Offering old RAF Typhoon jets to NATO nations could encourage allies to give their own fighter planes to Ukraine, MPs said today.
Senior backbenchers on the Commons Defence Select Committee called on the Government to use the UK’s fearsome 1,500mph aircraft to “backfill” for other countries which have warplanes Ukrainian pilots could fly more easily.
Such a move would help Kyiv defend its skies from Russian bombers, Armed Forces Minister James Heappey was told.
Tory Robert Courts said a batch of British Typhoons being retired from their air defence role could be used to“backfill” for other countries’ planes which are better suited to Ukrainian forces.
“Would it not be possible to supply those (Typhoons), if not directly to Ukraine, to one of those of partner nations which could release Mig19, Sukhoi24 or one of the other platforms available around the world?” he said.
Conservative former Defence Minister Mark Francois said a squadron of Typhoons was mothballed at RAF Shawbury “gathering dust”.
“If we were to give at least half of those, a half squadron of six, announce we are going to give them to Ukraine, that might help to unlock the Migs and F16s they really want,” he claimed.
“Rather than having them gathering dust in a hangar, even if it took a while to deliver them, why couldn’t we make a political signal, offer them six of those Typhoons that are sitting in a hangar doing nothing?”
Mr Heappey said: "We are very aware of the leverage that things we could gift could have, but it can't just be symbolic.”
But Labour former Defence Minister Kevan Jones raised fears about the number of engineers needed to maintain the planes and the availability of spare parts.
He added: “This is not like going down to your local garage, buying a Ford Escort and putting the keys in and driving it out of the showroom.”
The UK has not ruled out sending Typhoons to Kyiv while the war with Russia continues.
But ministers say it will not happen in the short term.
Mr Heappey warned: "It's not quite as binary as 'definitely not now' and 'definitely only in peacetime'.
“The Prime Minister has said he wants us to look at all options so that that political choice remains available to him."
He said it was "eminently possible" the UK could supply Typhoons eventually.
Defence Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood warned Mr Heappey: “The message comes loud and clear that Putin is the most destabilising force in Europe at the moment, we have equipment that can help stand up to that."
Calling for faster action, he said that "if we don't put this fire out in the next few months, we're going to end up with a stalemate and Putin then does claim victory".
Meanwhile, an update to the Integrated Review of defence, security and foreign policy will be published on Monday, No10 confirmed.
But Mr Heappey signalled there would be no reversal of the decision to cut Challenger 2 tank numbers from 227 to 148, which will be upgraded to Challenger 3.
Fourteen are being sent to Ukraine
Instead, he said many of those which will not be modernised have already been stripped for spare parts.
“There’s no plan to upgrade them, there’s no plan to use them again. There has been a lot of cannibalisation,” he admitted.
But the document could force a rethink over other cuts.
“Very obviously, if the conflict in Ukraine proves we made the wrong call two or three years ago, that’s something we’ve always been open to looking at again,” he told MPs.
“The lessons from Ukraine need to be learnt and that might lead to mean that we change our minds on the decision.
“But it might not.”
Mr Heappey said there had been “some robust exchanges with the Treasury in public” over funding for the armed services due to be announced in Wednesday's Budget.
He added: “There have been some even more robust exchanges behind closed doors."
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