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RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

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apex
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by apex » Wed Sep 20, 2017 7:31 pm

I say seven years time but appreciate flying would cease at Mildenhall well before then.

Just an afterthought, what about the RC-135 ops going to Fairford? I would guess that if Mildenhall is staying open for an extra two years, there would be the option to delay the move to Fairford by the same amount, although as Germany seems to be the stumbling block, maybe the Fairford move will go ahead as planned.

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Unknown74 » Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:35 am

Special Ops Aircraft to Lakenheath, K.C.-135s to Brize Norton.

MRTT
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by MRTT » Thu Sep 21, 2017 6:43 am

Brize is cramped as it is, simply no room for the '135s.

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Gary
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Gary » Thu Sep 21, 2017 7:29 am

The thing I don't understand about the SOW move. Where are they going to train in Germany. Speaking to a couple of the 480th FS pilots at RIAT they mentioned about not being allowed to operate under 2,500 feet in Germany. Unless the limit only applies to fast jets?
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Blackcat1 » Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:04 am

Wow it used to be not below 1'000ft! That was years ago though.
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by markranger » Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:11 am

Talk of Ramstein not being able to accept the Midlenhall tankers Until 2024.

https://www.stripes.com/tankers-move-to ... s-1.488562
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by page_verify » Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:46 am

I wouldn't read too deeply into the media on these topics as they often cut out missing words or think the USAF has to move everything in one go.

The types of things the media should be reporting are things like "All RC-135 will have moved from Mildenhall by 20xx" and "The squadron that manages European KC-135 missions will have moved from Mildenhall by 20xx".
If you look at movement reports then it's already noticeable how some operations involving Mildenhall have already changed.

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by page_verify » Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:53 am

Gary wrote:The thing I don't understand about the SOW move. Where are they going to train in Germany. Speaking to a couple of the 480th FS pilots at RIAT they mentioned about not being allowed to operate under 2,500 feet in Germany. Unless the limit only applies to fast jets?
As per my point above, the 352nd SOW and its units may be based in Germany for administrative purposes and may be where it can do its airfield and medium level training. But, it's always worked closely with other special forces units from around Europe for its low level and ground based work. I wonder if there's any units near Wales that mean it'd need to find a way to still be able to train in that part of Europe?

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Snoop 95 » Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:16 am

There was a photo of a Ramstein-based C130 going through the Mach Loop on this Forum recently and that suggests to me that the SOG may continue to use the UK's Low-Fly areas even after they move.

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by davekench » Thu Sep 21, 2017 1:01 pm

filmman wrote:Not surprised. I think its a case of the Germans are not keen to have the tankers. When the original noisier turbo-jet KC135s replaced the KC97Ls in Germany they refused to host them and they ended up at Mildenhall. Germany does not like military flying at weekends, bumps and grinds, bombing or supporting bombing abroad. There is a strong green and pacifist lobby and Merkel is seeking re-election. The Americans who dreamed up the move arrogantly assumed that host nations would fall in line. There is also a lack of common sense in moving support assets too far forward and away from the North Sea and Atlantic customer areas. As the whole exercise was about justifying the shutting of bases in the USA the longer the delay the less reason to shut for that reason.
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Another thought came to my mind when the French did not allow tankers to over fly their country when heading towards the South to refuel missions, that will mean an even further detour from Germany, plus as Filmman says "Germany does not like military flying at weekends, bumps and grinds, bombing or supporting bombing abroad. "
It all remains to be seen what happens, thats my two pennyworth.

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by bentwaters81tfw » Tue Sep 26, 2017 10:46 pm


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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Pune » Wed Sep 27, 2017 6:52 pm

bentwaters81tfw wrote:Closure postponed until 2024.

http://www.forces.net/news/raf-mildenha ... until-2024
Marvellous news, I have a chum working there who will no doubt be very chuffed..
If you can keep your head whilst all around are losing theirs, you have probably completely misread the situation!!

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Cornish-guy » Thu Sep 28, 2017 3:50 am

Pune wrote:
bentwaters81tfw wrote:Closure postponed until 2024.

http://www.forces.net/news/raf-mildenha ... until-2024
Marvellous news, I have a chum working there who will no doubt be very chuffed..

In the Fire Dpt.?


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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by page_verify » Thu Sep 28, 2017 7:44 am

The rumour is the that the KC-135s will be the last aircraft operating from Mildenhall which will be an almost empty base apart from some TDY scale staff supporting them.

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Pune » Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:29 pm

Cornish-guy wrote:
Pune wrote:
bentwaters81tfw wrote:Closure postponed until 2024.

http://www.forces.net/news/raf-mildenha ... until-2024
Marvellous news, I have a chum working there who will no doubt be very chuffed..

In the Fire Dpt.?


C. :thumb:
No not the Fire Dep', Public relations..
If you can keep your head whilst all around are losing theirs, you have probably completely misread the situation!!

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Spitfire88 » Tue Nov 21, 2017 6:49 pm

This has appeared on the U.K. defence journal website regarding the joint basing of the US and UK RC135s.

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/us-uk-c ... -135-base/

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Tjm99 » Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:11 pm

I wonder if it will be Fairford which will be a joint base (if it happens)

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Spitfire88 » Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:15 pm

Can I just say Fairford is happening, it’s not a myth, the building work has already started and having had a nice long chat with the man in charge of delivering the runway at fairford, it’s all moving very quickly.

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by page_verify » Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:58 pm

It’s difficult to keep up with all the gossip, rumours, facts and denials! So the UK RC-135s are sharing the 55th’s facilities now after all, possibly? It’s certainly going to be a busy few years while most of Mildenhall moves to Fairford, possibly, apparently, maybe, maybe not!

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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by baz1 » Tue Nov 21, 2017 9:14 pm

they would have known what length runway they needed to take off fully loaded so the crews at Waddington don't like taking off from there, the question is if they knew about it why did they not extend the runway at 02 end when the work was done, I bet the mod are putting money into Fairford for the relocation. what a waste.
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