Any news on Coningsby?

[Sheff]

Now that A Squadron at Boscombe Down has been consigned to history, has anyone heard of any developments at Coningsby? Any former Boscombe aircraft turned-up? Has anyone heard which squadron is likely to go if one gets the chop? - 17 or 41? Could be interesting though if one squadron really does go - might see a 17 Sqn Harrier for the first time or (less likely) a 41 sqn Typhoon!

[garethbrum]

I believe the thinking is that 17 has been earmarked to eventually (maybe!) operate JSF and 41 may get themselves a Typhoon or two.

They are not expecting any aircraft from Boscombe to relocate to Coningsby at this stage.

[trembler1]

Been rumours that Boscome's fast jets are going to Warton for some time. Not sure if there is any rumour in this, it would make sense to keep them away from an active mil airbase with only 1 runway and a huge QRA responsibility.

Suppose the issue is that Warton is miles away from Salsibury plain, Yeovil (Westland), and is far more inhabited than Boscome.

Bryan

[Sheff]

... and indeed the last comment raises the other question as to how long Boscombe Down is going to last. Considering how little activity is centred there now, you have to wonder whether QinetiQ have been doing the maths... I would imagine it would be cheaper to lodge there remaining aircraft somewhere else and sell-off the airfield part of the site at least. That really would be a bad day if the most iconic site of all (after Farnborough) was abandoned.

[Tiger Tim]

In the current issue of the RAF Newspaper there is a article about the Fast Jet Test Squadron (FJTS) at Boscombe Down and what is happened at Coningsby with the two OEUs.

No.17 (R) Squadron/Typhoon OEU is now No.17 (R) Squadron/Typhoon Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) and No.41 (R) Squadron/FJWOEU is now No.41 (R) Squadron/Tornado GR4 and Harrier GR9 TES.

This allows the TES to both test and evaluate the Typhoon T3/FGR4, Tornado GR4 and the Harrier GR9/9A.