ISK Superbase!
 

Heard from a good source that Kinloss will be hosting other large ISTAR assets on a permanent basis.

Word has it that there will only be 9 or 12 MRA4s after the defence cuts and Kinloss will lose a Sqn (rumoured to be 206). The investment in Kinloss over the last 10 years will not justify relocation of the fleet (new gym, sgts mess, ground eng sect, 3 sqn buildings, supply, OCU/Nim school building, sim, software support, Hive... all less than ten years old). Not to mention the new ops building under construction (twice the size of the current building) and then strengthening of all taxiways and apron a few years ago.

Kinloss will be very empty with that few aircraft and could easily integrate the E3s and R1s. There would even be room for ASTOR.

We'll all have to wait and see..... but if I were a betting man....

Sandy

You missed one important thing, "THE GOLF RANGE"

All the golf range needs is some netting that withstands more than 10 kts of wind ( now who would expect that in Northern Scotland ):rolleyes:
DPA are on the case... with £10M and 5 years we can all park our cars in relative safety!!!

Nice try fella,

Not a cat in hells chance of getting E3s, R1s or Astor up to ISK. For the same reasons as you have already suggested; there has been soooo much dosh spent and planned to be spent at Waddo that not even our brain donor hierarchy would consider it.

Do you really think they could afford a similiar recruitment/retention problem with those fleets as you guys are experiencing????????? NO WAY

I do hear from reliable sources that one of the Northern Scotland bases is up for closure though, Lossie is the probability:E

You guys are too fat, dumb and happy:= to move anyway, if the truth were really known.

GB

ISK could never be a super base.

Large with more ac maybe but never super.

Rwy at ISK not long enough for E3D and the camp is not big enough for FC egos.

Lossie going
 

My friends and contacts up there and various letters floating around do indeed suggest that a contraction of Lossie is already happening.
As for the theory that they've spent so much at ISK it'll never close down, it never protected Finningley:{ and having been at 5 stations that either closed flying ops or got rid of RAF presence, most have spent money on welfare projects right up to closure. My guess is political expediency will win over pratical requirements, it usually does.:\

i really should proof tead befoer posting.

I can't quite see where they would put all the GR4s if Lossie closed. Other rumours suggest loss of F3 sqns (3?) and one GR4. as said earlier the recent expenditure on a base is no guarantee of non-closure, FY was indeed a classic example. How long did we wait for a new Nav School and how much use did we get out of it?

Actually I think you might find that in the new Dads Air Farce - No MRA4 and only 4 Nimrods Mk2 required, that both ISK and Lossie will shut and relocate to Waddo!!

:ok:

vascodegama,

Where'd you hear about 3 f3 sqns???

The RAF is being ripped to shreds

Gorilla,

Heard that one too. Along with the most wonderful phrase yet from the spinmeisters. The RAF will enjoy a "capability holiday".

Is there any point being here any more.:sad:

Phoney Tony

Runway at ISK not big enough for E-3D eh? I have been parked there north side before with a US E-3 just next to me. Do they need less runway then? You are probably right about FC egos though from the few I have met. Not that I can see anything from Waddington moving, I think SandyPit is on a bit of a fishing expedition/wind up!!

Biggus,

Phoney is quite right that the runway at ISK is not long enough for a D, indeed the runway at Wadd should be at least 1000" longer to allow for better take-off performance/safety margins.

Perhaps if another 3000" was added to the western end extending into the bay, then it would be just like Gibraltar.

As others have pointed out, spending lots of dosh is not an indication of retention. cf Acklington, Stradishall, Finn, Chiv etc, etc.:(
Bin Trident. WTF use is that?

Maybe it was my immagination, but I've seen E3Ds parked at Kinloss many a time. I will accept though, I don't know if they were taking off with maximum fuel.

As for Lossie closing. Nah. My money is on Leuchars. Prime real estate and if Typhoon is delivered to Con/Leem then Leu will be the final operating place for the F3 (providing they don't cut the numbers first) and close on down afterwards.

At Kinloss the 'old' ops building and sim could be used for the (ex) Waddo aircraft sqns/support.

Sandy pit has a point though, E-3s regularly come up to ISK. It's more a question of, the boys down south don't like the sound of having to give up RAF England. :{ It makes far sense to move all and sundry to ISK because of the points stated at the outset. I guess we'll all just have to wait and see what B.S. our lords and masters decide is right for us:ugh:

Leuchars...
 

Leuchars shutting...:confused:

Wot, and lose the massive income and prestige of all those bizjets coming in for the golf?

Hmmm, it's so improbable I wouldn't put it past our lords and masters to do it:{

Perhaps all three 'overseas' Scottish bases will be handed over to the 'Free Scottish Air Force' upon devolution from England.

Now what aircraft should they have and why?

My Choice:

Buccaneer - if only to see the beast at V low level through the valleys

FSTA - As the Bucc doesn't need a tanker, it will not matter how late the FSTA is.

FLA - As the bucc has a pannier to carry its spares, the A400 can be late.

And not forgetting the Typhoon, as we haven't got any Buccs, no FSTA and no FLA then they do not need defending yet and the Typhoon can be a few more years late.

I think you will find that Scotland has had devolution now for a few years :rolleyes:

MadMark!!! :mad:

Look it's obvious to everyone that there is a station not too far away from Waddo that would have enough room for however many nimrods are left, used to handle the Vulcan(God Bless Her) and it would sure wind the Red arrows up if they had to move again!

Ladies/Gents. With the Times article (covered elsewhere) do you think that there will be any requirement to move the MR2 Sqns at KS anywhere other than the Second Hand Sale Lot. 6 bases and 7000 jobs, 3 F3 sqns 4 Jag sqns and a GR4 sqn? will leave alot of space at other bases. Mind you don't suppose any on the Nimrod fleet would fight going back to St Mawgan, a 2 sqn MR4 base, perchance.
As for the E3D being at KS not a problem on length as we have used it on a reqular basis.