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RAF to deploy to civvy airports

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Old 29th Aug 2022, 10:30
  #21 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by chevvron
Except Marham
In so far as they use or have The runways which continue/continued were usually one, or perhaps two, or in the case of Marham, three, which were picked to be extended, sometimes doubled in length, usually as close to a 90/270 orientation as possible, but always an existing runway. There were usually three at least to pick from, but that became the main runway if it was 3,000' before, it was 6,000' or even 7,500' after. The V-Bomber stations had theirs' extended to 9,000'. All of this usually meant claiming more farmland. The main runway at Scampton required the A15 to be routed around it from its original north/south straight line, hence the bulge. But I'm not revealing anything new.

FB
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Old 29th Aug 2022, 11:34
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https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...Dn9PBZxdReBw6M

4kinell! 😱Heralding the return of Exercise Micky Finn? Ohhh errr missus!

Hey guys, you’ve got to be seriously ancient to remember them….


Not Mickey Finn but 50 Sqn on Ex Sunspot - I’m there in the ‘0’ somewhere...along with that nice Mr Stacey and a few others.
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Old 29th Aug 2022, 15:10
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I recall many of my colleagues deployed to civil airfields.

They also were allocated civil aeroplanes
And civil wonga.

They seemed happy
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Old 29th Aug 2022, 15:22
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Originally Posted by MPN11
... and Northolt ...

Barkston Heath?
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Old 29th Aug 2022, 16:24
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Chetwynd hasn't changed much!
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Old 29th Aug 2022, 16:30
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Originally Posted by ROC man
Barkston Heath?
No, that’s definitely Northolt! 😎
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Old 29th Aug 2022, 16:30
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Chetwynd hasn't changed much!
True, and it's still got the same runways!!
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Old 29th Aug 2022, 16:35
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Originally Posted by Herod
All very well, but what about the civilian infrastructure that is being placed in harm's way? Certain "others" might decide that obliterating the main terminal is justified because there are "enemy forces" There.

On the plus side, I suppose it would at least show the public that there is an Air Force.
If you get to the point of dispersing the force, there won't be any civi flying.
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Old 29th Aug 2022, 16:53
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Originally Posted by air pig
If you get to the point of dispersing the force, there won't be any civi flying.
… just commandeered civil ac moving personnel and equipment? Oh, and all that Reforger stuff that has to go somewhere.
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 05:34
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Originally Posted by Herod
All very well, but what about the civilian infrastructure that is being placed in harm's way? Certain "others" might decide that obliterating the main terminal is justified because there are "enemy forces" There.

On the plus side, I suppose it would at least show the public that there is an Air Force.
Quite a lot of small countries have military and civilian airports mixed. The UK ceased to be a major player decades ago. Just waking up to reality.
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 06:24
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Originally Posted by Flyhighfirst
Quite a lot of small countries have military and civilian airports mixed. The UK ceased to be a major player decades ago. Just waking up to reality.
Went to Palermo a few times with the Tanker Fleet, stayed in a Thompsons hotel. Always a good trip.
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 06:36
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... and Newquay aka St Mawgan
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 08:34
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Originally Posted by Flyhighfirst
Quite a lot of small countries have military and civilian airports mixed. The UK ceased to be a major player decades ago. Just waking up to reality.
What? An indigenous nuclear power, 65,000 ton aircraft carriers for 5th generation combat aircraft, nuclear powered hunter killer submarines, armed with cruise missiles, 9 Typhoon Squadrons, 3 F-35B Squadrons with more to come, developing Tempest, RC-135W Squadron, Shadow Squadron, 2 P-8A Posiedon Squadrons, 3 Chinook Squadrons, 2 Puma Squadrons, 2 Voyager AT/AAR Squadrons, 3 A400M Atlas Squadrons, C-17A Squadron, 3 Hawk T2 Squadrons, 2 Reaper Squadrons, Type 45 AAW Destroyers, Type 23 Frigates, developing and building Type 31 and 32 Frigates, autonomous Mine Countermeasures capability, Merlin MHA2, Wildcat MH2, Merlin HC4, Royal Marines, AH-64E Apache, SAS, Parachute Regiment, SBS, Challenger 3, Boxer, GMLRS, Sky Sabre, Ajax (!). UK forces deployed worldwide, on operations constantly for the last 30+ years, key NATO member, permanent member of the UN Security Council, key and leading European supporter to Ukraine providing lethal military hardware, military training and support...

Ceased to be a major player decades ago?

You are having a laugh and spouting utter nonsense.
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 08:59
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Whether or not we are a major player is not the point. Having so few runways available is the problem so the idea of dispersal and operations from civilian airfields makes sense. Why not also take a leaf from the Swedish (and others) book and look at road bases.

I guess the reason we have 2 aircraft carriers is the hope that at least one will work.
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 09:06
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Originally Posted by pr00ne
What? An indigenous nuclear power, 65,000 ton aircraft carriers for 5th generation combat aircraft, nuclear powered hunter killer submarines, armed with cruise missiles, 9 Typhoon Squadrons, 3 F-35B Squadrons with more to come, developing Tempest, RC-135W Squadron, Shadow Squadron, 2 P-8A Posiedon Squadrons, 3 Chinook Squadrons, 2 Puma Squadrons, 2 Voyager AT/AAR Squadrons, 3 A400M Atlas Squadrons, C-17A Squadron, 3 Hawk T2 Squadrons, 2 Reaper Squadrons, Type 45 AAW Destroyers, Type 23 Frigates, developing and building Type 31 and 32 Frigates, autonomous Mine Countermeasures capability, Merlin MHA2, Wildcat MH2, Merlin HC4, Royal Marines, AH-64E Apache, SAS, Parachute Regiment, SBS, Challenger 3, Boxer, GMLRS, Sky Sabre, Ajax (!). UK forces deployed worldwide, on operations constantly for the last 30+ years, key NATO member, permanent member of the UN Security Council, key and leading European supporter to Ukraine providing lethal military hardware, military training and support...

Ceased to be a major player decades ago?

You are having a laugh and spouting utter nonsense.
Personally, I would argue that we are a player on the big table, but not a major one. Spread thinly in tiny footprints coupled with some poor serviceability across many fleets means our ability to force project globally is limited. We don't have much of a reserve either, that's for sure.
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 09:09
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Originally Posted by vascodegama
Whether or not we are a major player is not the point. Having so few runways available is the problem so the idea of dispersal and operations from civilian airfields makes sense. Why not also take a leaf from the Swedish (and others) book and look at road bases.

I guess the reason we have 2 aircraft carriers is the hope that at least one will work.
Well the one that works isn't the Prince Of Wales


The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is limping back to shore after breaking down shortly after embarking for exercises in the US.The carrier left from Portsmouth Naval Base on Saturday before an "emerging mechanical issue" occurred.
On Monday, the warship was moving slowly from the south east of the Isle of Wight towards Stokes Bay, Gosport.
It is understood the sheltered area will make it easier for divers to examine the damage.
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 09:42
  #37 (permalink)  
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Great news for the profits of all the junk food brands at the chosen airports then !
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 09:53
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Originally Posted by Krystal n chips
Great news for the profits of all the junk food brands at the chosen airports then !
Not to mention the airports themselves, they're going to charge a fortune.
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 10:29
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Originally Posted by vascodegama
Whether or not we are a major player is not the point. Having so few runways available is the problem so the idea of dispersal and operations from civilian airfields makes sense. Why not also take a leaf from the Swedish (and others) book and look at road bases.

I guess the reason we have 2 aircraft carriers is the hope that at least one will work.
Who are you to decide what is and isn't the point? We have loads of runways available in this country. Apart from the existing RAF frontline airfields, there are all of the 22 Group airfields and relief landing grounds, the RN and AAC airfields, and then, before you even get anywhere near civilian airfields, are the existing MoD airfields not in current active aviation use such as Dishforth, Topcliffe, Cottesmore, Chivenor, Honington, Kinloss, Colerne, Hullavington, Little Rissington, Brawdy, Linton On Ouse, Scampton, Lyneham, etc etc etc. All of these could be dispersal runways used in a genuine emergency before you even start to consider the numerous civilian airfields up and down the land. This would complicate massively any possible (and extremely unlikely) Russian cruise missile/ballistic missile barrage against existing RAF and USAF airfields in this country.

In the days of the recent Cold War, we had on average 2 squadrons/OCU's per station, (Wattisham, Binbrook, Coningsby, Leuchars, Wittering) whereas the current RAF has large numbers of squadrons on a station, take Lossiemouth and Coningsby as typical examples. This was a cost saving measure when there was no perceived threat to the Homebase whatsoever. That has all changed since 2014 and 24th February 2022, but we simply do not need oodles and oodles of newly opened RAF airfields.
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Old 30th Aug 2022, 11:57
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proone

I am entitled to my view as much as you I would say.

Have you checked the status of the numerous airfields that you mentioned? The chances of them all being available as airfields is debateable , not only that but is the runway length sufficient for large ac anyway. Add to that fuel supplies etc and the problems get worse.

Why did the system even look at the dispersal to civilian airfields in the first place?
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