To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions RAF air tankers have undergone non-emergency (a) first, (b) second, (c) third and (d) fourth time maintenance outside the UK in the last five years; where the maintenance took place; for what reasons the locations were chosen; and what the cost of the maintenance was in each year. (80053)

The RAF currently operates Tristar and VC10 aircraft to provide both a strategic air refuelling (AR) and air transport (AT) capability. Some airframes can be used in either the AR or AT role.

Scheduled “forward” (formerly first line) maintenance for the VC10 and Tristar aircraft is undertaken within the UK. When deployed on operations some forward maintenance is carried out at RAF bases overseas. However, records for this work are not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Scheduled “depth” (formerly second, third and fourth line) maintenance for the VC10 is undertaken within the UK and for the Tristar has been carried out under contract by Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Company (GAMCO) in Abu Dhabi since 1997. GAMCO won this contract in open competition.

The cost of providing scheduled depth maintenance to Tristar aircraft that can operate in either the AR or AT role is set out in the following table. Information for 2001 is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the table does include the projected cost for 2006.