Under the £80 million ‘Command Support Air Transport Recapitalisation’ contract, four Royal Air Force BAe 146 transport aircraft will be replaced by two civil business jets.

The business jets will owned by the Ministry of Defence but operated on the Civil Aircraft Register and initially operated by contractor-provided civilian pilots.

https://twitter.com/geoallison/status/1456294684762968067

According to the tendering announcement that can be found here:

“The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) currently operates a military fleet of BAe146 transport aircraft from RAF Northolt that will be withdrawn from service on 31 March 2022. The CSAT RECAP project aims to replace this capability by adopting a procurement strategy featuring two phases:

1. Phase 1: Competitive procurement of two civil Business Jets to be Accepted by 31 Mar 22 with an in-service support package that will run until 31 March 2024. Six, six-month Option periods (totaling 3 years) will be included in the Contract for continuation of the phase 1 in-service support as required. These aircraft will be owned by the MoD but operated on the Civil Aircraft Register and initially operated by contractor-provided civilian pilots. Phase 1 also includes the training of military pilots and cabin crew and the use of these service personnel to compliment the civilian pilots in the delivery of the service.

2. Phase 2: A separate competitive procurement for the embodiment of military modifications on the aircraft, from 1 April 2024 (subject to take-up of options), and provision of in-service support utilising military personnel in the operation of the aircraft, with an associated transfer of aircraft to the Military Aircraft Register.”

The contract tender notice lists the following as the description of the procurement. The below highlights that the aircraft will need to achieve a minimum unrefuelled range of 3,850nm from an unrestricted airfield transporting up to 8 passengers, 3 crew and associated baggage.

“CSAT RECAP Phase 1 requires delivery of 2 Aircraft to the Authority. Time is of the essence for the delivery of these 2 Aircraft, this shall be measured on whether the Aircraft are both Accepted by 31 March 2022. The Aircraft may initially be based from an Operating Base of the Contractor’s choosing or RAF Northolt (NHT) but must transition to RAF NHT (which will become the Main Operating Base (MOB)) by Phase 1 Full Operating Capability (FOC).

The Aircraft will need to achieve a minimum unrefueled range of 3,850nm from an unrestricted airfield transporting up to 8 passengers, 3 crew and associated baggage. The CSAT Recap Aircraft will be owned by MoD but will be leased back to the Contractor and operated during the period of Phase 1 on the Civil Aircraft Register by the Contractor who will assume all airworthiness responsibility.

CSAT RECAP Phase 1 requires delivery of up to 980 flying hours in the first year ending 31 March 2023 and up to 1200 flying hours in the second year, ending 31 March 2024 from the two Aircraft that are available. These services are to be available 7 days per week, 365 days per year from the Contractors Operating Base and/or the MOB. CSAT Recap requires delivery of a support arrangement that will incorporate all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance arisings where risk will be appropriately apportioned to ensure that a high level of Aircraft availability can be reasonably achieved. The solution also requires the Contractor to manage delivery of all Aircraft movements in accordance with tasking from the Authority. While civilian crews are required to pilot the Aircraft in Phase 1, this phase also includes a requirement to train an initial cadre of RAF pilots and cabin crew to supplement the civilian pilots in delivering the flying hours.”

The jets will owned by the MoD and initially operated by contractor-provided civilian pilots.

We reported last year that replacements for the BAE 146 aircraft were being considered. James Heappey, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, responded at the time:

“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. The fleet of 14 Voyager will continue to support the collective Air Transport task including VIP and Command Support Air Transport tasking.”

Confirmation that Royal BAe 146 aircraft to be replaced

The aircraft primarily used to transport the Royal Family and other VIPs. It is rumoured that the BAe 146 fleet will be replaced with “Global 5000 series aircraft or similar” jets but that is only speculation.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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60 COMMENTS

  4. Sad to see one of the last British designed and built civilian planes leave service, they served us well. They’ll probably continue on in Civilian service for a few more years, because of there short field landings, ideal for short hall and regional airlines

    • No short haul and regional airline wants an elderly quad jet even with its short field capability. By in large the Dash 8 and the ATR 72 have supplanted the type in that market, the economics work our far better. Those airlines that want a jet rather than a turboprop prefer types like the Embraer E-Jet family these days. There is still a small niche market for the 146/RJ85 performing tasks like air freight and firefighting but its days as an airliner are rapidly coming to an end.

      • Sad but true, its was to be a test bed for a hybrid electric aircraft but sadly that was chopped by Airbus. Ironically 4 engine airframes would be the best starting point for a hybrid with 2 turbines with a generator at its core driving 2 electric fans but there’s virtually non in production.

    • We could just surely replace them with new 146s? Wright aerospace are just planning to go into production with some electric powered versions…

    • I assume the wings and engines are retractable? It looks a bit tight for a crew of three as well as eight passengers… 😂

  7. Should be a quick and easy procurement exercise with plenty of commercially off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions to choose from and a thriving second hand market for biz jets. Shouldn’t take more than an six months for the tender process and no more than a couple of years to deliver the aircraft. Particularly now that the MoD is no longer subject to EU procurement rules.

    • DE&S have made the procurement complex by insisting its contractor operated for phase 1 – while RAF aircrew are trained. That will no doubt make it expensive and limit options to UK-based Bizjet operating companies.

      • Not sure why this should be complicated. It will be initially be a civilian registered aircraft operating under civilian regulations and operated by civilian crew. Just managed aircraft like any other. Military pilots to fly the aircraft will be trained using civilian facilities over the first 3 years.

    • They don’t have 6 months to tender and 2 years to deliver the aircraft. The contract is for the aircraft to be owned by the MOD and ‘in service’ but on a civil register, operated by civilian crew by 31 March 2022. Tenders to be in by 29 November. Initial contract to run for 3 years with option to extend for up to an additional 3 years in 6 month blocks. After first 3 years intent is for the aircraft to transfer to Military operation.

  8. What is interesting is they are pretty much doubling the range requirement as 146w only have a 1800 to 2000nm range ( although there were some options with inflight refuelling capacity).

  9. On globalplanesearch website, I found 3x 2015 Global 5000. Only one had a public listed price of $19.5m. I assume the other 2 would be similar.
    New Global 5500 would be better, but cost $46m each, so over budget?

    • Global 5000 and 5500 goes rather beyond what the requirements sets out. A closer fit if we are talking Bombardier is the Challenger 650. The Gulfstream G400 and Dassault Falcon 2000LXS also closely match the requirement and no doubt Embraer and Cessna offer suitable type without looking deeply into their product portfolio.

      • Don’t think the Challenger 650, G400 or 2000LXS will ‘cut the mustard’ as they will not meet the requirement of 3850nm range with 8 pax and 3 crew on board. Need to go up a class to make that. So Global 5000, Gulfstream G500, Falcon 7x would be contenders in my opinion. If you can find any in the short timescale post contract award of course.

        • Your wrong, all three of them comfortably meet the requirement, performance wise they exceed the capability to fly 3850nm with 8 pax and 3 crew. They can all fly 4000nm at least with 12 passengers and crew.

  10. Not sure 2 x 8 seat intercontinental business jets will effectively replace 19seat vip aircraft and definitely not the c3 transports, i thought VIP role being done by Boris1 (a330) & Boris2 (a320) ?

    • There are a couple of ex Jordanian C295 available for an asking price of $40m the pair. Would do the non VIP CSAT stuff, light cargo, troop movement when the C-130s go.

    • Arguably this is not a direct like for like replacement for the 146, rather a reconfiguration of the VIP fleet depending on need. So the UK will have one dedicated long range wide body, two dedicated long range narrow body and two small long range business jets. The C3 transport role is dropped as that was a UOR for Afghanistan. So if a single minister is going on a low key diplomatic mission they can go on the business jet. If it is a larger state visit then either the A330 or A321 can be used depending on size of entourage.

      • You see the C3’s flying around Northern Europe nearly daily! especially to the NATO Air policing detachments so unless we are going to use A400’s in more pax roles like the herc’s used to be what will fill these flights

        • That they have found a use doesn’t change the reality that they were a UOR and not part of the core fleet. My guess they will try and use A400M for some of the taskings and the rest will go to civil charter operators. It looks to me the MOD is balancing the VIP fleet into 3 tiers which is sensible imho. I think the UK should operate a couple of C295 or Dornier 328 (C-146A Wolfhound)…or similar.

          • yep, so back to where we used to be!!, HS125’s, 146’s / Andovers (which also used to fly weekly schedule to Germany- RAF Wildenrath if i remember -it was over 30 years ago i was there) and VC-10’s which could be re-role as required to VIP fit, plus few Gazelle’s which been replace now by 1 single A109.
            plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

            but agree 3 or 4 C-295 type aircraft for schedule Admin flights would be useful addition so doubt we will see it.

        • Agreed.

          At least we’re actually getting replacements – and two types at that. For a moment, it really looked like we’d be down to Hair Force One and the lone chopper. 

  11. So these Business jets have to replace the retired British Aerospace 125-600B, British Aerospace 125-700B and the Bae 146-100

    • Although the extra two 146s were UOR freighters to fill in low-threat tasks which C-130s were undertaking in Afghanistan/ Iraq, and two A-321s have been leased already..

  16. Is anyone asking: Are they really necessary ? When we face the threat of hypersonic missiles, an army close to crisis. Ajax etc etc. Strikes me these aircraft of for jollies for the MOD senior staff, which will eventually use up pilots who are employed to defend Blighty. Can they just not make do with what the RAF already have? I am sure many members of the armed forces have to make do without the perfect tool for the jod.Snap land rovers overseas comes to mind. And that cost some of them their lives and others serious life changing injuries !

  19. The problem with this is it leaves the RAF having the a400 as its smallest fixed wing transport aircraft; that’s a whole lot of aircraft! Personally, I’d scrap the current a321neo the government is using and instead pick up four 737s (which are in abundance and cheap on the secondhand market) and replace like-for-like with the 146s with two being for cargo and the other two being VIP. Overall, it’s a decent sized plane with range, can operate out of Northolt, and could be simpler/cheaper for the RAF in the long run as it currently grows its the same platform used for Poseidon and Wedgetail. However, I think there is also a need for a small sized jet like the one that has been tendered. I just don’t understand why we seem so stingy when it comes to VIP transport compared to most other G7/G20 countries…

  20. “Transporting up to 8 people & their baggage”? Seems ridiculously few people for such an aircraft Should that be 80? Looked at wiki & 80 seems right.

  23. Off subject maybe, but regarding the transportation of military personnel, I heard a rumour that personnel sent to Africa, went on chartered flights, which cost the MOD £1M.

    Comments welcome …

  24. The 146s were also able to be fitted out for the medevac role being much cheaper to operate than the Hercules or A400.
    2 x BBJ fitted with cargo doors not only offers some commonality with the P8 & E7 but also would give the RAF a “cheaper” medevac aircraft.
    Add 2 x B350 (commonality with the Shadow aircraft) to the fleet for shorter haul flights when a jet isn’t required

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