glad rag,


Oh, I see! So there are NO measures in place to reduce the deficit then? You'd better nip out onto the streets and tell those folk who keep protesting about Govt cuts that there aren't any and that it's only poor old defence that is cutting back.

I work in the very heart of the Westminster 'village,' working with and sometimes for large spending Gov't departments and, at the opposite end of the scale with folk seeking legal aid. BOTH of those massively different areas are being hit hard, VERY hard. On top of that my partner is a Council chief exec and they are REALLY feeling the ill wind of reduced budgets.

Nice to know that you think it's all smoke and mirrors then. £95b of cuts and 600 to 900,000 jobs.

Poor defence...

Rumour around KSS is that 32 (Engineer) Regiment are to due to relocate here.

Makes sense. Plenty of room to go digging things up with their combat JCB's, big sheds to store them in. But please lads, stay off the runway (FFS pleeeez don't do a Catterick:eek:) - we'll need it one day! You can dig up the northern woods, the bomb dump and the bondu out to the beach till the cows come home but that big black thing in the middle of the park ......
And if they need to move the big kit about they only have to get them to the rail frieght yards Inverness where Eddie Stobert has built a new container depot.

That would mean DHFCS, MFC, the ARRC, MRT and 663VGS might not have to move.

@ pr00ne
 

"whatever" :ok:

PS I really, really, hope that neither you nor your "partner" have to undergo the sheer brutality of discovering the harsh reality of the very system you serve, but, from your description, you both have a substantial silk purse to sustain you....

Oooh, "partner" in inverted commas. Pray tell, why? Watch stuck in the 20th Century glad rag?

Hoping that MFC can stay, possibly using Northside and the 'parallel', not sure what plans for MRT. If Lossie is staying but filling up with Typhoon (+F35 eventually?) along with retained GR4s, maybe 202 will need to move to create space? ARCC is definitely planning on relocating doon sooth (Swanick), just don't know when. As for DHFCS and 663VGS, not sure. No reason why 663 can't co-locate with MFC, bit more problematic for DHFCS as their assets tend to be somewhat fixed!

prOOne

Your argument is specious, and lacks factual perception. Yes, those Gov Depts which you refer to are taking huge hits - rightly so. But how many, if any, are subject to the swingeing, instant, irreversible and far-reaching effects that have been imposed on our Defence capability. At least there is an ongoing debate over NHS, Police, Education etc, but not so with Defence: 'cuts' happened almost overnight. Sometimes I cannot reconcile your past life with your present?

SFO - didn't realise that the ARRC was going to Swanners but I can see the sense in that too. Would be an idea if 202 moved over too, maybe the big sheds northside? MFC and the gliders could go back to the VASS hanger and the old VASS complex be reconstituted as a combined Ops.

Given the building restrictions at Lossie, if 202 did go to EGQK then Lossie could 'bank' their hanger against future building works. They flattened one last year. Oh dear, this is sounding far too sensible .....

Confirmation of all this will be the starting of the new tower complex at Lossie ( - that'll mean the place is doomed for sure!:})

pr00ne

Sorry to join in the attack on you, clearly thoughtful though your arguments are, but please bear in mind that the Armed Forces have been ripped apart in order to help increase expenditure on all these public services over the last nearly 20 years. Arguably the greatest cuts to the military's, in particular the R.A.F's, front line services took place in 1998, 2004 and now. Not forgetting all the piecemeal snipping here and there in between. Could it not be objected that before SDSR came along, the M.O.D. had given up their fare share of assets, real estate and people and really should have been ring fenced? Especially, given the fact that much, much more has been called upon them since the end of the Cold War, to participate in colonial style expeditionary warfare in addition to National Defence and Security requirements?:ouch:

FB:)

Northern Divs
 

......landing at Aberdeen Dyce yesterday, it appeared that an runway extension to the north was in progress. An extra 3000 feet to the existing LDA would help make it suitable as a fast jet div if Lossie does end up as the sole base north of the border. Anybody know if / how much / when Aberdeen is getting longer?

WHY MARHAM MEANS THE WORLD TO US - Fresh speculation, but no decision yet on Marham

According to the M.O.D. the matter is still not decided.:hmm:

FB:)

Absolute Disgrace!!!! Leuchars has just had it's runways re-laid at I presume a substantial cost, busiest air defence base in Scotland.

Where would the Typhoons go if Leuchars closes? Leeming maybe? Leeming has ample space at the moment.

Pardon? 14 Sqn's hanger and Sqn offices are now vacant and there are lots of HAS's too.

They widened every single taxiway at Kinloss too but it didn't stop 'em closing it ...

I suppose if your the only air defence base in Scotland, your the busiest.

They want to keep the bases open just in case SNP gets uppity and votes for Independence.

Could get really interesting then :E

@grabbers
 

Who gives a flying "FCUK" what ones partner does?

I don't, BUT I didn't start the precocious reference. :ok:

What's precocious about using the word "partner"?

O/T
 

Ask pr00ne, it's him putting that particular reference about and you are diverting away.

Army and RAF in row over future of air bases

The Scotsman rag again.