Moray MP Douglas Ross is to raise further concerns with the Ministry of Defence following an answer to his Parliamentary Questions regarding systems that are being installed in the Typhoon aircraft fleet to ensure they can avoid collisions.
Douglas said: “I submitted two written questions to the Ministry of Defence last week asking about the Enhanced Collision Avoidance System (ECAS) that they had promised would be fitted to the RAF’s new fleet of Typhoon aircraft.
“I wanted to know how the ECAS fitted to Typhoon aircraft interacts with Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System II equipped in civil aircraft in a potential collision.
“I am concerned that the answer to both questions from the Minister for Defence Procurement, talked about Enhanced Collision Awareness Systems rather than Avoidance systems.
“With Typhoon aircraft deployed at RAF Lossiemouth I want assurances from the Ministry of Defence that our pilots who are involved in missions to defend our country are as safe as they can possibly be.
“I am seeking further assurances from the Minister about what system is being put into the Typhoons and will stress to him that there are concerns that an Awareness system does not provide pilots with aircraft-to-aircraft spatial positioning and avoidance and cannot be guaranteed to be serviceable for all missions.”
Jimmy Jones, a retired RAF engineering officer and air safety campaigner added:
“The continued cavalier approach by the MoD to the risk of airborne collisions involving fast jets is a direct result of the failure to address the important outstanding questions highlighted in the 2012 Tornado Service Inquiry report. The report points out that "Significant lessons will remain unidentified and therefore unlearned if no further analysis is conducted".
“To date no further analysis has been undertaken. The improved situation awareness being offered to Typhoon pilots does not reduce the risk to the required level of ‘As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ARARP)’, and does nothing to minimise the risk to the general public. History is repeating itself.”