RAF pilots ‘wait years to complete training’

RAF pilots are being forced to wait almost two years to complete fighter jet training, a National Audit Office (NAO) report has found, after the Government reversed cuts it had previously made to flying training.

The report says the time taken to train aircrew has “consistently exceeded the Ministry of Defence’s expectations” and estimates the Military Flying Training System (MFTS) will not meet its requirements until 2023.

In July 2019, there were 145 RAF students waiting on average 90 weeks to start training, compared with an expected 12-week wait for 26 students.

The report looked at the provision of military aircrew training by Ascent, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Babcock.

It found that in the six years to 201819, the MOD failed to meet its training needs by an average of 45 per cent, equating to a shortfall of 125 aircrew a year. Fast jet pilots fared the worst, with the Mod’s optimum training time of less than four years being exceeded by 82 per cent to more than seven years. Training of multi-engine and helicopter pilots – four and a half years and five years respectively – took 73 per cent longer than required.

In 2008, the MOD agreed a 25-year contract to provide aircrew training with Ascent. While the NAO report criticises both Ascent and the Mod’s management of the programme, defence experts say the current problems stem from the Government’s decision in the 2010 strategic defence and security review (SDSR) to slash the number of military aircraft in front-line service.

Consequently, the training pipeline, facilities and equipment were either not maintained or replaced.

However, in a policy reversal announced in the 2015 SDSR, the Government committed to fielding two new Typhoon fighter squadrons, reinvesting in a maritime patrol aircraft to hunt submarines and decided to bring forward the F-35 stealth jet programme.

An MOD spokesman said MFTS was “the biggest transformation of UK military aircrew training in a generation. Although we acknowledge there have been some challenges, the transition to the new system is under way and a steady improvement is being seen”.