Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) Typhoon, (b) Tornado GR4 and (c) Sentinel R1 aircraft are (i) fully serviceable, (ii) undergoing first line maintenance, (iii) undergoing second line maintenance and (iv) undergoing third and fourth line maintenance; and if he will make a statement; [191168]

(2) how many (a) C-17A Globemaster, (b) Hercules C1/C3 (K), (c) Hercules C4/C5 (J), (d) Tristar and (e) VC10 aircraft are (i) fully serviceable, (ii) undergoing first line maintenance, (iii) undergoing second line maintenance and (iv) undergoing third and fourth line maintenance; and if he will make a statement. [191172]

Mr Dunne, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology (including Defence Exports): First to Fourth line maintenance are terms no longer in use with the RAF. Aircraft are now either in the Forward or Depth Fleets. The Forward Fleet comprises aircraft which are serviceable and those which are short-term unserviceable. Short-term unserviceable aircraft are undergoing minor works, forward maintenance or any other unforeseen rectification or technical inspection work that can arise on a day-to-day basis.

The Depth Fleet comprises aircraft which are undergoing planned depth maintenance, upgrade programmes and fleet management temporary storage, but excludes those which are redundant, declared as surplus or awaiting disposal.

The Hercules C1/C3(K) and VC10 fleets have been withdrawn from service and the TriStar fleet will be withdrawn from service by 31 March 2014.

The number of aircraft available in individual fleets varies day-to-day according to normal fleet management activities. The following table shows the number of aircraft in each fleet, as a snapshot, on 11 March 2014.

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