Come the first hint of war one would assume the motorway system would grind to a halt full of people fleeing to parents / middle of nowhere etc... the best place to disperse them to would be Germany, so as to be closer to the front, shame they are demolishing all those lovely airbases we had out there, the other advantage is you would be fighting your rapidly intensifying war in someone else's playground. ;)

I believe the US Navy F-35 deck heat issues are with the B on vertical landings on ships. I would imagine STOL would be the profile for roadway takeoff and landings to reduce thermal and FOD hazards.

M8 west of Glasgow follows the line of the old Renfrew Airport main runway, although there is a block of flats at the western end. It's about 2000m on the straight bit.

There are one or two others, but generally they don't design straight bits of motorway as it stops drivers falling asleep!

Every VIFFle helps?

Have we got enough groundcrew and equipment to disperse to these places or is it going to be an extra bung to the AA or Green Flag.

Has anybody told the Regiment about this new expeditionary warfare tactic? I'm sure we could just get the Army Reserve back in to do the FP if necessary :E

We'll be alright in Norfolk then. No bl**dy motorways anywhere here....

Simple question, where are all the logistics and manpower coming from? And as for closing a major road at no notice………. At best it will be watered down to all using the same airfield with, at best, a road painted on the runway and a few road signs.

Good luck with fire cover,for one Capita have sacked/sacking most of the ex CS firefighters,and second i bet it was not in the contract so capita will charge for it.

Or just turn West at Woolfox. Still a large bit of tarmac. Might have to move a few green trucks though.

I know environmental conservation is fashionable at the moment, but I'm sure in a time of war, or training for, there wouldn't be much thought given to leveling any obstructions such as trees in order to facilitate ops.

The next time you land at Changi, have a good look out of the taxi window as you set off down the East Coast Parkway into town. A good long straight stretch, central reservation easily removable flower boxes, lamp posts not solid but screwed down to the ground, a few easily moved trees=an emergency runway.

There seems to be a similar straight stretch of road just to the west of Tengah and a possible but short stretch by Paya Lebar. Mind you, may not be needed with the F35B on order.

Or "Every Lidl helps"...

At the price they charge, even off peak, we couldn’t afford it!

I’m sure now that FlyBe/Stobart/et al there would be plenty of room at most of the regional airports. I’m sure they’d welcome the business.

Out of interest, anybody remember when we last practiced this?

Deja vu or what?

In V Force days we had c. 40 sites for 4 aircraft each, I seem to remember.

Proper runways, and lots of them.

The article - originally in The Telegraph - got ahead of itself by jumping on the old Jaguar video and The Drive went along with it.

Clearly any dispersal is going to be to former military airfields - attempting to be as covert as possible with a minimum visible footprint - or civilian airfields.

I was the Project Officer the last time this was tried - 2 x Tornado GR1 in a simulated nuclear strike role - landed at dusk on a non-flying unit then in current military ownership - shut down on the waterfront in front of a vacant 1930s hangar - towed in rapidly - with tractor and parallel GSE towing attachment (as used for 2 in a HAS).

Held at RS15 using a secure comms briefcase that converted a BT phone into a secure one.

From release, was able to tow aircraft to waterfront with APU (with containment mod fitted) started inside hangar, start and get airborne well within 15 minutes.

However, although all trades coverage was achieved within the 2 x 3-man launch teams, this would have been for diagnosis of any snags only - no spares on site.

My conclusion was that you could completely disperse the UK-based Tornado GR1 Strike Force but to make it work properly you would need a new-buy logistics tail of C4I box bodies, 4-ton trucks, 5-ton trailers to put GSE on (like the Harrier Force did) and a larger spares pool - clearly unaffordable.

RAF Fast Jets to Practice Dispersal Off MOBs
 

Linton, A168 parallel to rwy 34 at Dishforth, Church Fenton or Elvington to name a few Yorkshire possibilities.

Why on earth pick Tesco when could have a nice Sainsburys or Marks and Spencer... I've had a look on the map but I think Fortnum and Masons or Harrods would provide to many obstacles to flying for the defence of London and then there is the surcharge to consider...

You would be better choosing a largish shopping centre, food stores, alcohol stores, clothing stores, TV and electrical stores and a bedding store for accomodation, plus public toilets.


..

If they go to Leconfield there's even a roundabout and pongoes for FP. Which leads me to Chivenor with a higher class of FP available. Are the Brawdy runways still serviceable? Wattisham with Apaches to provide flying FP. If they hadn't dug the Boulmer runways up 19 and 20 Sqns. could temporarily adopt the aircraft. How about Honington - close to Marham and the Rocks could save on diesel. As for dispersal from Coningsby - may be they'll have to keep an airfield somewhere in the vicinity of Lincoln open after all. Just had an even madder thought - Thorney Island then I could go and watch the junior services play together.:p The heat is getting to me...

I suspect the reality will be Leeming, Leuchars, and ISK.