RAF Fast Jets To Practice Dispersal Off MOBs
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Come the first hint of war one would assume the motorway system would grind to a halt full of people fleeing to parents / middle of nowhere etc... the best place to disperse them to would be Germany, so as to be closer to the front, shame they are demolishing all those lovely airbases we had out there, the other advantage is you would be fighting your rapidly intensifying war in someone else's playground. 
I believe the US Navy F-35 deck heat issues are with the B on vertical landings on ships. I would imagine STOL would be the profile for roadway takeoff and landings to reduce thermal and FOD hazards.
I've spotted a few over the years. Best example is the A74(M) north of Lockerbie - next to the Lockerbie lorry park at Hanginshaw.
From the farm bridge at the south end to the start of the gentle right curve at the north is 2200m or 7200 feet with no obstructions and an easily demountable central wire barrier...........
From the farm bridge at the south end to the start of the gentle right curve at the north is 2200m or 7200 feet with no obstructions and an easily demountable central wire barrier...........
There are one or two others, but generally they don't design straight bits of motorway as it stops drivers falling asleep!
Simple question, where are all the logistics and manpower coming from? And as for closing a major road at no notice………. At best it will be watered down to all using the same airfield with, at best, a road painted on the runway and a few road signs.
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"There's rumoured to be one on the A1 about 2 or 3 miles north of Woolfox Lodge disused airfield;"
quite a few trees along the central reservation there
quite a few trees along the central reservation there
I know environmental conservation is fashionable at the moment, but I'm sure in a time of war, or training for, there wouldn't be much thought given to leveling any obstructions such as trees in order to facilitate ops.
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The next time you land at Changi, have a good look out of the taxi window as you set off down the East Coast Parkway into town. A good long straight stretch, central reservation easily removable flower boxes, lamp posts not solid but screwed down to the ground, a few easily moved trees=an emergency runway.
There seems to be a similar straight stretch of road just to the west of Tengah and a possible but short stretch by Paya Lebar. Mind you, may not be needed with the F35B on order.
There seems to be a similar straight stretch of road just to the west of Tengah and a possible but short stretch by Paya Lebar. Mind you, may not be needed with the F35B on order.
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At long last ..the M6 Toll may actually have a use !
I’m sure now that FlyBe/Stobart/et al there would be plenty of room at most of the regional airports. I’m sure they’d welcome the business.
Out of interest, anybody remember when we last practiced this?
Deja vu or what?
In V Force days we had c. 40 sites for 4 aircraft each, I seem to remember.
Proper runways, and lots of them.
In V Force days we had c. 40 sites for 4 aircraft each, I seem to remember.
Proper runways, and lots of them.
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The article - originally in The Telegraph - got ahead of itself by jumping on the old Jaguar video and The Drive went along with it.
Clearly any dispersal is going to be to former military airfields - attempting to be as covert as possible with a minimum visible footprint - or civilian airfields.
I was the Project Officer the last time this was tried - 2 x Tornado GR1 in a simulated nuclear strike role - landed at dusk on a non-flying unit then in current military ownership - shut down on the waterfront in front of a vacant 1930s hangar - towed in rapidly - with tractor and parallel GSE towing attachment (as used for 2 in a HAS).
Held at RS15 using a secure comms briefcase that converted a BT phone into a secure one.
From release, was able to tow aircraft to waterfront with APU (with containment mod fitted) started inside hangar, start and get airborne well within 15 minutes.
However, although all trades coverage was achieved within the 2 x 3-man launch teams, this would have been for diagnosis of any snags only - no spares on site.
My conclusion was that you could completely disperse the UK-based Tornado GR1 Strike Force but to make it work properly you would need a new-buy logistics tail of C4I box bodies, 4-ton trucks, 5-ton trailers to put GSE on (like the Harrier Force did) and a larger spares pool - clearly unaffordable.
Clearly any dispersal is going to be to former military airfields - attempting to be as covert as possible with a minimum visible footprint - or civilian airfields.
I was the Project Officer the last time this was tried - 2 x Tornado GR1 in a simulated nuclear strike role - landed at dusk on a non-flying unit then in current military ownership - shut down on the waterfront in front of a vacant 1930s hangar - towed in rapidly - with tractor and parallel GSE towing attachment (as used for 2 in a HAS).
Held at RS15 using a secure comms briefcase that converted a BT phone into a secure one.
From release, was able to tow aircraft to waterfront with APU (with containment mod fitted) started inside hangar, start and get airborne well within 15 minutes.
However, although all trades coverage was achieved within the 2 x 3-man launch teams, this would have been for diagnosis of any snags only - no spares on site.
My conclusion was that you could completely disperse the UK-based Tornado GR1 Strike Force but to make it work properly you would need a new-buy logistics tail of C4I box bodies, 4-ton trucks, 5-ton trailers to put GSE on (like the Harrier Force did) and a larger spares pool - clearly unaffordable.
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You would be better choosing a largish shopping centre, food stores, alcohol stores, clothing stores, TV and electrical stores and a bedding store for accomodation, plus public toilets.
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Last edited by NutLoose; 22nd Jul 2021 at 15:56.
The heat is getting to me...I suspect the reality will be Leeming, Leuchars, and ISK.