The Royal Air Force is preparing to place a seven-year support contract covering its air cadet gliding fleet, including a mid-life update to the Viking T Mk1 that will carry the aircraft in service until around 2050, the department stated in a request for information issued under Project VENTURE.
The Military Aviation Authority endorsed a Life Extension Plan for the glider in March 2026, moving the out of service date from 2028 to circa 2050. According to the document, that endorsement provides the value for money case for investing in both the aircraft and the wider gliding capability.
A preliminary market engagement notice published on Find a Tender on 20 July 2026 lists estimated contract dates of 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2035, with responses to the request for information due by 17:00 on Wednesday 12 August.
No 2 Flying Training School delivers gliding to RAF Air Cadets through Volunteer Gliding Schools at ten locations across the UK. The school operates 72 Grob Viking T Mk1 aircraft, of which 55 are currently active, with the balance being returned to flight through a Glider Recovery Programme. The type is based on the Grob 103 Twin Acro.
The mid-life update covers replacement of the altimeter, air speed indicator, turn and slip indicator, accelerometer, mechanical variometer, electric variometer and repeater and standby compass with an integrated suite of lightweight digital instruments. Running in parallel is a set of safety enhancements taking in an ADS-B in and out transponder, FLARM collision avoidance, canopy-mounted LED conspicuity lighting, a moving map display providing positional awareness and traffic information, G-monitoring equipment and a battery condition indicator. Workshop tooling, belly dollies and trestles are also to be replaced.
Beyond the aircraft themselves, the requirement spans aerotow provision, with pilots supplied by 2FTS, and winch launching, covering three new LPG-powered winches alongside the refurbishment of 25 existing machines. A glider maintenance organisation is sought to handle servicing, spares, the electronic F700 and qualified engineering standard officer training, together with management of parachutes, egress training aids, impact foam and flying clothing. Also included are post design and technical publication services, the delivery of fifteen glider aircraft towing trailers from April 2027, and airfield support services at RAF Syerston covering wildlife management, winch launch activity and the setting up and closing down of the gliding field.
The document sets out the rationale in recruitment terms, stating that “gliding puts the ‘air’ in air cadets” and describing it as strategically and reputationally important. It cites the Strategic Defence Review 2025 direction to increase cadet force numbers by 30 per cent by 2030, and quotes the Chief of the Air Staff’s Air and Space Command Plan 2026 to the effect that “Project VENTURE will sustain … gliding capabilities for cadets”.
Cadet gliding has had a turbulent recent history. The entire fleet was grounded in 2014 over airworthiness documentation concerns, and the subsequent recovery programme saw the Grob Vigilant motor glider withdrawn entirely in 2018, with the number of Volunteer Gliding Schools cut from 27 to the current ten. Flying rates took several years to recover.
The current capability is delivered through a mix of contractors, civil servants and military personnel, with equipment either owned by defence, as with the Vikings, winches and towing trailers, or leased against availability targets in the case of aerotow. Three existing contracts covering glider support, spares and post design services expire between 31 March 2028 and 31 March 2030. The Authority is asking industry whether the work is best structured as a single contract, multiple contracts or a lot-based arrangement, and whether seven years represents the optimal term.
