Sadly as the current situation and legislation stands operating freight and positioning aircraft under CAP 168 does not require the aerodrome to be licenced so no need for RFFS facilities, however, if the CPO does come off Manston would not be a licenced aerodrome. 2016 will see UK aerodromes transition from either licenced or un licenced aerodromes to EASA certified aerodromes, EASA does not make any distinction between freight/positioning/training/end of life or passenger aircraft, they class them all as a movement and as such must have RFFS facilities in place relative to that of the size of aircraft, should there be less than 700 movements of that aircraft in the busiest 3 consecutive months of the year the RFFS may operate at 1 category below. Remission is back!!!!!!
But EASA does remove approved training providers so Manston can choose who/how/where it trains its firefighters and for how long. This would all have to be proved through a Task Resource Analysis which the accountable Manager would be up in front of the judge should it all go wrong.
EASA is a minefield and expensive to transition from CAA!