The RAF has sparked fury after announcing it will retire 30 “quick reaction alert jets” used to protect British skies from potential attacks from Putin.
The jets will be grounded despite only completing just 40 per cent of their predicted flying hours, in a move that has been likened to “scrapping spitfires before the Battle of Britain”.
RAF bosses are retiring the Tranche 1 Typhoons in order to save money, despite MPs demanding a rethink on retiring them due to concerns regarding the conflict with Russia.
The move comes after the Chancellor announced that next week’s Budget will not include a rise in defence spending.
The T1 jets will be retired starting from next year, prompting a backlash from MPs
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Former defence minister Mark Francois told The Daily Mail: “Can you imagine if we had sold off squadrons of Spitfires prior to the Battle of Britain? There would have been uproar.
“The Tranche 1 Typhoons should be mothballed to enable them to be brought back at a time of conflict.
“For the purpose of defending Britain's skies from Russian jets, they will do splendidly.”
As part of the jets’ retirement plan, the fleet will decrease from 137 to 107. The first jets will start being withdrawn from service next – five years ahead of the original date of 2030.
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The Tranche 2 and 3 Typhoons, which are more modern and can perform in “air to air” and “air to ground” combat scenarios, will be retained.
The Tranche 1 jets more limited as they are only used in “air to air” situations, however, manufacturer BAE Systems confirmed the T1s could be upgraded to match the capabilities of their more advanced successors.
A spokesperson said: “Retaining Tranche 1 Typhoons would not offer operational benefit or value for money and would lead to significant reductions in available spares and investment for Tranches 2 and 3.”
They said that keeping the Trance 1 jets would cost “in excess of” £300million for repairs and upgrades.
The Royal Navy confirmed that the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales will not be sold, dispelling rumours that had been circulating earlier in the week
GettyEarlier this week, rumours circulated that the HMS Prince of Wales was going to be sold in order to raise cash for defence spending.
Several senior Naval figures suggested the vessel might be sold to a friendly nation as soon as 2028, as part of attempts to retain the flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Sources told the Daily Mail that the possible move – dubbed the “HS2 moment” for the Royal Navy – would come around quickly if defence finances weren’t bolstered.
However, the Royal Navy shut down the rumours yesterday. A spokesperson said: “These claims are categorically incorrect. We are fully committed to operating both HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.”