Sustainability and Environment
Funding Pulled For UK’s Meteorological Airborne Laboratory
Environmental research aircraft is set to be decommissioned
FAAM BAe146 parked on the ground
The uniquely modified BAe146 has supported over 120 UK and international science projects to date © FAAM

The UK’s Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurement (FAAM) is to cease operations at the end of this financial year, following a decision by public funding body UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). In a statement on February 26, the UKRI concluded that the airborne research asset “no longer offers value for money to the public because of a significant increase in costs and low planned utilization.”

The decision to terminate the FAAM comes as its BAe 146 test aircraft is due to emerge from a £49 million ($65 million) mid-life upgrade program, initiated in 2021 and set for completion in 2027. This would have seen the platform remaining operational through 2040.