RAF retires fleet of typhoon fighters as UK shifts focus
The British authorities have made a final decision regarding the fate of 30 Typhoon fighters, which will soon be withdrawn from service by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The possibility of transferring them to Ukraine was considered, but ultimately these aircraft will not see combat.
Information about the reduction of RAF resources by 30 Typhoon fighters (in the Tranche 1 variant) surfaced in 2023, almost immediately triggering speculation about whether the aircraft would be included in upcoming aid packages for Ukraine.
The UK will not transfer Typhoon fighters to Ukraine
British Defence Minister Luke Pollard confirmed that the aircraft will begin to be withdrawn from service this year. He added that the British Ministry of Defence has repeatedly assessed the possibility of delivering jets to Ukraine and the potential pros and cons of the transfer, but ultimately no such decision was made. Instead, the focus will remain on supporting the transfer of European F-16s to Ukraine.
Pollard added that Denmark and the Netherlands have announced they will deliver up to 61 F-16 fighters to Ukraine, which is significantly more than the total number of Typhoon Tranche 1 aircraft in RAF service.
Could Typhoon Tranche 1 be useful to Ukraine?
British media note that the information on the disposal (after recovering some useful components) of the Typhoon Tranche 1 comes at a time when discussions are ongoing about the "Sky Shield" project, a European initiative to protect the skies over Ukraine. Initial analyses indicate there may be a need to involve up to 160 Western fighters in this effort.
Although the Typhoon Tranche 1 is the oldest variant of this fighter, it was introduced into RAF service in 2003, so relatively recently. They have exhausted only about 40% of their manufacturer-prescribed service life. These aircraft are mainly designed for air combat (with an emphasis on defence) and have many limitations compared to later variants. However, the designers ensured that upgrades to higher variants could be carried out with relatively little effort.
Lack of orders for new variants
A separate issue raising doubts is whether the delivery of Typhoon Tranche 1 to Ukraine could serve as a way to secure a potential export customer for the new variants of these fighters.
According to Airbus representatives, the Eurofighter programme needs additional customers to remain profitable. At the beginning of March this year, reports emerged that the factory in Warton might be closed due to a lack of new orders for Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
