Prime Minister David Cameron and senior ministers are to get their own plane for official trips.
An RAF Voyager A330 air-to-air refuelling aircraft will be refitted at a cost of about £10m.
The government says the move will save about £775,000 a year as the plane will be cheaper than chartering flights.
The SNP’s Stewart Hosie said there needed to be “absolute transparency” to ensure the “best deal is made on behalf of the tax-payer”.
“This announcement comes just a week before the spending review when we can expect to hear of more cuts from the Tories, which are already hitting people hard,” he added.
Royal family
Most government departments are facing budget cuts of at least 25% over the next four years.
A source said the PM’s flights, using either Royal Squadron planes or long haul charter, cost on average £6,700 per flying hour and the RAF aircraft would cost £2,000. It would be available for refuelling when it wasn’t in use.
The flight would also be available to the Royal family.
When he was prime minister, Gordon Brown cancelled plans drawn up by his predecessor Tony Blair to buy two private jets, which had been nicknamed “Blair Force One” in reference to the aircraft used to fly the US president, Air Force One.
The details of the new arrangements are expected to come at the strategic defence and security review on Monday.
There is no definite timing for the plane to come into service but it could be as early as next year.
A government spokesperson said; “As part of the government’s defence review, we have been looking at ways to make better use of the RAF fleet to transport senior ministers and consequently deliver savings for taxpayers.
“We have decided to adapt one of our existing Voyager aircraft so that, in addition to its primary air tanking role, it can transport Ministers and it will also be available for the Royal family to use.”
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By: BBC