The Politics and DV Engineering working group analyses current political developments in the defence sector. It provides independent facts and interpretation from the technological knowledge and experience of engineers.
The Politics and DV Engineering Working Group has questions and comments on the replacement of PC-7 teaching aircraft of the Royal Air Force (Parliamentary Paper 2020D52853) dated 16 December 2020. The comments have been prepared based on publicly available information and defence technology knowledge and experience.
Download a PDF of this commentary here.
This DMP-A concerns an intention to replace 13 obsolete PC-7 training aircraft with an as yet undetermined combination of replacement aircraft, flight simulators and outsourcing. Possibly in international cooperation. This appears to be an effective and innovative solution in line with previous advice from our working group.
Unfortunately, the DMP-A is not yet very concrete. The working group's four questions concern expected numbers of pilots are, duration of use, forms of leasing or outsourcing and international cooperation. Perhaps Defence can explore and answer these in the DMP-B phase.
1. Rapid technological developments in the field of unmanned aircraft are bound to have an impact on the numbers of pilots needed in the long run. Prior to spending 100-250 million euros of taxpayers' money, an analysis and appreciation of these developments seems desirable.
2. Nothing is indicated in the letter about the planned useful life of the new systems. From 1989 to 2027 (almost 40 years), the current PC-7 aircraft have been in service for a very long time and are technologically very outdated in many aspects. With increasingly rapid technological developments and the rapid advance of unmanned aircraft, flight simulators and sustainability requirements, it may not be wise to assume such a long useful life again.
3. Page 3 indicates that the DMP-B phase will also explore leasing or outsourcing options. This fits well with the 'alternative financing' previously proposed by our working group and the Secretary of State's commitment on that subject. However, leasing and outsourcing through the supplier is less flexible than 'alternative financing'.
4. The working group also points to the EDTA/EuroDéfense report on opportunities for international cooperation in training and simulation: European Defense cooperation on military education, training and simulation. Among other things, it includes recommendations on developing common standards and joint use of complex simulators. See, among others, page 14 of this report.
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The Hague, 13 January 2021
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