The Supermarine Swift is a British single-seat jet fighter aircraft that was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF).

However, due to a spate of accidents incurred by the type, the Swift was grounded for a time, and had a relatively brief service life.

A later photo reconnaissance variant of the Swift had resolved some of the teething problems, but that proved to be too late for it to regain favour.

[1] The incoming government's initial stance on defence was that no major conflict would occur for at least a decade, and so there would be no need to develop or to procure any new aircraft until 1957.

In accordance with that policy, aside from a small number of exceptions such as what would become the Hawker Sea Hawk for the Royal Navy, the majority of Specifications issued by the Air Ministry for fighter-sized aircraft during the late 1940s were restricted to research purposes.

During the late 1940s, in the face of the emerging Cold War, the RAF came to recognise that it would urgently require the development and procurement of fighters equipped with features such as swept wings.

[5] In early 1946, the Type 541 order was increased to 150 aircraft, the Air Ministry hoping that it would enter service before the rival Hunter.

Production of the Swift had been declared to be a "super-priority" item under a policy created by Sir Winston Churchill, who had regained the position of Britain's prime minister in 1951, as a means of increasing projects considered to be of vital military importance.

Peter Thorne, who had been appointed as the senior RAF test pilot for the incoming Swift in 1954, came to doubt the aircraft's suitability.

It was practically the same as the F 1, except for being fitted with two extra ADENs and the leading edge of the wing was altered from straight to a compound sweep.

The next variant was the F Mk.4, which included a variable incidence tailplane, intended to correct the handling problems that the Swift suffered from.

The next in the line, the FR Mk 5, had a longer nose to accommodate a number of cameras to allow a reconnaissance role, as well as other modifications to its structure.

It first flew in 1955 and entered service the following year, performing reconnaissance mainly at low level, making the reheat problem at high altitude irrelevant.

Only fourteen F 7 aircraft were built and none ever entered service with the RAF, being relegated – along with its prototype missiles – to conducting guided-missile trials.

[8] By that time, the shortcomings of the Swift were not yet apparent, which perhaps had allowed Supermarine to gain the RAF's favour for its proposal, designated as the Type 545, over the rival Hawker P.1083.

In Parliament, Under-Secretary of State for Air Sir George Ward said of the aircraft: "Aerodynamic difficulties have been encountered, and it is not possible to say with certainty if they can be overcome in the version under development".

[11] In early February 1955, it was rumoured that the Swift had failed its final evaluation by the RAF Central Fighter Establishment, and that the type was likely to be restricted to aerial reconnaissance or to ground attack roles.

[12] On 2 March 1955, Minister of Supply Selwyn Lloyd acknowledged that development of the Swift had cost £20 million prior to the scrapping of the fighter variants.