DEFENCE Secretary Philip Hammond has vowed to re-examine a contract for RAF air-to-air refuelling planes based in Oxfordshire.

It come after claims that the taxpayer is paying three times over the odds for the new Voyager planes.

Fourteen converted Airbus A330s – called Voyager by the RAF – are being leased to the military by the AirTanker consortium for refuelling, transport and medical flights.

The provision of training, maintenance and new purpose-built buildings at RAF Brize Norton is included in the deal.

Mr Hammond issued the commitment after an investigation by the BBC found fresh evidence that the much-criticised deal was not providing good value for money.

Defence chiefs have been attacked by spending watchdogs for entering into an “inappropriate” 27-year, £10.5 billion PFI contract in 2008 without properly understanding the costs.

Contract negotiations were based on a cost for each aircraft of £150 million. But BBC’s Newsnight said it had seen evidence – including another buyer’s contract – that the real price should be as little as £50 million.

Presented with the evidence, Mr Hammond said: “I’m quite happy to look at this.

“I will go back to the MoD and look personally at what is being done around this PFI contract.”

An MoD spokesman said Voyager was one of a number of procurement deals being placed under “close scrutiny” by its head of procurement and maintenance Bernard Gray.

Voyager is undergoing trials ahead of the first nine planes entering service.