Costs have increased by 70 per cent in just four years
The Red Arrows could be grounded for good as costs have sky-rocketed to £84,000 a day.
The RAF’s legendary planes’ upkeep has spiralled considerably in the last few years and a potential replacement jet has now been identified.
Despite continuing to mesmerise audiences wherever they fly, the majority of the ageing BAE Hawk T1 aircraft are now over 50 years old.
Maintenance costs have risen from £13.3million in 2020 to £27.7million in 2023 – a staggering 70 per cent increase in just four years.
The hefty £84,000 daily bill was revealed by procurement minister Maria Eagle last week, at a time when the Ministry of Defence is under pressure to allocate every penny efficiently in response to the challenges posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
The squadron’s 16 jets are technically cleared to fly until 2030 but according to the MoD, senior RAF sources privately expressed concerns that they may not last that long.
A slightly newer variant of the agile fighter jet, the T2, is utilised for teaching pilots advanced fast-jet flying skills before they progress to Typhoons and F-35s.
However, recurring issues with the T2’s engines ‘blowing up’ have led to significant delays in flight training, prompting the RAF’s Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, to call for the replacement of all T2s ‘as soon as we can’ in November.
Aviation giants such as Boeing, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin and SAAB are all developing their own light jets but a new British contender may potentially win the race to replace the Red Arrows.
The Aeralis Phoenix light jet, affectionately dubbed the ‘Lego plane’, can be swiftly modified for a range of uses, from sophisticated fighter pilot training to ‘red air’ combat simulations where aviators emulate enemy force tactics, according to the Express.
Aeralis’ Chief Executive Officer Tristan Crawford said: “The way Airbus changed the airline market and made it easy for people to fly to Malaga for £60 is through the versatility of its fleet.
“We are the only programme in the UK and Europe which is developing a new jet trainer solution targeted at changing the so-called through-life cost of jet trainers.”
Aeralis could deliver up to 50 aircraft to the RAF and other British service providers.
