Arc - fair enough if you are happy with that mobility. However, the RAF seems to view 'permanent basing' as a necessary step for the future. I'd like to think based on thinking about the welfare of the personnel and therefore increasing their retention. Cynically, I'd say it was far more influenced by selling off housing (buy local if staying local) and reducing the number of stations overall...

Move the runway to an orientation that suits the prevailing wind? Or can the P-8 cope with big crosswinds?

OAP, the point I clearly failed to make was that the military airfield today has noticeable perimeter security weaknesses, especially when compared with a minor civilian airfield 50 years ago.

Additional security for assets operating inside an already secure civilian airfield should not be more expensive than a military airfield on its own.

An excellent example of such being Cranwell.

The RAF, an organisation independent of PPrune, appear to have selected Lossie already according to an interview in the Specialist Aviation Press!

Terry, we know that, see earlier comments about infra work. What you see here is the work of experienced sceptics well versed in the way of infrastructure works preceding closure and transfer to the Army and with a political mix including the wee Scot.

The life blood of pprune

As indeed is Lossiemouth

Terry, 'call me Dave' selected Lossie the weekend before SDSR15 as a political move. It came as news to the RAF and Boeing who were planning on Waddington.

Pontious, The point you are missing entirely is, that no one who knows much about security is going to say much on here! :rolleyes: If you, or anyone else, has security information or concerns I suggest you contact the Police, or your MP!
My general point is that a certain amount of concentration of assets can have benefits in the economy of scale in infrastructure and facilities. Of course, that can be taken to extremes but, the expansion of Leeming as the RAF Northern Base after Scotland leaves the Union, would make a lot of sense.:)

OAP

OAP, indeed. Having drawn the RAFP attention to the hole nothing was done as the risk was 'low' and more importantly there was no money.

At my own unit where I had different priorities I was able to get several security enhancements. It just seems that civil airport security attracts more media attention so they are more proactive plugging holes, and of course the threat of intrusion, while different, is higher.

In the interests of equal opportunities for all parts of the Union, I would add Valley to that list - even when the second in line to the throne worked there! Can anyone think of any airfields in Ulster?

I seem to remember they tried to operate P8s out of Leeming a few years ago as part of a Joint Warrior but the ramps (or runway) wasn't able to take the weight of one, and they ended up operating out of Teeside/Durham.

Bruggen?? :E

There does appear to be a lot more overt security around the perimeter of Newquay Cornwall Airport, including very tall f*** off fencing, than in the days when the same establishment went under the name of RAF St. Mawgan and had US Marines loitering around the bomb dump menacingly.

I appreciate the key word is 'overt', but even so...

At the risk of bringing some cold-hard logic to this fest:
If/when Wee Jimmy gets her way, presumably (as part of the division of assets) some Tiffies will stay with Scotland?

Maybe not:

SNP to update defence policy (From HeraldScotland)

No mil experience but there's quite a popular civvy version ;) which I have a lot of thousands of hours in and I've never been crosswind restricted in Western Europe. Max demonstrated XWC is 35kts+ depending on version. The rudder is very effective (arguably a bit too effective on the early short body ones).

I appreciate with all the bits and bobs hanging off a P-8, the answer maybe slightly different but it won't be by much.

28kts crosswind limit.

In fairness, that's a bit more than I thought.

Keflavik :)
 

Might as well head to the Northern Lights :ok::mad:

us-navy-talks-use-icelands-keflavik-air-base-again

cheers