Nimrod aircraft were grounded for checks in February

The incidents happened between last October and March this year.

A fuel leak was thought to be responsible for a Nimrod crash in which 14 servicemen died last year.

The MoD said the leaks did not compromise the safety of the Nimrod and were rectified under normal maintenance procedures.

Official figures have also shown that Nimrods flew more than 3,000 hours longer than they should have in the two years before the plane came down.

NIMROD FACT FILE The Nimrod was designed as a sea patrol and anti-submarine aircraft and entered service with the RAF 30 years ago Nimrod MR2s fly mainly from RAF Kinloss A programme is under way to replace this version with the MRA4

A military board of inquiry into the accident near Kandahar in Afghanistan is expected to release its findings later this year.

Twelve of the 14 people who died were based at RAF Kinloss on the Moray coast.

Moray MP and SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson has called for new concerns about regular fuel leaks on the aircraft, as well as worries about air-to-air refuelling, to be addressed.

In February, Nimrods were grounded as a precautionary measure after a routine safety check uncovered a dent in a fuel pipe on one aircraft. They were later cleared to fly again.

Accident inquest

The father of one of the airmen killed in the crash has petitioned the prime minister to speed up the time it is taking to hold an inquest.

Graham Knight's son Benjamin had set up home in Inverness before the accident.

He said it could be years before an inquest into the accident begins.