Two RAF jets used by Rishi Sunak to fly around the UK are to get a Top Gun-style makeover, HuffPost UK has learned.
The prime minister has been criticised for using the planes - which are also used by the Royal Family and military chiefs - for short-haul flights rather than cheaper and more environmentally-friendly forms of transport.
It has now emerged that the two Dassault Falcon jets - which were purchased by the Ministry of Defence for £80 million last year and fly under the call sign ‘Envoy IV’ - are to receive a military-grade equipment overhaul to ward off cyber threats and missile attacks.
At the time, the RAF said they would “transport members of the Royal Family, government and military leaders around the world more quickly and efficiently than before”.
Among the improvements set to be made to the jets are so-called “chaff and flare” systems to lure heat-seeking missiles away from their target, as recently seen in the film Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise.
They will also get cutting edge IT systems to thwart enemy jamming signals and enable secure, long-range communications.
The MoD has invited expressions of interest from private contractors to carry out the “military modification” work and maintain the jets until the end of their service in 2037.
It is understood that the new equipment will enable greater use of the jets for operational missions, alongside their normal role transporting VIPs and military chiefs to locations around Europe.
At the moment, the jets have a mix of civilian and military aircrew. But after their upgrade, they will be crewed only by RAF personnel.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “Two Envoy IV aircraft were purchased last year, providing a more modern and efficient aircraft than their predecessor.
“Both aircraft will receive defensive military modification in the coming years, and an expression of interest for this work has been released.”
Sunak was criticised in January for taking one of the jets from London to Blackpool rather than the train.
It came just a week after he took a similar jet from RAF Northolt to Leeds for a hospital visit.
A source close to the prime minister said they did not comment on his travel arrangements for security reasons.
However, Number 10 posted a picture of Sunak boarding his plane for last week’s journey to Leeds on their Flickr account.
The PM’s official spokesperson said: “The prime minister will use different modes of transport depending on what is the best use of his time to enable him to get around the entire UK.”