The UK Ministry of Defence could delay the planned replacement of its Afghanistan-based BAE Systems Harrier GR9A strike aircraft with Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado GR4s, amid concerns over the available basing infrastructure and support set-up for the incoming type, military sources have disclosed.
A target date of 1 April had been established for the Tornado force to begin providing close air support services from Kandahar airfield, from where the RAF/Royal Navy Joint Force Harrier organisation has maintained a continuous presence since 2004. But work to construct new hard-standing and associated facilities for the Tornado are understood to have fallen behind schedule at the site and threatened the deployment schedule.
In addition, work to equip the GR4 to the so-called theatre-entry standard for Afghanistan is still continuing, and new equipment such as the Raytheon Systems Paveway IV precision-guided bomb - first used in Afghanistan last November by the RN's Harrier-equipped 800 NAS - is still being integrated.
"We are still looking for a deployment in spring 2009," says the RAF, while declining to reveal a firm date for the GR4's expected availability. "There is likely to be a phased transition from one aircraft to another," it continues, while adding: "There won't be a capability gap."
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UK air activities in Afghanistan are also to be expanded within the coming months by the deployment of navy Westland Sea King 7 Airborne Surveillance and Control system helicopters. Equipped with new defensive aids equipment and Carson main rotor blades, the type will provide ground moving target indication imagery, and complement the RAF's recently fielded Raytheon Sentinel R1 airborne stand-off radar aircraft.
Operations of the UK's Harrier fleet are meanwhile to be enhanced under a new availability-based contract placed with Rolls-Royce. The company will support the aircraft's Pegasus turbofan engines for the next 10 years under the £198 million ($283 million) deal.
Source: Flight International
