Queen to borrow PM’s plane as her passenger jets face being cut in defence spending review

Jamie Fullerton
·2 min read
The Prime Minister's Royal Air force (RAF) Voyager aircraft
The Prime Minister's Royal Air force (RAF) Voyager aircraft

The Queen and other members of the Royal family will be forced to borrow Boris Johnson’s plane for air travel in 2022 after the monarch’s official fleet is set to be sold off as part of defence cuts.

The four BAE-146 passenger jets in the Queen’s official fleet, the 32 (Royal) Squadron, will be withdrawn from service next year following the Ministry of Defence Integrated Review to modernise the forces.

The sale will leave Her Majesty without a dedicated aircraft for the first time in her reign, and will likely require her to use the Prime Minister’s recently-refurbished RAF Voyager.

The Ministry of Defence told the Daily Mail: “We will continue to offer suitable air transport for VIPs and commanders, however we will not shy away from difficult decisions and will always seek to deliver maximum value for money in our procurement programmes.”

Mr Johnson’s RAF Voyager plane received a £900,000 revamp in 2020, including a Union flag design on its tailfin and a white paint job updating its previous grey, military-style tone. Downing Street said the new “national branding” would help the plane better represent the UK abroad, but some MPs criticised the spend.

The 32 (Royal) Squadron, based at RAF Northolt, originated in 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. It became the royal squadron in 1995 when it was amalgamated with The Queen’s Flight: the unit formed as The King’s Flight to serve Edward VIII in 1936.

When the BAE-146 jets are sold the squadron will feature just one aircraft: an AW-109 helicopter.

The results of the MoD’s review are set to be announced on March 16. In November Mr Johnson announced a £24 billion spending increase for Britain’s Armed Forces, but the army is set to be reduced by 10,000 soldiers over the next decade, with the MoD expected to focus on space and cyber defence.

Following the review 14 ‘Super Hercules’ C-130J transporter planes are expected to be retired, with reductions in orders for spy aircraft and F-35 fighter jets also expected.