'We have got some of the very best kit available...the problem is that you can count it on one hand'

FOR more than 100 years, the Royal Air Force has protected the skies over Britain. But after years of cuts, the state of our defence is very much high on the agenda underscored by the Government's promise to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.

- By James Knuckey

While questions continue over whether that is enough at a time of global tensions, the Daily Express has been looking at how the RAF is performing, including its strengths and weaknesses, and what is on the horizon following the long-awaited Strategic Defence Review (SDR).

THE NUMBERS

The RAF is the smallest branch of the armed forces, made up of 30,364 regular personnel (a 2.1% decrease, year-on-year) and just over 3,000 reservists, according to the latest figures published earlier this year. The Army has more than 73,800 regular troops.

Latest figures from 2024 show the RAF has 104 squadrons (one more than in 2023), including nine fighter and two drone squadrons.

The RAF's fixed-wing aircraft decreased by 8 last year to 556, largely due to the retirement of the Hercules transport aircraft. But the RAF expects more planes this year.

Wedgetail an airborne early warning and control aircraft - is set to enter service to fill a capability gap and more F-35B stealth fighters are on their way too, in a boost to the Royal Navy.

FIGHTER JETS

In April 2024, the RAF had 172 made up of 137 Typhoons and 35 F-35Bs. More fifth-generation F-35Bs, which can operate from land and sea from the Navy's aircraft carriers, have been delivered.

Forty-eight have been ordered, with the remaining set to arrive later this year. However, one crashed in 2023. The UK is expected to buy 74 of the US-made aircraft, believed to be worth more than £80million each, by 2033.

They offer outstanding stealth and short take-off and vertical landing capabilities but have some drawbacks, particularly in range.

The need for more F-35s is outlined in the review but how many and crucially a commitment to the A variant, which can carry tactical nuclear weapons, is not stated.