UK and US extend Airseeker support
The support agreement, worth £970 million, will extend support for the UK’s three Airseeker surveillance aircraft
Also known as the RC-135W Rivet Joint, maintenance of the UK’s three Airseeker surveillance aircraft is currently provided through a partnership between the US Air Force and UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), known as the Rivet Joint Cooperative Programme. The programme was due to expire in 2025 but has been extended to 2035.
Under the new Memorandum of Understanding, the MOD will invest £970 million into the programme over the next 14 years.
Jobs secured through extension
The aircraft currently operates out of RAF Waddington as part of the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Force, and 25 jobs providing technical and logistic support to the programme have been secured following the extension.
Jeremy Quin, Minister of Defence, commented: “The Rivet Joint Cooperative Programme is a fantastic example of the UK/US special relationship and the support for our Airseeker fleet has been extended for a further decade.
“With a commitment to invest almost £1 billion, this agreement will ensure that we, and our allies, can benefit from the aircraft’s impressive surveillance capability for years to come.”
The MOD has frequently sought external and international expertise, including awarding Dutch med-tech company °MEQU the public tender to provide portable blood and IV fluid warming devices.
Khai Trung Le
Khai Trung Le is Editor of AirMed&Rescue. He is an experienced science writer, having previously been embedded in Cardiff University College of Physical Sciences, Innovate UK research council, and the UK Institute of Material Sciences. His writing can also be found on Star Trek and Vice.