An R1 Sentinel aircraft at RAF Waddington. The British Defense Ministry announced in late 2020 that it is looking for a contractor to strip the planes for parts. (Sgt. Nik Howe/British Defence Ministry)
LONDON — The British Royal Air Force’s fleet of Sentinel battlefield and ground surveillance jets are officially heading for the scrapyard after the Ministry of Defence released a notice Dec. 22 seeking a company to break up the aircraft for spares.
The Defence Equipment Sales Authority, the arm of the MoD responsible for disposing of surplus equipment, said it was looking for companies interested in stripping five Sentinel R1 aircraft and two Sentry E-3D airborne early warning aircraft for spares and dismantling what remains.
The five Sentinel aircraft , a variant of the Bombardier Global Express business jet, were built at a cost of nearly £1 billion (U.S. $1.3 billion), with Raytheon UK leading the extensive modification of the aircraft.
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WNU Editor: And there is going to be no replacement for this capability. Here is an easy prediction. If British troops find themselves in a war, they are going to sorely miss this capability.
