- Airpower will be a crucial factor in future operations across the crisis spectrum. The emphasis on flexible, deployable high capability forces to support Britain's commitments and responsibilities in a changing and unpredictable world means that the RAF must continue to provide a wide range of modern combat capabilities.
- Future operations are likely to be diverse and demanding. Most will, however, be smaller than those for which we have planned in the past. Our assessment is that we will be able to achieve the operational scales of effort required in future with slightly fewer front-line combat aircraft and crews than at present.
- This will not affect the size of our planned purchase of Eurofighter, but it does enable us to make small reductions in our current fleet.
- The front-line offensive support fleet will be reduced by 23 aircraft. This will be achieved by removing 12 Tornado GR, nine Harrier and two Jaguar aircraft from the front-line.
- the air defence fleet will be reduced by 13 Tornado F3 aircraft. To help compensate for this, we will draw on the staff and aircraft of the Operational Conversion Unit to contribute to the pool of combat ready aircrew to undertake operations.
- One Tornado F3 Squadron and one Tornado GR1 Squadron will be disbanded as a result.
 |
 |