Project Wavell - the end of the RAF in Cyprus?
 

Having been idly browsing around the web on a day off, I happened to venture onto the Independent newspaper website where I found an article on what can only be described as the 'civvyisation' of the RAF in Cyprus including:

''The contract involves support services, including looking after aircraft while they are on the ground and maintenance of airfields. The contract covers Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Britain's sovereign bases on the island.''

Serco hopes to win Cyprus bid - Business News, Business - The Independent

Apparently a decision is being made regarding 'Project Wavell' on 19th February to identify who the 'lucky' contractor will be.

Is the MOD so skint that it is 'disposing' of the only decent posting left for the RAF and giving it to Serco?

No doubt the brown jobs will do their utmost to protect themselves from this, but I do forsee it as the begining of the end for the RAF - who would join up when the only overseas tours in the future will be sandpits and Bennyland (all unaccompanied).

Considering we have lost RAFG, Hong Kong, Belize etc surely 'privatising' Cyprus is a base too far?

Pete

Look at it the other way - done properly it could (should) save money. If that money is ploughed into kit, training etc. then great. If it's taken back by the Treasury then not so good...

Spot on AA!!

I would guess that the model would be Ascension where the whole kit and cabodle was handed over to a MAC. OTOH it could be more on the UK model such as Lyneham or Cranwell (I guess) where all the support is contracted but you would still need a cadre of uniformed personnel to monitor the contract, but the actual workers would be the contractors.

It is probably not a lot different to the current practice with Sedeco running catering and no doubt others doing different bits. ATC may or may not be civilianisable. I know that Serco has ex-RAF ATC in its management chain so they are well aware of what is required for a contractor to operate a military airfield.

AKR isn't what it used to be.

As Pontious said, Serco is Crab-aware in the ATC department.

Can BritMil plc really afford the luxury? AKR was a lovely posting, but then so were many others ... sadly now long departed.

Episkopi isn't mentioned so perhaps the Army aren't included in the Serco-isation?

Episkopi is part of the Akrotiri SBA

So what is the deal with 84 Sqn then? Are they being privatized aswell?

Having seen the state of Akrotiri in recent years I'd be surprised if any civvy company would have the cash available to bring it into the 20th Century let alone upto modern day state. The buildings and facilities are very rundown, even 'new' accomodation blocks are in serious need of refurbishment. A sad state of affairs for such a noble station.

As usual, the MOD will probably pay for them to be brought up to standard whilst letting the Civvy company take the profits.

I wonder how flexible civvies will be to Urgent operational requests for late or early opening? :ugh::ugh::ugh:

Or are we forgetting that AKT sits as a major hub for the Middle east, you know, that place where a little bit of stuff is going on at the mo?

I should imagine that they will be extremely responsive.... unlike the RAF

For a price... :hmm:

;)

from Independent -


Many servicemen are unhappy at the services provided by contractors in the UK but that does not seem to matter !

Why? That is not the case here in UK. Civil Servants do that for some contracts.



I think the two areas are still referred to as the Eastern SBA and Western SBA.

Kn0b.

The bigger kids next door still picking on you? maybe you should leave LFA9 every once in a while.

IIRC the existing AKT civvies - firemen I think? - were often the [financially] limiting factor for not opening out-of-hours, up until about 2 years ago when someone happened to notice the AT fleet on ops were being somewhat hamstrung by restricted hours and instead having to go to places like Souda. All of a sudden the restrictions were lifted and AKT became 'can do'.

What would be truly idiotic would be for the MoD to back itself into a corner by contracting out, only to then spend the saving on repeated OOH requests, which it'll inevitably need. It's one thing to make ASI and GIB a pain in the a$$ to get into, but quite another to create a bottleneck at AKT...

The contractorisation is one step in saving money in Cyprus. I suspect the next will be to make it a detachment ala Falklands, thereby eliminating the need for families quarters, schools, hospital etc. 84 is planned to stay military aircrew with FBH eng, but with the amount of work they get could easily be a det for when the fast jets are out there, possibly manned by crews from SARTU or Shawbury.

Serco isation
 

In a previous life I met up with SERCO and found it to be a good mob. When I became a Civvie I found myself working for them and now work for one of the other firms who are in the running for Wavell.Whilst at SERCO we always went the extra mile and knew we were there to support the Forces, whatever colour the uniform is. So I know who I would like to bet on
By the way Wavell is all the SBA's not just Akrotiri, so some Army jobs will go as well.

A det like the Falklands so no need for quarters... Have you ever been to MPA?plenty of sfa down there, with a fairly constant drive to get as many posts as reasonably possible to be semi-permanent accompanied tours!

At the risk of putting my head above the parapet but this is maybe the straw that breaks the proverbial............

Having served a year or two I'm increasingly finding the current total focus on current ops disturbing.

For a start I should say I don't neglect the need for the focus on current ops. What the people need they should have. I've served in The Falklands, Bosnia, overseas on exchange and all other points East (and West). Can't say I ever got all I needed. Nor indeed was I able to provide all I should have been able to when called. That said; the current ops in Air Force terms are what I would have described as Sqn effort when I joined the Service. Increasingly we're adopting the role of the scrutineers and discussing military requirements in terms of whether we can afford the commitment. The Govt committed us to this fight. WE ARE AT WAR but Cyprus is strategy so we need to look to the future if we're not to become the Royal Flying Corps. Equally, neglect the training and home defence role and it will be another 1936 in terms of magnitude of task.

If it needs more cash the Govt need to provide it. If we can't afford it pull out.

Seeeemples.

Or maybe send the recipients of welfare benefit out to fight.

Sorry; off to lie down now................