UK to retire BAe 146 aircraft in 2022
A BAe 146 C Mk 3 aircraft at RAF Brize Norton. (Photo: MoD/ Crown Copyright.)
Operated from RAF Northolt by 32 squadron, the BAe 146 is primarily tasked with Command Support Air Transport roles.
The UK RAF will retire its fleet of four BAe 146 aircraft on 31 March 2022.
The date was confirmed by UK Minister for Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin in response to a parliamentary question.
Quin said: ‘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 but no decisions have been made.’
2022 is when an existing In-Service Support Availability Contract with Serco will run out.
The UK’s BAe 146 fleet consists of two BAe 146-100s designated as the BAe 146 CC Mk2 and two BAe 146-200QC (Quick Change) variants with a large freight door in the rear fuselage.
BAE Systems converted the latter aircraft and delivered them to the RAF in 2013 when they were designated as the BAe 146 C Mk3.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal]()
V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal
Bell Boeing will supply 73 additional ODSSHI kits as NAVAIR prepares to introduce predictive drive-system monitoring across US and Japanese V-22 fleets.
-
![AFA 2026: USAF examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics]()
AFA 2026: USAF examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics
The US Air Force is evaluating demonstrators for uncrewed cargo missions as it considers logistics requirements across the Pacific and other contested environments.
-
![Europe risks losing control of CUAS production capacity as manufacturers look abroad]()
Europe risks losing control of CUAS production capacity as manufacturers look abroad
European counter-drone developers are securing early orders in the Middle East while slow domestic acquisition processes threaten to redirect production capacity, expertise and investment away from Europe.
-
![India’s rotary-wing capability gap grows as IMRH programme delays persist]()
India’s rotary-wing capability gap grows as IMRH programme delays persist
With IMRH and DBMRH potentially years from service, India faces a widening rotary-wing capability gap that could drive further foreign purchases even as HAL and Safran build the foundations of an indigenous successor.
-
![AFA 2026: Swarm Aero eyes 2027 Gamera flight as Textron/Merlin reveal SkyCourier UX]()
AFA 2026: Swarm Aero eyes 2027 Gamera flight as Textron/Merlin reveal SkyCourier UX
Two new uncrewed aircraft concepts target very different US military requirements, from massed long-range strike to autonomous logistics. Shephard spoke with executives from Swarm Aero, Textron Aviation and Merlin Labs at this year's AFA Air, Space & Cyber conference to learn more about their capabilities.
