Rishi Sunak is planning to deploy RAF Voyager aircraft to deport migrants to Rwanda after the Home Office failed to find an airline that would charter the flights.
The government is poised to activate a clause in a contract with AirTanker, an aviation services provider that leases a fleet of 14 Airbus A330 aircraft to the RAF.
The terms of the deal, signed in 2008, allows the Ministry of Defence to repurpose the aircraft for “specialist tasks”.
Downing Street has drawn up plans to order the MoD to activate the clause to use at least one of the Voyager aircraft for the Rwanda deportation flights, The Times understands.
AirTanker also has its own pilots and cabin crew that could be used, although the option
