The Celtic League has asked the United Kingdom Defence Minister if his department has considered grounding RAF Tornado fighter-bombers.
The query comes after two of the aircraft recently crashed in Scotland. The first incident in January occurred when a Tornado crashed into the sea off the Isle of Skye.
Just two weeks later another aircraft crashed whilst landing at its base at Lossiemouth in Scotland.
The Tornado is an elderly aircraft type, although current operational versions were the subject of an upgrade fifteen years ago.
MOD correspondence below:
“Dr Liam Fox MP
Secretary of State for Defence
Ministry of Defence
Main Building
Whitehall
London
SW1A 2HB
15/02/11
Dear Minister,
I write with reference to the two recent aircrashes involving Tornado aircraft in Scotland, the most recent of which occurred this month.
Can you advise us of the number of accidents and incidents involving Tornado aircraft over the past ten years (in all categories)?
Could you also advise if, given that the current operational Tornado aircraft are essentially modified elderly airframes, consideration has been given to grounding the aircraft pending the outcome of enquiries into the two most recent
incidents
Could you also indicate what the nature of the shortcomings of the earlier version of the Tornado were which led to the upgraded GR4 version?
Finally, can you advise (in percentage terms) what the rate of attrition has been of all Tornado aircraft whilst in service with the RAF?
Yours sincerely
J B Moffatt
Director of Information”
See related article on Celtic News here:
https://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/3568
Related News article here:
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League
15/02/11