US looks to joint RC-135 base with the UK
A senior US Air Force officer has revealed that the service could set up a joint base with the United Kingdom Royal Air Force (RAF) for Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic and signal intelligence aircraft operations after the closure of the USAF's Mildenhall air base in 2022.
US looks to joint RC-135 base with the UK | IHS Jane's 360 |
RAF Fairford being the obvious choice with long runway and an uncrowded base, unlike Lakenheath that will be rammed when up to speed with F35/F15 squadrons
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I hope the new (Trump) administration keeps the Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic and signal intelligence aircraft operations at Mildenhall and scraps the 2022 closure date.
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In an interview with Air Force Magazine, the publication of the Air Force Association lobby group, Colonel Thomas D Torkelson was quoted as saying, "The UK doesn't like Waddington as a long-term solution for their Rivet Joints because the runway is too short and they require a tanker for every mission from there." ...yet? |
why the assumption that it would be a US flagged base?
no one would, i assume, think that either the RAF or USAF has the money or inclination to reactivate a mothballed base and build significant infrastructure there for just a handful of aircraft to operate from - when the RAF RC-135 fleet is at full chat there'll still often only be one in the UK, how many USAF RC-135's are usually sat on the ramp at Mildenhall? if such a thing happens i'd put good money on the US put its visiting RC's at Waddington... |
why the assumption that it would be a US flagged base? no one would, i assume, think that either the RAF or USAF has the money or inclination to reactivate a mothballed base and build significant infrastructure there for just a handful of aircraft to operate from - when the RAF RC-135 fleet is at full chat there'll still often only be one in the UK, how many USAF RC-135's are usually sat on the ramp at Mildenhall? if such a thing happens i'd put good money on the US put its visiting RC's at Waddington.. And don't just think USAF RC-135s. When you consider they also operate 135 variants such as the OC-135 and the E4 out of Mildenhall, not to mention AAR then it starts to make sense to consider a centralised 135 facility for all types. |
Put them in at LM with the P-8s?
Tornado should be gone by then. |
The runway at Waddington is only 67 metres less in length than Mildenhall, if it makes a difference, then surely it could be extended a tad, especially if the A15 divert goes ahead.
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Scampton has a lot of real estate, and is not too far from the rest of the ISTAR assets at Wado......
Oh, RAFAT ? Hat, coat , door..... |
From the BINA:
Mildenhall: RW11 TORA/LDA 9240ft TODA/ASDA 10,240ft RW29 TORA/LDA 9240ft TODA/ASDA 10,240ft Waddington: RW02 TORA/ASDA/LDA 9000ft TODA 9164ft RW20 TORA/ASDA/LDA 9000ft TODA 9000ft |
That must be a very old BINA. Following the recent rebuild I believe the runway has actually "shrunk".
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Nah just me showing my age.
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Lakenheath. Build a hangar if needed. Easy
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Hasn't Finningley got some soon to be free hangar space?
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UK MOD retain Mildenhall on handover. Close Waddington :)
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Not really a starter. They looked at moving into Woodbridge/Bentwaters as a clutch airfield when the USAF moved out; the cost of replacing everything they ripped out and took home, retiring the entire base electrical system with 230V, changing the roads etc etc ran into hundreds of £M, just wasn't economic.
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ORAC - but the Army moved in and found it just fine !! :}
Arc |
Roadster, They can't close Waddington unless they've just resurfaced the runway.....oh....
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But the pongos just run on hexiblocks, beer and chips. Electricity is a luxury :)
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Declared distances as currently published show that Mildenhall has stopway on both ends, giving it about 400m advantage in ASDA over Waddington.
EGXW 02 TORA/ASDA 8,864ft/2,702m, TODA 9,324ft/2,841m, LDA 8,996ft/2,742m 20 TORA/ASDA/LDA 8,999ft/2,743m, TODA 9,230ft/2,813m EGUN 11/29 TORA/TODA/LDA 9,202ft/2,805m, ASDA 10,203ft/3,110m |
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