'Most of the J fleet will only be fit for scrap in 3 years time'?
Not exactly, the re - spar programme will commence due to the extremely high fatigue useage from current ops, alot early than originally planned, but not quite ready for scrap.
Even if A400 is cancelled we will presumeably procure something else (extra C17s &
Js?), which will need to park somewhere. We've suffered from a lack of AT in recent years, reducing the fleet will hardly make things better, and civil charter can only plug some of the gap.
The cost of trying to renovate Bzn negates any savings from closing Lyneham, except in the very long term, and the reduction in operational capability will affect us in the short term. The AOC said, off the record, that it won't work but is to be made to happen.