The RAF’s first RC-135W Rivet Joint (ZZ664) on its first test sortie at the end of July at Greenville in Texas. The aircraft is currently undergoing an extensive programme of tests and is expected to be delivered to the UK later this year. The Rivet Joint is a Signals Intelligence aircraft and will be part of the RAF’s airborne “eyes and ears” ISTAR aircraft based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.
The RAF's new £650milion fleet of second-hand spy planes will fly in U.S. colours because defence bosses say it is not cost effective to repaint them.
Instead of the air force's uniform light grey, the three RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft, which were bought from the U.S., will keep their design of a white top, black nose and grey underside.
The Ministry of Defence said it would cost £3million to repaint them.
The MoD said repainting the craft would involve a series of expensive trials to check the paint did not cause problems with the planes' computer surveillance equipment.
Hard-up RAF flies second-hand jets in US air force colours to save £3million cost of repainting them in British colours
Ministry of Defence said retain U.S. colours has 'significant cost benefits'
RAF roundels to be painted on wings of RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft
Planes to retain U.S. design of white top, grey underside and black nose
The RAF's new £650milion fleet of second-hand spy planes will fly in U.S. colours because defence bosses say it is not cost effective to repaint them.
Instead of the air force's uniform light grey, the three RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft, which were bought from the U.S., will keep their design of a white top, black nose and grey underside.
The Ministry of Defence said it would cost £3million to repaint them.
Only the RAFs blue, red and white roundels will be added to the wings and fuselage of the aircraft.
The MoD said repainting the craft would involve a series of expensive trials to check the paint did not cause problems with the planes' computer surveillance equipment.
It is a further embarrassment for the ministry after it emerged that the RAF cannot refuel the planes in mid-air.
Britain must rely on NATO nations and the U.S. to fill up the aircraft once they are in the skies.
Critics are concerned about the reliance on Britain's allies.
Mark Ayton, the editor of AIR International magazine, told The Sunday Times said: 'Anything the Ministry of Defence does to jeopardise sovereignty has got to be questioned.'
Ministers bought three second-hand Rivet Joints from the U.S. Air Force in March 2010 to eavesdrop on enemy communications.
Renamed the Airseeker by the RAF, the vintage jets are being introduced to replace the Nimrod surveillance planes axed in 2011 after one blew up over Afghanistan, killing all 14 men on board.
The aircraft are due to enter service next year but refuelling must be done on the ground, which will make it impossible to carry out airborne missions of more than 12 hours without begging help from allies.
The problem is that the U.S. Air Force and other Nato countries use a different method of air-to-air refuelling than the RAF.
The U.S. uses a boom refuelling system so a tanker aircraft would fly ahead of the Rivet Joint and pass back a rigid, hollow pipe which fits into its tank so fuel can be pumped into it - similar to how a car would be filled up at a petrol station.
A MoD spokeswoman said: 'The MoD decided to configure our Rivet Joint aircraft to as close a common standard with the USAF as is possible, this has significant support cost benefits through life of the aircraft.
'When 51 Squadron personnel begin operating UK Rivet Joint aircraft they will wear RAF flying suits.'
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