Military Aircraft: Ministers

(asked on 8th September 2025) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2025 to Question 66652 on Military Aircraft: Ministers, whether the RAF Command Support Air Transport fleets include (a) Airbus A321 G-GBNI, (b) Airbus A330 ZZ336, (c) Dassault Falcon 900LX Envoy IV G-ZAHS and G-ZABH.


Answered by
Luke Pollard Portrait
Luke Pollard
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
This question was answered on 2nd October 2025

No, the RAF Command Support Air Transport (CSAT) fleet comprises of two Envoy IV Dassault Falcon 900LX aircraft, G-ZAHS and G-ZABH.

The Voyager aircraft, ZZ336, is operated alongside the main fleet of RAF Voyagers, on behalf of the RAF by AirTanker. It has a secondary role and can be tasked under Op VESPINA for the use of Head of State or Head of Government on State business only.

The Airbus A321 (G-GBNI) is not a military aircraft. It is tasked by the Cabinet Travel Office under Government contract.

CSAT is a military function, delivered to aid operational effectiveness including senior military leader partner engagements, crisis early entry, and the movement of operational information. It is separate to wider Government and Royal VIP passenger movement, delivered through the Ministerial Air Transport Contract and Royal Transport Office respectively.

Military tasking of CSAT remains the priority throughout.

This Government is committed to securing value for money for taxpayers. We cancelled the VIP helicopter contract which wasted millions under the previous Government. The money saved from cancelling this contract will be returned to Defence’s core budget- an estimated £40 million.

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