No, they don't need but the supplier will stop supplying replacing components and servicing for the one retire/taken out of service. If anyone wants to risk the lives of pilots, it is their choice. If crash happens, don't blame Martin Baker.
Why Chinese wants the old, probably expired ejection seat installed on her J-10 which was not designed to fit MB ejection seat from the beginning? So, after spending millions of dollars to change J-10's internal structure to accommodate this seat which is full of problems, they can kill some of their own pilots?
Well, simply nobody is such stupid.
So, British will know exactly where your plane is? No way.
Thanks for answering.
But you missed the point.
My query was - what happens to the MB ES when an aircraft on which it is installed is retired. Do you just dump it in the Waste Bin. Or can it be reused in another aircraft.
Of course assuming that it's service life is still not over. Technical support from MB will be available I guess.
Also assume that an Air Force which uses MB ES unfortunately crashes one of its fleet. Now in order to maintain public morale the concerned Government and it's military decide not to make news of the crash public and erase all information related to the crash. The pilot survived the crash. But Martin Baker is not informed of the crash.
Now when no information regarding the crash is shared with MB, how the hell does it declare in public that ' MB Ejection Seats have saved the life of one more pilot'.
Is it a statutory requirement and part of the contract that user Air Forces have to necessarily share information on every crash involving MB ejection seats with the OEM.
Is MB totally dependent on the user military/Government to get data on the performance of its equipment.
Is it part of the contract that MB does on site periodic inspections to check whether it's equipment is used properly. If periodic inspections are allowed then MB will detect the loss of a particular ejection seat with a unique serial number.