The RAF‘s mighty Hercules transport planes have made a spectacular flight over all four countries in the UK ahead of their retirement later this month.
The huge airplanes that have served as the RAF’s main carriers for decades will be taken out of service on 30 June to be replaced by newer models.
Critics have, however, hit out at the ‘extraordinary’ decision to retire the much-loved workhorse planes that have been used by the RAF since 1966.
In a letter to The Times, UK defence chiefs called the decision to cut the huge planes ‘perverse’ at a time of ‘great international tension’.
Defence sources speaking to Sky News also slammed the push to take the planes out of service as they claimed the decision would leave Britain ‘dangerously exposed’.
The Hercules’ aircraft made a spectacular flight over Britain to commemorate their service
The huge planes have been used as the RAF’s main transport carriers for decades since first coming into service in 1966
Critics slammed the decision to take the planes out of service as they warned the switch up could leave Britain dangerously exposed
The criticism followed an admission by the RAF that the decision to retire the Hercules planes would leave a ‘gap’ in the abilities of Britain’s special forces.
In their letter to The Times, RAF chiefs said: ‘Of the many cuts to our armed forces in recent years, one of the most perverse is the disposal of the RAF’s remaining 14 C130 transport aircraft.’
‘At a time of great international tension, the decision to remove a proven and effective workhorse is extraordinary,’ the letter said.
The decision to take the Hercules planes out of service will see the carriers replaced with newer Airbus A400M Atlas airplanes.
Air Marshall Sir Richard Knighton in March warned there will be a ‘gap from when the Hercules goes out of service to when the A400M picks up all of those capabilities.
‘The niche issues where the gap is is around the airdrop and the kind of things we can drop from the aircraft.’
The planes have served with Britain’s air force since 1966 and have been used in an array of operations worldwide
The aircraft have been used in a multitude of RAF operations including in Iraq, Afghanistan, and The Falklands
The huge and highly-flexible Hercules planes weigh 34 tons and have 40 metre wingspans
The Hercules aircraft flew over all four countries in Britain on Wednesday to commemorate their service to the RAF
The planes made a flight over all four countries in the UK ahead of their retirement on 30 June
The uproar comes after the RAF yesterday flew the carriers over all four nations of the United Kingdom on Wednesday.
The planned routing by three aircraft covered locations of significance to the Hercules’ service and 47 Squadron.
They included the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum and the so-called Mach Loop in Wales.
47 Squadron and the Hercules will continue to deliver on operations supporting UK defence objectives until 30 June.
The first Hercules arrived at aerospace company Marshall’s of Cambridge in December 1966.
Read Related Also: Miami beach landlord threatens to evict everyone in 102-unit saying they failed to maintain it
Since entering RAF service, originally with 242 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Thorney Island, the planes have supported UK military and humanitarian relief operations across the globe.
Their flight path took the planes over places that are significant to The Hercules history
The planes flew over the RAF College in Cranwell, Lincolnshire (pictured) as part of their flight over Britain and Northern Ireland
The American made Hercules planes will be replaced by the newer Airbus A400M Atlas
The highly-flexible planes were used by the RAF in The Falklands, Iraq, and Afghanistan
The planes were used to drop by the US Air Force to drop ‘Daisy Cutter’ bombs in the Gulf War
The Hercules is described as the RAF’s primary tactical transport aircraft and in its current C.Mk 4 and C.Mk 5 versions of the C-130J-30 and C-130J, respectively, has been the backbone of UK operational tactical mobility tasks.
It is frequently employed to operate into countries or regions where there is a threat to aircraft.
Its performance, tactics and defensive systems make it the ideal platform for such tasks.
The transition to the 22-strong Atlas (A400) fleet and other air mobility aircraft has been ongoing for some time.
The expertise acquired operating the Hercules and its broad range of capabilities will be transitioned across to the other flying platforms in RAF service.
This includes Ground support staff (Engineers, Air Operations and Intelligence professions) who will be relocated to similar roles around the RAF.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: ‘The Hercules C-130 has served the RAF and the UK well but the time is now right to replace it with a more modern, efficient and capable aircraft.
‘The Atlas A400M, is the next generation of tactical air transport and will not simply replicate how the C-130 currently delivers missions.
‘It offers many advantages over the C-130 including a greater range, larger payload capacity and modern technology which allows new, smarter ways to operate.
‘The Atlas A400M delivers for UK Defence daily and will continue to do so into the future’
