List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

This is a list of military aircraft currently in service with the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom.

For RAF aircraft no longer in service, see List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force. For aircraft expected to enter service with the RAF in the future, see Future of the Royal Air Force.

Tri-service badge of the United Kingdom's armed forces.

Royal Air Force
Main article: Royal Air Force
TypeOriginClassRoleIntroducedIn serviceTotalNotes
Airbus A400M Atlas C1SpainPropellerTransport20142020[1] Two on order expected to be delivered in the early 2020s[2]
Airbus VoyagerSpainJetTanker / Transport201199[1] Five additional aircraft available upon request from AirTanker Services for a total of 14
Beechcraft Shadow R1United StatesPropellerISTAR200988[1] Expected OSD 2030.[3] A further two aircraft are to be added in 2023 along with an upgrade to the current aircraft[4]
Bell Griffin HAR2CanadaRotorcraftUtility200333[1] Supplied and maintained by Cobham but operated by military aircrew. Used for SAR, fire fighting and ISTAR duties amongst others in RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus
Boeing Airseeker R1USAJetSIGINT201333[1]
Boeing ChinookUSARotorcraftTransport19806072[1]
Boeing C-17A Globemaster IIIUSAJetTransport200188[1]
Boeing Sentry AEW1USAJetAEW&C19915[lower-alpha 1][5]7[1] Expected OSD December 2022.[6] To be replaced by Boeing E-7 Wedgetail from 2023.[7]
Boeing P-8 PoseidonUSAJetASW201955[8] A further four are on order
Britten-Norman DefenderUKPropellerPatrol200399[1] Will be jointly operated by Army and RAF during transition period [9]
Britten-Norman IslanderUKPropellerPatrol199736[1] Will be jointly operated by Army and RAF during transition period [9]
British Aerospace 146UKJetTransport1986
2012		46[1] Expected OSD 31 March 2022.[10] They have also been put up for sale[11]
British Aerospace Hawk T1UKJetTrainer197656[lower-alpha 2]76[lower-alpha 3][1] Used in the aggressor role by No. 100 Squadron and the Red Arrows
British Aerospace Hawk T2UKJetTrainer20092828[1] Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by No. IV (R) Squadron & No. XXV(F) Squadron
Eurofighter TyphoonEuropeJetMulti-role2007136[lower-alpha 4]157[lower-alpha 5][1] Of the 22 two seat trainer aircraft[12] 16 Tranche 1s are currently being progressively scrapped under the RTP (reduce to produce) requirement[13] which started in late 2016[14][15]
General Atomics MQ-9 ReaperUSAUAVISR / Attack2007910[1] Expected OSD 2024. To be replaced by Protector UAV[16][17]
Grob Tutor T1GermanyPropellerTrainer199991[lower-alpha 6]119[1] Used by the RAF Air Experience Flight. 28 Tutors have been sold to the Finnish Air Force as of 2018 [18]
Grob Viking TX1GermanyGliderTrainer19905260[1]
Leonardo AW109SPItalyRotorcraftTransport201611[1] Used for transportation of senior military commanders or government ministers
Lockheed Martin C-130J Super HerculesUSAPropellerTransport20001425[1] All but one shorter C5 variant being withdrawn as part of SDSR 2015 to leave one C5 and 13 C4 variant after one C4 was lost in Iraq[19]
Lockheed Martin F‑35B LightningUSAJetMulti-role201318[lower-alpha 7]18[lower-alpha 8][20] Jointly operated with Fleet Air Arm. Total of 138 aircraft to be procured[21][22]
Raytheon Sentinel R1Canada / USAJetISTAR200845[1] Expected OSD 2021[23]
Westland Puma HC2UKRotorcraftTransport19712324[1]

RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Main article: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
TypeOriginClassRoleIntroducedIn serviceTotalNotes
Avro Lancaster (PA474)UKPropellerBomber194211 B.I
De Havilland Canada ChipmunkUKPropellerTrainer194627532 T.10
Douglas DakotaUSAPropellerTransport194211 C.3
Hawker HurricaneUKPropellerFighter19372145332 Mk IIc
Supermarine SpitfireUKPropellerFighter19386203411 Mk IIa, 1 Mk Vb, 1 LF.IXe, 1 LF.XVIe, 2 PR.XIX

Fleet Air Arm
Main article: Fleet Air Arm
TypeOriginClassRoleIntroducedIn serviceTotalNotes
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat HMA2UKRotorcraftAttack20142828[1]
AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin HM2UKRotorcraftASW20003044[1] Maritime helicopter; out of service date is 2029[24]
AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin Mk3i/4UKRotorcraftTransport20002528[1] Troop carrying aircraft used to support the Royal Marines
The Mk4/4A are undergoing a capability upgrade and will be fully delivered by 2021[25][26] All Mk3 have now been upgraded to Mk4 with just the Mk3i remaining; out of service date is 2030.[27][24]
British Aerospace Hawk T1UKJetTrainer19941414[28][1] Used in the aggressor role by 736 Naval Air Squadron
Beechcraft AvengerUSAPropellerTrainer201144[1] Forms part of the UK Military Flying Training System listed below but operated by 750 Naval Air Squadron
Lockheed Martin F‑35B LightningUSAJetMulti-role2013--Jointly operated with Royal Air Force. Initial Operational Capability (Maritime) in 2020[20]

Army Air Corps
Main article: Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)
TypeOriginClassRoleIntroducedIn serviceTotalNotes
AgustaWestland Apache AH1UKRotorcraftAttack20044250[1] To be replaced by the AH-64E Apache Guardian in 2024[29]
Boeing AH-64E GuardianUnited StatesRotorcraftAttack202022[30] A total of 50 aircraft are on order to replace the Apache AH1.
AgustaWestland AW159 WildcatUKRotorcraftUtility20143434[1]
Bell 212CanadaRotorcraftUtility199555[1] Used by No. 7 Flight AAC and No. 25 Flight AAC in Brunei and Kenya in support of TTB and BATUK
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin IIFranceRotorcraftSAS200955
Thales Watchkeeper WK450UKUAVISR20144950[1]
Westland GazelleUKRotorcraftPatrol19742634[1] Expected OSD 2025. Two additional units are currently undergoing work to bring them back into service[31]

UK Military Flying Training System

The contractors providing the new UK Military Flying Training System will eventually operate 38 fixed wing aircraft and 32 helicopters on the military register, but the aircraft are initially civilian-registered.

TypeOriginClassRoleIntroducedIn serviceTotalNotes
Grob Prefect T1GermanyPropellerTrainer20182323[1]
Beechcraft Texan T1USAPropellerTrainer20181414[1]
Embraer Phenom 100BrazilJetTrainer201855[1]
Airbus H135 JunoGermanyRotorcraftTrainer20182929[1]
Airbus H145 JupiterGermanyRotorcraftTrainer201833[1] A further 4 aircraft to be procured[32]

Empire Test Pilots' School
Main article: Empire Test Pilots' School
Type Origin Class Role Introduced In service Total Notes
British Aerospace HawkUKJetTrainer / experimental22 [33] Operated for the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine[34]

Ministry of Defence

As well as the military services, a number of defence contractors operate military aircraft on behalf of or leased from the Ministry of Defence.

TypeOriginClassRoleIntroducedIn serviceTotalNotes
Agusta AW109ItalyRotorcraftUtility11QinetiQ, Boscombe Down
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin IIFranceRotorcraftUtility199922[1] Used as transport of instructors as part of FOST training. Operated by British International Helicopters under MRCOA[lower-alpha 9] [35]
Eurocopter AS350 ÉcureuilFranceRotorcraftTrainer33Cobham Helicopter Academy, Newquay under CFAOS[lower-alpha 10]
Eurofighter TyphoonUKJetMulti-role33BAE Systems, Warton[lower-alpha 11]
Hawker HunterUKJetFighter33[36]Hawker Hunter Aviation, RAF Scampton
Lockheed Martin F‑35B Lightning IIUSAJetMulti-role201333Lockheed Martin, United States[21]
Westland Sea KingUKRotorcraftTrainer22HeliOperations under CFAOS[lower-alpha 12]

See also

Notes
  1. Two airframes are in long term storage awaiting disposal but remain on the military register (see ref)
  2. Not including the 14 operated by 736 NAS
  3. Not including the 14 operated by 736 NAS
  4. Not including the 3 IPA aircraft listed below
  5. Not including the 3 IPA aircraft listed below
  6. As detailed in source this also includes the 5 Tutor platforms which were operated by the Royal Navy, previously categorised as Tutor (RN Flying Grading)
  7. Not including the 3 used by No. 17(R) squadron based in the US listed below
  8. Not including the 3 used by No. 17(R) squadron based in the US listed below
  9. Military Registered Civil Owned Aircraft
  10. leased from the Ministry of Defence and operated on the military register under the Contractor Flying Approved Organisation Scheme {CFAOS)
  11. IPA 1, IPA 5, IPA 6
  12. leased from the Ministry of Defence and operated on the military register under the Contractor Flying Approved Organisation Scheme {CFAOS)

References
  1. "UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations 2020". Gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  2. "UK Atlas breaks parachute delivery record during DE&S cargo drop trials" (PDF). desider. No. 125. Ministry of Defence, DE&S. December 2018. OCLC 928842222. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  3. "DE&S signs £250 million aircraft deal to sustain the RAF's intelligence-gathering Shadow aircraft fleet" (PDF). desider. No. 127. Ministry of Defence, DE&S. February 2019. OCLC 928842222. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  4. Archived 13 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine UK-orders-Leonardo-Thales-protection-system-for-RAF-Shadow-fleet
  5. "MOD FOIA" (PDF). MoD. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  6. "Ministry of Defence: The Equipment Plan 2019 to 2029" (PDF). National Audit Office. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  7. Quin, Jeremy (8 June 2020). "AWACS: Procurement:Written question - 51653". UK Parliament. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  8. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/fifth-raf-poseidon-arrives-in-uk
  9. "UK transfers Defender and Islander special mission aircraft from AAC to RAF". IHS Janes. 2 April 2019. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  10. "Confirmation that Royal BAe 146 aircraft to be replaced". UK Defence Journal. 17 January 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  11. "DSEI 2019: RAF puts BAe 146s up for sale". Janes.com. 13 September 2019. Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  12. "UK Typhoon Fleet by Block « Articles « Fast Air Photography". www.fast-air.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  13. "RAF to scrap twin-seat Typhoons - Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  14. "Scrapped: Eurofighter Typhoon ZJ815 Sent for RTP - Urban Ghosts". 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  15. {{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-equipment-and-formations-2020
  16. Osborne, Tony (29 July 2019). "RAF Retiring Reaper In 2024, Paving Way For Protector". Aviation Week.
  17. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. "Five More ex-UK Grob Tutors Delivered to Finnish Air Force". Royal Air Force. 22 October 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  19. Jennings, Gareth (9 August 2018). "RAF revises Hercules plans to reflect Iraq loss". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  20. "UK progresses F-35B deliveries". Janes. 1 December 2020.
  21. Delivering Carrier Strike. National Audit Office. 10 March 2017. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-78604-110-4. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  22. "Written question HL867: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem 17-07-2017". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  23. Chuter, Andrew (8 August 2017). "Raytheon To Continue Support of UK Sentinel Fleet in $165M Deal". Defense News. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. "Farnborough 2018: More Merlin magic for the UK (video) - DH - Defence Helicopter - Shephard Media". www.shephardmedia.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  26. "UK Merlin Mk4/4a programme hit by delays - DH - Defence Helicopter - Shephard Media". www.shephardmedia.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  27. "UK completes Merlin HC3/3A helo upgrades". IHS Janes. 11 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  28. "736 NAVAL AIR SQUADRON". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  29. "Archived copy" (PDF). DESider. February 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  30. "Apache AH-64E heralds new era in modern British military aviation". British Army. 26 November 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  31. "Farnborough 2018: UK helicopters in Transition". DH – Defence Helicopter. Shephard Media. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  32. "£183m boost for UK military helicopter training". ADS Advance. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  33. Empire Test Pilots' School - Our Fleet and Facilities Archived 19 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, etps.qinetiq.com
  34. "Hawk T1". RAF.mod. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  35. "MAA Approved Organistations" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  36. "Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd - Aircraft". Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
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