The RAF has shed 22% of their aircraft fleet in a mere 7 Years!!
Statistics released by the Ministry of Defence have been updated, detailing UK armed forces equipment and formations for the year 2023.
The annual statistics provide insight into the vessels, land equipment, and aircraft used by the armed forces, along with military formations.
According to the latest review of military aircraft figures from 2016 to 2023, there has been a significant decrease in the total number of fixed-wing platforms. The fleet has reduced from 724 aircraft in service in 2016 to 564 in 2023, which represents a reduction of approximately 22%.
A number of fixed-wing platforms have been completely retired or have seen a reduction in numbers during this period. For instance, the BAE 146, Defender, Islander R Mk14, King Air 200, Tornado, and Vigilant have all been phased out, with their numbers reducing to zero by 2023. The Hawk T1/T1A/T1W numbers decreased from 90 to 67, with the remaining aircraft still in service. The Tucano fleet was also entirely phased out, decreasing from 81 to none.
On the other hand, some platforms have seen an increase or stabilisation in their numbers. The A400M’s count increased from 7 to 21, and the Poseidon fleet, which started in 2020, has grown to a total of 9 by 2023. The Lightning fleet increased from 4 to 31, while the Typhoon has maintained a stable presence with a slight decrease from 132 to 137 in total. Voyager also increased from 9 to 14 in total numbers.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/raf-...n-seven-years/