Reino Unido reducirá a la mitad su flota de aviones de caza para 2020, en que se dispondrá de 107 Typhoon y 40 F-35C JSF.
El número de cazas Typhoon podría incluso reducirse todavía más si se confirma una venta a Omán, cuyos aviones procederían del pedido de la RAF.
In 1990, la RAF disponía de 33 escuadrones de caza, en 2003, 17. Hoy en día se mantiene en 12: Siete de Tornado, tres de Typhoon y dos de Harrier, junto a aeronaves no tripuladas Reaper.
Con la retirada del Harrier en Abril, Reino Unido perderá dos escuadrones.
defensenews
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Britain may halve its fast-jet fleet by 2020 or so, according to the commanding officer of the Royal Air Force's No. 1 Group.
"We are heading for five Typhoon squadrons and one JSF [Joint Strike Fighter] squadron," said Air Vice-Marshal Greg Bagwell, who commands the RAF's air combat group.
That could mean 107 Typhoons, plus about 40 F-35C JSFs that support a large operational squadron of 20 to 25 crews, Bagwell said.
Typhoon numbers could be clipped even further if Britain and Oman seal a deal to send the Persian Gulf nation about a squadron's worth of aircraft. The planes could be diverted from an existing RAF order; the question is whether they will then later be replaced, he said.
In 1990, the RAF had 33 fast-jet squadrons; in 2003, 17. Today, the number stands at 12: seven Tornado, three Typhoon and two Harrier squadrons, plus the offensive firepower of a growing fleet of Reaper UAVs.
By April, Britain will be down to eight fast-jet squadrons, thanks to the retirement of the Harriers and the shelving of two Tornado units.
defensenews
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