The recent announcement by the United Kingdom to retire 30 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets by 2025 has sparked widespread concerns about the nation's military capabilities, particularly in potential conflict scenarios. The issue is exacerbated by the fact that the UK has only received a total of 31 F-35 out of the planned 48 for the initial phase to be operated by both the RAF and the Royal Navy. There are ongoing negotiations for the purchase of an additional 26 F-35B VTOL aircraft, potentially raising the total to 76 F-35s, although this has not been officially confirmed. Voices within the UK have expressed concerns that the RAF could be left with fewer than 150 fighter jets in the near term, a quantity considered wholly inadequate to ensure the fulfillment of both national defense commitments and those of NATO.
These 30 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, part of the Tranche 1 variant, are scheduled for decommissioning. However, their components and equipment will find new life as spare parts for the existing operational Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, following the "Reduce to Produce" initiative.
UK's Minister of of Defence, James Catlidge, clarified, "There are currently 30 Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 1 jets in service, and 26 of these will cease operations by March 2025."
Additionally, four more Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 1 jets will remain in service until 2027 before being phased out.
Post the retirement in 2025, the UK's Eurofighter Typhoon inventory will shrink to 107 aircraft, consisting of 67 Tranche 2 variants and 40 Tranche 3 variants.
The decision to retire these jets has faced criticism, notably from Member of Parliament Mark Francois, who expressed reservations about the Ministry of Defence's strategy. Francois voiced concerns that removing these jets would create a significant capability void, especially during conflict situations.
"There's a critical capability gap in potential conflict scenarios. It doesn't seem prudent to retire 30 Eurofighter Typhoon jets. They could serve as valuable assets in a war reserve," Francois emphasized.
BAE Systems, responsible for the Eurofighter Typhoon's development, proposed upgrading Tranche 1 aircraft to Tranche 2 or 3 levels. However, the Ministry of Defence hasn't considered this proposal.
"Technically, upgrading Tranche 1 aircraft to Tranche 2 or 3 is feasible. BAE has provided the Ministry of Defence with details regarding the structural and avionic modifications required," explained sources familiar with the matter.
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