Article Posted on : - Apr 09, 2010

The Tornado G4 fighter. An RAF Photo

DERBY (BNS): The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a £690 million (around US$ 1 billion) contract to aircraft maker Rolls Royce to upkeep the Royal Air Force's Tornado fleet of combat aircraft.

Under the new support contract, Rolls Royce will provide the RAF with a guaranteed level of availability for its RB199 engines, spares and ground support equipment till 2025.

The new agreement also includes additional support elements, such as the development of engine health monitoring techniques designed to improve operational capability, Rolls Royce said.

This is the second such contract awarded to Rolls Royce by the UK MoD. A similar contract to support the RAF’s RB199 engine fleet was inked with it in December 2005.

The Tornado multi-role fighter aircraft has been operational in the Royal Air Force since 1970s. The RAF uses several variants of the aircraft including the Tornado GR4A for maritime patrol and reconnaissance purposes, Tornado GR4 for offensive purposes and Tornado F3 for defensive missions.