Action to date

3.4 To better meet its aircrew requirements and address shortfalls following MFTS delays, the Department has also conducted training outside of the system. This creates additional complexities, with students undertaking different courses on different aircraft and in different environments. In 2019-20, the Department expects to provide aircrew training for 125 students outside the MFTS at a cost of £15 million (Figure 13).

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Figure 13

Summary of the Ministry of Defence's (the Department's) plans for Phase 2 training, 2019-20

The Department will rely on other providers and international agreements to train aircrew beyond the Military Flying Training System (MFTS)

Notes

1 Total helicopter, advanced jet and multi-engine student numbers show the Department's overarching requirement for students completing Phase 2 training in 2019-20.

2 Costs reflect the latest estimated costs and include opportunity costs where the Department has made use of spare capacity.

3 Elementary flying: Legacy training extended at RAF Wittering, representing an additional cost.

4 Remotely piloted aircraft: This represents a new requirement not included within MFTS.

5 Basic jet training: From September 2019, the Department and Ascent expect to operate MFTS training, with legacy training ceasing on 31 October and the aircraft currently being used, the Tucano, being withdrawn from service.

Source: National Audit Office analysis of Ministry of Defence data
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3.5 Those students completing other courses must undertake additional training because certain aspects, for example low-level and formation flying, need to be conducted in a military environment. The Department does not know how much this additional training costs, but recognises that outsourcing helicopter training, for example, could cost more than under the MFTS. The MFTS has been designed to reduce training costs, with more training conducted during Phase 2, rather than Phase 3.