Name of RAF's newest aircraft type revealed
The name for the new Dassault 900LX aircraft is a nod to history and its crucial role in defence diplomacy.
An aircraft type new to Royal Air Force service is to be named Envoy IV.
Two new Dassault 900LX aircraft have been bought to replace the BAe146, which left service in March.
The Envoy name is a nod both to its crucial role in defence diplomacy and to previous Envoy aircraft in RAF service.
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The Envoy will be based at RAF Northolt with No 32 Squadron.
It will be operated by mixed RAF and Centreline AV crews for the first two years before reaching full military operational capability in 2024.
Air Vice-Marshal Simon Edwards, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, said the name chosen "reflects our proud heritage, heralds the arrival of a new aircraft type, and recognises its important mission."
The name 'Envoy' holds a strong significance within the RAF.
The first Envoy, the Envoy III, was a twin-engine light transport aircraft used before and during the Second World War in the communications role.
Similarly, the new Envoy aircraft will be used to transport Royal Family members, as well as leaders of the Government and of the Armed Forces.