UK to retire BAe 146 aircraft in 2022
A BAe 146 C Mk 3 aircraft at RAF Brize Norton. (Photo: MoD/ Crown Copyright.)
Operated from RAF Northolt by 32 squadron, the BAe 146 is primarily tasked with Command Support Air Transport roles.
The UK RAF will retire its fleet of four BAe 146 aircraft on 31 March 2022.
The date was confirmed by UK Minister for Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin in response to a parliamentary question.
Quin said: ‘The current fleet of four BAe 146 aircraft are planned to be retired from service on 31 March 2022.
‘Replacements for those aircraft are currently under consideration as part of normal capability planning but no decisions have been made.’
2022 is when an existing In-Service Support Availability Contract with Serco will run out.
The UK’s BAe 146 fleet consists of two BAe 146-100s designated as the BAe 146 CC Mk2 and two BAe 146-200QC (Quick Change) variants with a large freight door in the rear fuselage.
BAE Systems converted the latter aircraft and delivered them to the RAF in 2013 when they were designated as the BAe 146 C Mk3.
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