Private Eye No.1242, 7-20 August, HP Sauce" The Ministry of Defence doesn't just find itself having to rely on Russian-built and Ukranian-crewed helicopters to fill the gaps in its transport aircraft fleet in Afghanistan (see last Eye). Civilian airliners are being contracted, too.
The aprons of RAF Brize Norton and RAF Lyneham are often home to unusual aircraft, civvy planes from Oman Air and other Middle Eastern carriers among them. These aircraft augmented the tired fleet of air transport Tristars operated by 216 Squadron - a fleet so old and maintenace heavy it is known by soldiers kept waiting while new parts are bolted on as the RAF's static display team.
They fly troops from the UK out to bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, where they are transferred to military C-17 Globemasters and C-130 Hercules transports for the final leg of their journey to Kandahar. The transfers are necessary because only these military aircraft have the defensive suites built in to counter threats from surface-to-air missles and, to a certain extent, ground fire that could be encountered on their final approach in Afghan airspace. They carry flares and chaff to confuse heat-seeking missles, as well as other electronic countermeasures.
But now it emerges that two civvy airliners are flying directly to Kandahar, even though they have no defensive suites fitted. Surely this can't continue? 'Squarebasher'. "
Private Eye
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