The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that multiple options for the future of UK fast jet pilot training remain under active review, according to recent written answers to Parliament.
Responding to a series of questions from Ben Obese-Jecty MP (Conservative – Huntingdon) on 28 April 2025, Maria Eagle, Minister of State for Defence, stated: “The Royal Air Force continuously researches and assesses options for the sustainment, enhancement and development of hardware and systems to maintain competitive advantage within the flying training system.”
Eagle added: “There are several market options available that may be considered,” when asked specifically about a comparative assessment of the Leonardo M-346 T Block 20 trainer, its F-model light combat variant, the Hawk T2, and other alternatives.
In a separate question regarding the potential procurement of the British-designed AERALIS platform as a new trainer, light combat aircraft, or display team jet, Eagle repeated that “several market options” are being explored, but offered no confirmation of a preferred route forward.
Ben Obese-Jecty also pressed ministers about the impact of potential delivery delays linked to the Leonardo M-346 Block 20 model on the RAF’s training system.
Again, Eagle reiterated: “The Royal Air Force continuously researches and assesses options for the sustainment, enhancement and development of hardware and systems,” without addressing the specific risk of delays to M-346 deliveries.
Separately, when asked how many UK military personnel have trained on the M-346 to date, Defence Minister Luke Pollard confirmed: “As at 10 April 2025, the number of UK trainee pilots who have trained to fly in the Leonardo M-346 is: Royal Navy – 0; Royal Air Force – 8.”
The questioning comes amid broader efforts by the Ministry of Defence to modernise pilot training, with the RAF eventually seeking replacements for the Hawk T2 while exploring wider market solutions to future fast jet requirements.
KAI T-50
YES.. but the TA50S and FA50s
Gives you a secondary roll.. so the QFIs and red arrows have another roll to train.. which makes life easier..
A quick check on the internet and it seems that the Aeralis jet’s first flight has now been pushed back yet again into 2026. If true that is not good news. The question I have is, is this due to funding / business considerations or do they have a technical issue? If it is a technical issue then it could be expensive and time consuming to put right. This delay might also explain the RAF / MoD procrastination over this program.
Someone needs to get a grip and make some decisions. If the RAF’s / MoD’s preferred solution is the UK Aeralis concept then they should say so and put their weight behind the project. It would be a risk, so a fall back position would need to be put in place one that could be acted on in a hurry. Leasing some M-346 while Aeralis get their act together, for example.?!
Cheers CR
CR3 – By the time Aeralis gets to the point where it has a tangible Aircraft to sell, those Airforces that required a New Trainer would have probably bought something else.
Is anyone in charge in the RAF? I do wonder these days.
It could be to do with the level of blowback that is inevitable given the constrained operating budgets, expectation of outputs leading to a mass of unpalatable choices which don’t sound too good?
Ultimately RAF is too small and underfunded – as are the other two services.
Whilst I do wear dark blue tinted glasses we need more RAF mass and that means ££££. I’d be highly supportive of a further purchase of both Typhoon and F35B.
Typhoon because we can totally control it and F35B because it buys Tango points but also because QEC needs mass and routine deployments.
The RAF is too small.
The RAF FTS worked.
As with everything else, they had to fiddle with it. Quite how anyone thought having initially just 9 Texan for basic flying training as part of MFTS, replacing well over 100 Tucano, mystified me.
28 Hawk T2 with dodgy engines isn’t great either.
Then I read that further up the chain were shortages of QFTI at OCU level as well.
So here we are.
It was a political choice to use Private Finance Initiative models in every government department including Defence regardless of how poor the performance or value, see MFTS, Airtanker or recruitment. However the constant cutbacks and instability in the Defence budget certainly hasn’t helped.
Spot on DM . Don’t quote me on this, but back in the day weren’t all RAF pupil pilots and WSO trained on Tucano? (jet, muti prop , helo). Given the WSO role is gone and loss of front line jet sqns (crica 7 or 8-ish vs 31 in the 1980s), I’m not that surprised. I think there are about 14 Texans now?
Outsource it to the International training school / M 346?
Perhaps even outsource basic flying to civvy flight instruction for a private pilot’s licence and 75-100 hours under their belts, including night. That would give them a feel for the air and significantly reduce the amount of time undergoing the first stage of military training.
I don’t think we can outsource final stage jet training as the preferred option. We’ll have to have a train the trainers focus if the OCUs are short.
What about other options, Turkish Hurjet maybe?
We could (and should) have procured the M-346 twenty yesrs ago.