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RAF Mildenhall to close. Lakenheath to get F-35 by 2020
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:00 am
by Scuba 11
From Stripes.com
STUTTGART, Germany — A major U.S. Air Force base in the United Kingdom and 14 other installations scattered across Europe will close as part of sweeping reorganization of forces on the Continent, the Pentagon announced.
Operations at RAF Mildenhall, home to Air Force special operations forces, air refueling tankers and 3,200 military personnel, will end and missions carried out there will be moved to other locations such as Germany. Two other facilities in the U.K. — RAF Alconbury and Molesworth — also will close as part of a consolidation effort. Most of the missions there will be moved to RAF Croughton.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon plans to station two squadrons of F-35s at RAF Lakenheath by 2020, which ensures the continuous presence of U.S. air power in the country.
As a result of the moves, there will be a slight reduction in overall force levels. However, Germany and Italy are expected to gain troops through the Pentagon’s moves.
In all, the Pentagon expects to save about $500 billion annually from the consolidations, which have been under review for more than a year.
Other announced closures and consolidations involve support facilities rather than major bases.
vandiver.john@stripes.com
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:22 am
by Gary
That's shocking news
Reading into it, that probably means 352nd SOG to Poland and tankers to either Ramstein Air Base or a smaller fleet to Lakenheath, replying more heavily on ANG or regular squauadron TDY's, like the USAF have already said they are going to do
Some good news with the F-35s though.
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:28 am
by Sparts99
What will be the impact on the local economy ?
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:37 am
by POL
Be interesting to see how they plan on operating high-priority Atlantic refuelling missions from 322 miles further east than they currently do. The rest probably makes more sense, though I'd expect the 67thSOS to relocate to Ramstein to colocate with the 86thAW (C-130J hub) and the 7th SOS to go elsewhere?
Sparts99 wrote:What will be the impact on the local economy ?
There won't be one. A local economy, that is.
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:38 am
by Stroudy
Some/all of the Milldenhall tankers to Fairford perhaps?
There has been some talk about Fairford being upgraded recently, but not sure on the full story there etc....
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:50 am
by Gary
The full article lays out the plans
United Kingdom
Divest RAF Mildenhall:
• Returns the installation and four supported sites to the United Kingdom.
• DOD intends to relocate the operational units at RAF Mildenhall within Europe — the assigned KC-135s and the 352nd Special Operations Wing to Germany and the assigned RC-135s within the U.K. This paves the way for the stationing of two squadrons of F-35s at RAF Lakenheath, starting in 2020.
• Divest RAF Alconbury/RAF Molesworth — Consolidation of missions allows the permanent return of RAF Alconbury, RAF Molesworth and supporting sites to the United Kingdom. The majority of U.S. personnel, and many of the U.S.-funded host nation positions assigned to these bases will be transferred to RAF Croughton.
Germany
• Close Mainz Kastel Station — fully returns the site to Germany.
• Close Barton Barracks — fully returns the site to Germany and relocates the Department of Defense Dependents Schools district office to Sembach.
• Partially close Pulaski Barracks in the Kaiserslautem area — returns part of the site to Germany.
• Close Weilimdorf warehouse site — returns the site to German control.
• Close two Baumholder waterworks — returns control to Germany.
• Relocate HQs DISA-Europe from Stuttgart to Kaiserslautem.
• Close Amelia Earhart Hotel in Wiesbaden.
• Partially close Artillery Kaserne in Garmisch — returns two-thirds of the site to Germany.
• Restructure the Army Air Force Exchange Services bakery and water distribution operations at Grünstadt.
• Close Husterhöh Kaserne in Pirmasens — returns the site to Germany.
• Relocate mail sorting/distribution from German Aerial Mail Terminal in Frankfurt to Germersheim Army Depot — efficiencies and personnel moves only.
• Create a distribution center of excellence at Germersheim Army Depot.
• Consolidate various communication data centers across EUCOM.
• Close commissaries at Illesheim and Sembach, as well as the four commissaries in Stuttgart at Kelley Barracks, Patch Barracks, Panzer Barracks and Robinson Barracks, once a new replacement store on Panzer is constructed.
• Consolidate Defense Media Activity operations across Europe.
• Consolidate communications, postal services and personnel management that support the U.S. mission to NATO and the U.S. military delegation to the NATO military committee.
Belgium
• Divest leased site in Brussels — Consolidation of U.S. facilities in Brussels to Sterrebeek.
The Netherlands
• Divest Shinnen Emma Mine leased site, Netherlands and consolidate U.S. facilities at Brunssum.
Italy
• Place a portion of the Pisa Ammo Storage Area, near Livorno, into caretaker status.
Partially close Camp Darby near Livorno. Returns about half of the installation to Italy.
Convert the Vicenza Health Center to outpatient and specialty care only.
Portugal
• Streamline operations and property at Lajes Field — Reduces active duty, civilian personnel and contract providers by two-thirds. A number of the buildings at Lajes will also be returned to Portugal.
http://www.stripes.com/news/europe/raf- ... s-1.322825
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:54 am
by DanBeeden
Cripes this is not good news
I wonder what the timescales are for all this?
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:00 am
by Bushpilot
Well now DC or whoever is PM after May will have to take defence seriously - NO MORE CUTS
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:22 am
by BOLLO
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:34 am
by Windy57
I work at Mildenhall - we're getting a briefing this PM, may know more about timescales then.....
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:36 am
by Gary
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:42 am
by TonyO
The EDP article is from June last year...
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:46 am
by Gary
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:08 am
by Snoop 95
Shocking I must say. After last years recommendations by the US Govt's consultants it seemed that Mildenhall would be OK and that Lakenheath was the one with the uncertain future. Now that is reversed and we have F35's to look forward to.
I am surprised that the USAF are prepared to rebuild all the necessary infrastructure for the tankers elsewhere, but then that just shows that you can never predict what Governments and their departments are going to do.
The RC135's to be (mysteriously) relocated within the UK, perhaps they will go to Waddo to inaugurate some kind of joint unit with the RAF's examples.
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:09 am
by Davef68
and the assigned RC-135s within the U.K
So Waddington when it's runway is upgraded? Or maybe the RAF RC135s take up the taskings?
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:39 am
by baz1
typical now mildenhall as had a lot of upgrading and runway work done!
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:50 am
by 09andrew
RAF Fairford are actively recruiting fuel technicians plus other positions.
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:50 am
by Contrail1958
Will there be any F35's to go to Lakenheath as the costs are going out of control
according to some experts and it's turned into a "Turkey".
Cannot see them closing 2 bases so close to-gether as a goodwill gesture to our
Government. (Like Kinloss/Lossiemouth) So I'd have thought Mildenhall would have
been the better in the long run to keep open.
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:52 am
by rva65
No mention of Fairford can only be good news!
Re: RAF Mildenhall to End Missions. Lakenheath to get F35 by
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:54 am
by Davef68
I wonder if there is an underlying re-organisation of the tanker force being planned underneath this - with the KC-46 coming on stream in the near future, prehaps they intend to withdraw the European deployed KC-135Rs back to the States to replace the KC-135Es, and forward deploy the KC-46s. Consolidating the tanker bases means that they have one less base to upgrade the infrastructure.
