 70-90 Pax
Falcon 900 19 Pax

The 146 CC2 were fitted for 19 vip pax also.

I know the aircraft are fitted out as VIP aircraft.
But I hope you get the point. Because when using a 30 year old aircraft capable of moving up 80 people for only 19 a new better fitting aircraft wins it every day.

[Snoop 95]

Having read that MoD press release I do admire the writer's ability with words! Quite amazing how words can be manipulated skilfully to disguise the situation.

[Agent K]

So will these also take over from the Cessna Citations which the Royals seem to be using, just I saw one arriving at Edinburgh on Saturday.

No, the royal family switched to using civilian aircraft some while back and will continue to do so.

[Mark]

Nothing promotes Global Britain like a French Aircraft...

[Nighthawke]

As the Airbus Voyager and A.400 do already!

[bizfreeq]

Nothing promotes Global Britain like a French Aircraft...

Well there is no British alternative is there so your point is totally moot

[Mark]

Nothing promotes Global Britain like a French Aircraft...

Well there is no British alternative is there so your point is totally moot

It was said more in Jest than bitterness..

[jd4781]

c/n 326 and 327, the last two Falcon 900s off the production line so far as much as I can see! This is c/n 327 late last year: https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/10409754

Note I was very wrong when it came to the British E-7 airframes so I don't hold out much hope that I'll be right this time

Seems as though you're correct! A Falcon 900 was registered on G-Info yesterday c/n 326, G-ZAHS registered to Centreline.

[POL]

Well that was a good guess then!

For my next guess...military serials of ZA115 and ZA116.

[PC4]

Why didn't we just strip out 2 of the Sentinals we had them already paid for, surely Global Express aircraft would have been ideal for this role.

[Yammer]

G-ZAHS...................kinda sounds a bit like "G-CZAR" or "G-TSAR" - maybe designed to irritate the Russians a tiny bit

[Mike]

Why didn't we just strip out 2 of the Sentinals we had them already paid for, surely Global Express aircraft would have been ideal for this role.

The RAF got rid of their Sentinel fleet because so many people on here couldn't spell it correctly.