Razor61
31st Mar 2005, 22:57
from bbc.co.uk/scotland
One of the three squadrons based at RAF Kinloss is set to disappear as part of controversial military cutbacks.
206 Squadron, which was created back in World War I, flew its final Nimrod mission on Thursday and will be officially disbanded on Friday.
The number of Nimrods at the Moray base will fall from 21 to 16, with 80 air crew set to be moved to other jobs.
The squadron has a distinguished past and won honours for service during World War II and recently in the Gulf.
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced large cuts in the armed forces last year, with the RAF coming off worse - losing 7,500 personnel by 2008.
Since then, Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram has delivered the details of the cuts in Scotland which are being undertaken in a bid to maximise the efficiency of the Ministry of Defence.
Under the plans, the base at Kinloss will lose 180 posts with 700 job losses planned for RAF Lossiemouth, also in Moray, while 160 positions will disappear at RAF Leuchars in Dundee.
Despite the cuts, Mr Ingram said the two Moray bases still had a future and guaranteed Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft will remain at Kinloss until at least 2013.
One of the three squadrons based at RAF Kinloss is set to disappear as part of controversial military cutbacks.
206 Squadron, which was created back in World War I, flew its final Nimrod mission on Thursday and will be officially disbanded on Friday.
The number of Nimrods at the Moray base will fall from 21 to 16, with 80 air crew set to be moved to other jobs.
The squadron has a distinguished past and won honours for service during World War II and recently in the Gulf.
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced large cuts in the armed forces last year, with the RAF coming off worse - losing 7,500 personnel by 2008.
Since then, Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram has delivered the details of the cuts in Scotland which are being undertaken in a bid to maximise the efficiency of the Ministry of Defence.
Under the plans, the base at Kinloss will lose 180 posts with 700 job losses planned for RAF Lossiemouth, also in Moray, while 160 positions will disappear at RAF Leuchars in Dundee.
Despite the cuts, Mr Ingram said the two Moray bases still had a future and guaranteed Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft will remain at Kinloss until at least 2013.