Threat to Akrotiri..?
 

Airforce pilots ready for suicide attacks in Syria

I hope they miss the WRAF Block.

Al R,

Ignoring the flippancy, re The ladies accommodation for a minute, exactly the question I asked on the "here it comes, Syria ...." Thread. I have a horrible feeling about the fact that, unlike subs, carriers etc, Akrotiri can't be hidden. I hope they who know it all have this sort of thing covered.

Smudge

My flippancy was not meant to be disrespectful to the potential danger - I was there a few times when the place was reinforced by the blisteringly awesome RAF Regiment with its superb SHORAD capability (.. now ceded to the Royal Artillery of course). I was once casevaced into TPMH (something else we gave up on just a bit too soon?) one night and a Sqn Ldr PM burst into the bathroom with a shrieking 'Put that light out, don't you know there's an air raid threat?'. That one was El Dorado Canyon - it was like 'that' Susannah York scene but all jumbled up.

edit: I hope none of this will breach opsec - mods, I am sure you will act decisively if need be.

When the Turks vs Greeks Cyprus Round One 1964 was on, our back garden on OMQ in 8 Comet Crescent was occupied, very reassuringly, by Rocks with a dug-in Bofors.

Next door only had a Vickers.

Nice warm feeling

Very hard on our supply of tea and coffee, though.

Because you're worth it.

There are radars and there are missiles. Nobody will come close unseen. Not even the mighty Flogger.

Said Capt Smith.

We have had plenty of them in Germany inherited from the east germans. Not exactly stealthy.

Much like Al R, I was there during El Dorado Canyon, specifically sent for the AD of Akrotiri. The tales I could tell - that PP or CC could corroborate! "Yes, of course OC CBFC will be available 24/7 as the scramble authority" now, in my mind, rank alongside other such "truisms" like "your playmate taxies"; "yes, the tanker's airborne" and " of course I will still love you in the morning". :E

Since Eldorado Canyon was mentioned, if I may add a bit of humour
to the already posted dits.

This from an article I read the other week.

This is the last page of what was written by one of the F-111 pilots.

Above and beyond. Take a left at Portugal.

"About 90 minutes later, we latched onto the boom of a tanker with 2,000 pounds of fuel—about 15 minutes of flying time—remaining. We landed at Lakenheath and were towed into a shelter, where a caravan of cars pulled up. General Charles Gabriel, the Air Force chief of staff, was eager to welcome us back. I put my helmet in its bag and started gathering my other stuff: pistol and ammunition, maps, code books, checklists, an empty lunch box, water bottles, and two full piddle packs. I carefully rose from the seat and descended the ladder. As soon as I turned around, there was General Gabriel, his right hand extended.

Our eyes met. It was an awkward moment for me, but the general instantly understood. He immediately took the piddle packs with his left hand, while shaking my now-free right. The first time I met the chief of staff, I gave him two pints of urine."
:O



The full article can be read here.
Above & Beyond: Take a Left at Portugal | Military Aviation | Air & Space Magazine

They don't want to go to Cyprus, the countries broke... Surprised the Yanks are not offering say a few mil to defecting pilots.

I'm sure that with some of the assets that 'are not there' the coalition leaders will want to protect the base.
I remember standing outside the Ops block when the Greeks put missiles into Paphos etc, watching an F18 in Turkish Air Force markings wax the runway without warning.

Yep, we will see the incoming.

Bugger all we will be able to do about it but at least we will know the general direction it came from!

a bit like someone else's fart in a lift, then .............. you know what it is, where it is, and where it came from, but cannot escape until the ride stops.

... that's wrong on so many different levels .........;)

hat, coat etc .....

It's only 170nm from Damascus to Akrotiri, well within the range of an awful lot of Syrian missiles. Last I read even the type 45 doesn't have an Anti Theatre Ballistic Missile capability.
I'd personally prefer a much longer stick if I was going to poke that particular hornets nest.

I don't want to be alarmist but to all those at Akkers; Heads down, chins up.


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Move along, there's nothing to see here. According to the Cyprus Mail
Cyprus does not expect UK base to play major role in Syria action | Cyprus Mail

Ah well says it in the newspaper, panic over then.:ugh:

Never fear, there is a long range AD Radar at Troodos....
Oh no, hang on, they removed that some years ago to save money.
Silly me.

Or the S259 radar down at 280SU Cape Gata - oh, hang on a minute....