Aircraft storage for future use

[james k]

Is it particularly difficult and expensive to maintain aircraft in storage so that they might be used again if required rather than scrapping them as soon as a type leaves service?

[topman]

That's a very broad question. You can enter aircraft in and out of storage as the situation demands, however it hugely depends on the aircraft and what you want you them to do when they leave storage. Flying in the UK on general training missions and flying on ops can be two totally different things.

[LordJim]

The UK doesn't retain stocks of stored aircraft of types no longer in service. It used to with planes like the hunter back in the 1960s and 70s and plans were made to hold a number of Lightnings in storage but the plans were dropped. A different subject is storing aircraft currently in service to extend fleet airframe hours and so on. Originally over half of the planned order for the Typhoon were to go straight in to storage in order to ensure the fleet lasted until its planned OSD. With the order reduced so has the number in storage. Another important role for the aircraft in storage in as a source of spares. This is an unofficial policy but many planes in storage are missing many components to keep those in the squadrons flying. The powers that be have their fingers crossed permanently that these stores aircraft are not need in such a hurry that their true state cannot be rectified before it is found out by others.

[The Armchair Soldier]

Moved into General Discussion since it's not strictly RAF related.