Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence taken by the Defence Select Committee on 29 November 2022 on Aviation Procurement, HC 178, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the timescale in which the majority of the Typhoon Tranche 1 aircraft will go out of service on air combat capability gaps.

The retirement of Typhoon Tranche 1 will enable further investment in Typhoon Tranche 2 and 3, which will incrementally develop through the Future Capability Programme. The retention of seven front line Typhoon squadrons, equipped with more modern and reliable aircraft will ensure no deterioration in combat effect.

Our future force will be based around these upgraded Typhoon and F-35 for the coming decades, before the next generation of combat air fighter jets comes into service through the Global Combat Air Programme.