2007: Britain’s NAO Reviews RAF’s New Maintenance Approach

Tornado maintenance(click to view full) Over the past few years Britain’s defense procurement went through significant reforms, especially in the area of aircraft maintenance. Platforms that are now handled under a full “future contracting for availability” full-life maintenance framework (i.e. pays for available aircraft rather than paying for spares) include CH-47 helicopters, E-3D Sentry AWACS radar surveillance aircraft, and Tornado fighters. Platforms that are using contracting for availability but are not yet through-life contracts, or are progressing via availability contracts for sub-systems etc. as they work their way up, include the RAF’s Hawk trainers, Harrier jets, VC10 aerial tankers, Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft, and others. Even these partial implementations, however, have seen significant changes to maintenance arrangements and contract structures, as Britain works through the issues related to the change and implements its Defence Industrial Strategy. Recent events include the signing of a Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA) Foundation Contract with BAE Systems. It covers intended progress toward an eventual binding agreement that will provide effective through-life support to the RAF’s entire fixed wing fleet for front line service. Which leads to the logical question – have the changes worked? Enter Britain’s National Audit Office, with its July 17/07 report: […]