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Already being discussed in the Mess.

MRTT wrote:Already being discussed in the Mess.

It's Fairford Related my bad for not noticing it in the "mess"

Here's my post from the "Mildenhall closing" thread

It's finally happened according to the US FY18 Defense Budget

Closure of RAF Mildenhall is driving the relocation of the 488 IS and 95 RS from RAF Mildenhall to RAF Fairford. No facility is available for the 488 IS to support the RC-135 mission coming to RAF Fairford. There are no facilities on RAF Fairford for the 95 RS to use as a squadron operations facility.
In addition, failure to provide an adequate permanent facility for the 488 IS and 95 RS will prevent the timely closure of RAF Mildenhall and puts at risk the associated base operating and support (BOS) costs savings associated with European Infrastructure Consolidation (EIC) until new permanent facilities are constructed at RAF Fairford.


RAF Fairford is an inactive base utilized for numerous training missions with partner nations to include B-52, B-1, B-2, and other aircraft. Future missions include the RC-135.

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM FISCAL YEAR 2018
INDEX - OUTSIDE THE US

RAF Fairford
European Infrastructure Consolidation - RC-135 Intel and Squad Ops Facility - $38m
European Infrastructure Consolidation - RC-135 Runway Overrun Reconfiguration - $5.5m
European Infrastructure Consolidation - RC-135 Infrastructure - $2.15m

For reference

RAF Lakenheath
Consolidated Corrosion Control Facility - $20m
F-35A F-15 Parking $10.8m
F-35A Flight Simulator Facility $22m
F-35A Field Training Detachment Facility - $12.492m
F-35A Infrastructure - $6.7m
F-35A 6-Bay Hangar $24m
F-35A Squadron Operations and AMU $41m

RAF Mildenhall
Nothing

There are also budget line items for:

Improve Airfield Infrastructure
Critical Infrastructure Maintenance
RAF Fairford, United Kingdom
$8.9m


Improve Weapons Storage Infrastructure
Critical Infrastructure Maintenance
RAF Fairford, United Kingdom
$2.85m


A busy few years of construction ahead!

Also some good news on the U-2 Dragon Lady front, so they will be around for a while yet.

Money allocated for the next 5 years, so no retirement .

The US Air Force Fiscal Year 2018 defense budget request has been published, and it confirms what I wrote here and elsewhere in March. "We plan to keep the U-2 well into the future - there is no retirement date," said Maj Gen Jim Martin, the Air Force deputy assistant secretary for budget. "We need both the Global Hawk and the U-2 to meet the demand for ISR," he continued.

Therefore, funding on improvements to the Dragon Lady can now be unlocked. Over the next five fiscal years, the Air Force plans to spend nearly $250 million in procurement and $156 million in R&D. There's money for the ASARS-2B radar upgrade that I described previously, and also for the "stellar tracking initiative." (That's a 'star tracker' to provide an alternative means of navigation in case of GPS jamming by adversaries). There will also be enhancements to the optics and focal planes of the SYERS-2C imaging sensor; the SIGINT system; and the defensive electronic warfare system. There's even some funding for a "technical refresh" of the good old wet-film Optical Bar Camera (OBC).

There's more money to continue development and testing of the U-2's ability to act as an airborne communications node. These include the ubiquitous Link 16, the F-22's InFlight Data Link (IFDL) and the F-35's Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL).

Also in the works: upgrades to the pilot helmet and pressure suit, a new look at the ejection system, and the installation of a flight data recorder.

"European Infrastructure Consolidation - RC-135 Runway Overrun Reconfiguration - $5.5m"

No doubt this would require a lengthy runway closure whilst the work is being carried out, so, throwing a spanner in the works, a potential threat to RIAT.

plmc135 wrote:"European Infrastructure Consolidation - RC-135 Runway Overrun Reconfiguration - $5.5m"

No doubt this would require a lengthy runway closure whilst the work is being carried out, so, throwing a spanner in the works, a potential threat to RIAT.

I seem to recall they did some work to the thresholds at Brize a few years ago and still operated albeit with a reduced length available. They did one end at a time as I recall.

It will be interesting to find out what work needs to be completed on the overrun areas to accept RC-135 operations. The 09 overrun was reworked back in 2000-2001 when the airfield was upgraded and the pronounced slope at that end was reduced to meet NATO standards.

Could be the Last year for RIAT, why the Scampton show looks like a test run this year.

People RIAT has a contract at Fairford until 2020

I would have a guess that the overruns are at a much lower PCN and due to the runway length needed by the RC135 they wish to bring it up close to the main runway PCN

Not sure of any other fields in the UK that are large enough to stage a show such as RIAT?

MRTT wrote:Not sure of any other fields in the UK that are large enough to stage a show such as RIAT?

Boscombe Down would be.

Wes...

Fair point, didn't think of that.

Boscombe isn't big enough when you take in to account the amount of it that would be off limits...

Timmo wrote:It will be interesting to find out what work needs to be completed on the overrun areas to accept RC-135 operations. The 09 overrun was reworked back in 2000-2001 when the airfield was upgraded and the pronounced slope at that end was reduced to meet NATO standards.

Maybe (only guessing) they need to strengthen and widen (perhaps a circular area) to allow a RC taxi down to the threshold to turn and line up?

Reconfigure eastern overrun for a displaced take off runway threshold (convert to take-off runway surface) to include renewal of airfield markings and adjustment of airfield ground lighting. Regrade and resurface western overrun and reconfigure to enable use for aircraft take-off. totalling 30610m2

Ghost from above wrote:Reconfigure eastern overrun for a displaced take off runway threshold (convert to take-off runway surface) to include renewal of airfield markings and adjustment of airfield ground lighting. Regrade and resurface western overrun and reconfigure to enable use for aircraft take-off. totalling 30610m2

Interesting, thanks for that