Totally agree RIS not RAS.
They can not justify cutting or closing Leeming whilst keeping two large stations in the Scottish Highlands.
Surely it would be better to close Lossie and move the GR4's to Leeming.
I also think that Cottesmore and Wittering may be amalgamated on to one site and that Odiham and Benson may be moved to one helicoper site, possibly Yeovilton as part of the JHC.
Here's an article regarding base closure rumours from earlier this year.
BASE CLOSURE RUMOUR MILL ON OVERTIME :
Ever since the announcement of drastic cuts in spending in the Defence White Paper published late last year, rumours have been abound of base closures, type withdrawals and reduction in manpower.
Recently several national newspapers have hinted at some of the cuts, with one report stating that defence chiefs had been told to "expect extreme pain", indicating that the cuts will be the biggest since the end of the Cold War.
Many of the rumours circulating have no foundation, whilst some forecasted closures have come from within the ranks of the RAF itself. If current rumours are to believed, Leeming in North Yorkshire is a prime candidate for possible closure, especially if the Typhoon programme is curtailed. This, coupled with information that Leeming-based 100 Squadron is apparently due to relocate to Scampton, has added fuel to the rumours.
Other bases mooted for closure include Wittering, with the entire Harrier Force being located at Cottesmore; Linton-on-Ouse, with all basic and advanced pilot training being carried out at Valley, but with a possible reduction in aircraft numbers and staffing; Coltishall, with the entire Jaguar fleet being withdrawn; Lossiemouth, with either a relocation of some assets plus a reduction in frontline strength of the Tornado GR.4 force; and Benson or Odiham, with a consolidation of support helicopter assets at either of the two airfields. One base already earmarked for closure is Lyneham, with the Hercules fleet relocating to Brize Norton by the end of the decade.
Bases allegedly "safe" from closure include those which have seen extensive spending on modernisation and infrastructure, such as Coningsby, where the first Typhoon squadrons will be located; Waddington, home of the RAF's Air Warfare Centre as well as the RAF's Sentry and future Sentinel ASTOR squadrons; and Cranwell, home of the RAF College.
However, The Times last week reported on how the defence secretary Geoff Hoon has written to Tony Blair complaining that Treasury demands for a £1.2
billion cut in defence spending plans will put at risk "current and future" military operations. Defence chiefs are understood to have said that spending constraints on the scale demanded by the Treasury would make "current and future operational commitments unmanageable". Such warnings come at a very sensitive time for the Government, not least because Mr Blair has made a priority of maintaining good relations with the Armed Forces throughout the past year.
However, it is possible that suggested cuts might be politically unacceptable, such as a reduction in the number of Eurofighters for the RAF, as Britain is committed to that programme along with Germany, Spain and Italy, and there would be penalties both for the British taxpayer and for industry.
We will all just have to wait and see...........