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

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

Post by skysearcher » Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:51 pm

I think at this point we're all speculating, because many of us would like the Hall to stay... her'es my thoughts
- usaf will want to keep Spang and Ramstein - two of the best quality of life assignments in the force. Moving the AMC mission to spang was a strategic move to keep it open... If the F-16s are moved out to poland / further east, I'd see the planned relocation of 352SOW being brought forward, despite concerns about low level / noise etc. being closer to the army SoF adds some training advantages
- the majority of the reduction of forces in Germany will come from the army i think , probably moving to poland, who have agreed to pay a decent % of the cost for moving and hosting them.
- since the493rd only exist now on temporary funding under the EDI... wondering if there's a chance they would be sent to Spang as a FOL?

quid21
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by quid21 » Wed Jun 10, 2020 2:06 pm

skysearcher wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:51 pm
Spang and Ramstein - two of the best quality of life assignments in the force.
Unlike Elmendorf :thumbs:

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

Post by Brave New World » Wed Jun 10, 2020 2:08 pm

skysearcher wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 1:51 pm
I think at this point we're all speculating, because many of us would like the Hall to stay... her'es my thoughts
- usaf will want to keep Spang and Ramstein - two of the best quality of life assignments in the force. Moving the AMC mission to spang was a strategic move to keep it open... If the F-16s are moved out to poland / further east, I'd see the planned relocation of 352SOW being brought forward, despite concerns about low level / noise etc. being closer to the army SoF adds some training advantages
- the majority of the reduction of forces in Germany will come from the army i think , probably moving to poland, who have agreed to pay a decent % of the cost for moving and hosting them.
- since the493rd only exist now on temporary funding under the EDI... wondering if there's a chance they would be sent to Spang as a FOL?
The US want less forces in Germany so they can rotate, and they will not be wanting to move any units there, whilst Germany has also not ruled out Huawei 5G, something the US including Trump, Pompeo and Cotton have been making their mouths go over.

The last thing the Trump administration want is to move more units in to Germany, and it would also make little sense in terms of a military that will already be pushed to keep the headcount under 25,000.

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

Post by page_verify » Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:17 pm

In January 2020, the USAF awarded $425 million of contracts for Ramstein and Spangdahlem improvements. This work was to support the moving of the Ospreys to Spang and the KC-46 to Ramstein. I can suggest a way the USAF could save $425m in an instant......


https://www.stripes.com/news/europe/air ... s-1.616093

Vulcan74
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Vulcan74 » Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:31 pm

Whatever, but it won't happen overnight so at the earliest you would be looking at 2024 by the time the building contracts etc have been completed!!

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

Post by page_verify » Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:53 pm

Not sure what you mean by whatever, my suggestion was the USAF could easily save itself $425m by removing the need to upgrade Ramstein and Spang.

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

Post by filmman » Wed Jun 10, 2020 8:55 pm

Nobody really knows the future of Mildenhall and other European bases.
But we can consider the context. Most of Europe is in the EU trade bloc which is increasingly falling out with the USA. The USA establishment is increasingly irritated by the ungrateful "EU" and wants it to take more of the burden seeing off Russia; The USA having a growing China problem. Trump's America first policy is popular back home. If the USA runs down their European bases how robust is their tripwire commitment. Can the EU rely only on the French/UK deterrent. Meanwhile the EU demands UK fish, etc,. In the long term the UK could reconsider its ancient European policy - which was to prevent a dominant European Nation - now the EU Commission dominates.
So, first the USA elections and then who knows what emerges from the Hill, a polite term for the Washington Swamp. Will USA fully stay, partly run down, mainly retreat to the UK or go home as after WW2?
Filmman

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

Post by starfighter » Wed Jun 10, 2020 9:11 pm

Now there’s a lot of good points to consider, as the world keeps changing ( almost at the moment every few months) so could it
seems the policy makers keep moving there little pieces on the Risk board.
Steve.

Reach1985
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by Reach1985 » Thu Jun 11, 2020 7:17 am

page_verify wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:17 pm
In January 2020, the USAF awarded $425 million of contracts for Ramstein and Spangdahlem improvements. This work was to support the moving of the Ospreys to Spang and the KC-46 to Ramstein. I can suggest a way the USAF could save $425m in an instant......


https://www.stripes.com/news/europe/air ... s-1.616093
If memory serves earlier this year there was then an article (following this one) that effectively said that Mildenhall divestment was now on indefinite hold (following an earlier communication that said no earlier than 2027). If i recall correctly the Germans (or the few of them who were profiting from these contracts were non to happy).

Obviously this may now have all changed!

I found the article from March this year:

https://www.stripes.com/news/plans-to-m ... d-1.621904

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

Post by Brave New World » Fri Jun 12, 2020 4:42 pm

Reach1985 wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 7:17 am
page_verify wrote:
Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:17 pm
In January 2020, the USAF awarded $425 million of contracts for Ramstein and Spangdahlem improvements. This work was to support the moving of the Ospreys to Spang and the KC-46 to Ramstein. I can suggest a way the USAF could save $425m in an instant......


https://www.stripes.com/news/europe/air ... s-1.616093
If memory serves earlier this year there was then an article (following this one) that effectively said that Mildenhall divestment was now on indefinite hold (following an earlier communication that said no earlier than 2027). If i recall correctly the Germans (or the few of them who were profiting from these contracts were non to happy).

Obviously this may now have all changed!

I found the article from March this year:

https://www.stripes.com/news/plans-to-m ... d-1.621904
Exactly - the same article suggested the decision was being reassessed, and it sounds like plans to move troops and to introduce a cap on German personnel were already known when the article was published.
Stars and Stripes wrote:
Plans to close RAF Mildenhall in England and move its refueling tankers and a special operations wing to Germany have been put on hold, the Pentagon said this week.

The “action to divest RAF Mildenhall is on pause until U.S. European Command completes a reassessment of the previous closure decision and the U.S. Department of Defense makes a decision on the future of the installation,” a Pentagon official with knowledge of the matter said in a statement Monday.

The official, who provided a written statement on background to Stars and Stripes, did not say why the move to shutter Mildenhall was being reevaluated.

https://www.stripes.com/news/plans-to-m ... d-1.621904

downes0106
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by downes0106 » Fri Jun 12, 2020 5:24 pm

You have to feel for the personnel and local residents. This will they, wont they saga makes the future so uncertain. From a selfish aviation enthusiast viewpoint, i hope it stays, as i enjoy a trip up to Johns Field every now and then.

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RJ79
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by RJ79 » Mon Jun 22, 2020 9:56 am

According to Twitter (thanks to TonyO for retweeting) it looks like the writing's on the wall for Spang. Looks like their F-16's will be moving to Poland (amongst other things). I'm guessing in turn that the base will go the same way as Bitburg (just down the road). It will be interesting to see if (a) this leak is true and then (b) the knock on for Mildenhall, I'm guessing this would go a long way to saving it.
Cheers,

Rob

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

Post by thevulcan » Mon Jun 22, 2020 10:04 am

In the most recent budget review it states that the RC-135's are to move to fairford by 2023 however all other assets at Mildenhall are now on indefinite hold. Hope this helps. Certainly starting to look like Mildenhall may live another few decades.
2023 Airshows

Too many to list :thumb:

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

Post by page_verify » Mon Jun 22, 2020 10:15 am

There was always talk that the RC-135s had wanted to get out of Mildenhall at the first opportunity for a few years before it was decided to close Mildenhall. The funding to move them comes from a different pot (ACC) to the money to move things around Europe (USAFE) so it's possible that, like you say, the move will still happen even if Mildenhall remains open.

slogen51
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Re: RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020

Post by slogen51 » Thu Jun 25, 2020 4:07 pm

Is the Secretary of Defence giving Mildenhall good news or is he hear to bollock the Lakenheath airfield management?

It is a he is it ?

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

Post by Nighthawke » Thu Jun 25, 2020 4:18 pm

Yep - current Mr Secretary is Mark Esper. "Correct" title (US spelling) is Secretary of Defense. :P

Seems a long way to come for a bollocking :lol:

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

Post by page_verify » Thu Jun 25, 2020 8:27 pm

Secretaries usually visit somewhere prior to big expenditures being announced so when it all goes wrong and they get asked whether they ever saw the place with their own eyes they can nod. The SecAF was at a Fairford shortly before the RC-135 investments were announced.

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

Post by skysearcher » Fri Jun 26, 2020 11:11 am

According to the news release from RAFM, the SecDef said:

"“The various mission sets that call RAF Mildenhall home solidifies this base as one of the best assets the Air Force and the entire U.S. military has around the globe,” the secretary stated. “From providing fuel, inserting operators into austere locations, gathering vital intelligence or rapid mobility of personnel and cargo, this installation is fully prepared to get the job done.”

is this just nice words ordo you folks think that bodes for the future of the 'Hall?

https://www.mildenhall.af.mil/News/Arti ... ildenhall/

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

Post by page_verify » Fri Jun 26, 2020 11:23 am

I refer to my previous post of Secretaries often visit somewhere prior to a big investment decision being made. I expect someone else has already made such a decision but just not announced it yet. What Dr Esper said while he was at Mildenhall is immaterial, he's paid to only say nice things in public, the fact he was there at all is more important.

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

Post by Kurnass » Fri Jun 26, 2020 12:36 pm

It is just nice words. He is not the one deciding what happens to the future of Mildenhall. I would not expect too much of investment or future announcements in the current situation. With the covid 19 financial effects to the USA, I expect that somewhere money will have to be saved in the future. And in 6 months there might be a new president. So all in all... don’t make any conclusions yet. Or the next months...

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