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

[C24]

This is NOT Cornish Guy ( who had his own view of things )

Airfield closing; runway extension; ?AB or C versions; moving to Fairford, etc

As this is a spotting forum, aren’t we all missing the important ancillary matter?

WHEN WILL the loos at John’s Field be open for use? Will the spending budget include upgrade financing for this important part of the USAF presence in Europe?

Stay safe

. 🕊. . .

[BOLLO]

This is NOT Cornish Guy ( who had his own view of things )

Airfield closing; runway extension; ?AB or C versions; moving to Fairford, etc

As this is a spotting forum, aren’t we all missing the important ancillary matter?

WHEN WILL the loos at John’s Field be open for use? Will the spending budget include upgrade financing for this important part of the USAF presence in Europe?

Stay safe

. 🕊. . .

They are but only to people camping on the site,not day trippers or people who creep in off Pollards lane and ......take the p as they do.

[bizfreeq]

Well said that man!

[Finty]

Just seen this...

The U.S. Air Force is on track to begin permanently basing its F-35 jets abroad next year, with RAF Lakenheath in England set to become the service’s first international F-35 base. But construction on new hangars and facilities necessary for supporting the high-tech stealth jet have gone over budget and over schedule, and many buildings won’t be ready when the first planes arrive in November 2021.

On average, construction projects associated with the F-35 beddown at Lakenheath are about 25 percent over the initial $480 million budget estimated in 2015, said Lt. Col. Clinton Warner, who leads the 48th Fighter Wing’s F-35 program integration office.

“The overall trend has been projects are late and also over budget,” he told Defense News during a July interview. “A lot of the assumptions that were made back in 2015 weren’t necessarily valid. There’s been cost growth that was outside of the planning assumptions that were made back in 2015.”

More here, an interesting read.

https://www.defensenews.com/smr/nato-ai ... er-budget/

[f106dart]

In case no one has seen this

https://www.airforcemag.com/esper-keepi ... gic-sense/

[thevulcan]

"They are keeping 2500 airmen at Mildenhall out of the current 4,200 with the 1,700 being the 95th reconnaissance Squadron which is moving to fairford. So all in all everyone's a winner. In terms of F35 deliveries will they come over in batches?

[Reach1985]

"They are keeping 2500 airmen at Mildenhall out of the current 4,200 with the 1,700 being the 95th reconnaissance Squadron which is moving to fairford. So all in all everyone's a winner. In terms of F35 deliveries will they come over in batches?

1,700 airmen in the 95RS - really that much? Also you’ve got to remember that the 95RS is not a based asset, it’s a tenant unit or detachment (or some such) From Offut & It’s aircraft operate on TDY. The article doesn’t even mention them.

As other posters have already mentioned I think it’s highly unlikely that they will move to FFD now. The only reason they were going to is because Mildenhall was to shut and Germany won’t have US spy planes operating from its bases there. Now it is confirmed Mildenhall is remaining open and they have the facilities to handle & maintain C-135’s which the RJ’s are it wouldn’t make much sense to move them all to FFD w/ all the necessary infrastructure that would be needed to support perhaps only 1 or 2 aircraft at any one time.

Anyway until we hear otherwise we can all continue to speculate. Time will tell!

[Spitfire88]

I think you will find Vulcan is quoting from a planning document recently issued by the local council, which details the work taking place and start dates plus personal figures etc

[thevulcan]

Indeed I am and an official letter from the department of defence and ministry of defence. Work starts at Fairford in September this year.

The article below is a bit old but states 2000 personnel are coming to fairford with the 95RS probably a rounded figure from the 1700 quoted by the DOD.(obviously things change and this number may be different)
https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/n ... 00-2631323

Those wishing for proof the document at the bottom of the list titled EIA Novemeber 2019 was first published in 2019 but has been updated regularly. Page 19 of the document shows a map of the site.
https://publicaccess.cotswold.gov.uk/on ... L6FFI0IN00

[RubyRoo]

I'm not sure, thevulcan. I don't know how things have happened in the past with the Phantoms and F-111s.

I would imagine the 439rd aircraft would come over in batches and replace the existing F-15Cs bit by bit, so they may operate a mixed fleet for a while.

As for the 495th, perhaps they'll stand up first in the US until they're full strength and come over en masse, assuming it even is the 495th that gets reactivated.

[thevulcan]

Cheers RubyRoo looks like we will just have to wait and see. On both fronts.

[mushbuster]

Vulcan your linked article says just 887 personnel and 1200 dependants, the second link is to a planning notice from 2019 that related to plans that were in place before the relook and recent change in direction of the EIC program and reversal of the Mildenhall closure decision. Both attachments are old news and most likely not relevant now. Interesting to note the references to a hangar do not mention RC135s and there has been no reference to a hangar in the EIC (Not ACC PV) construction program documents discussed on this thread months ago. Don't hold your breath waiting for RC135s

[thevulcan]

As I say we will just have to wait and see what occurs.

[Nighthawke]

Always the back-pedalling...

[thevulcan]

Don't worry there will be lots of hat eating if I'm wrong.

[Knife 04]

Bless em .

Not from me there won't.

Or me.

Yes - Totally agreed Nighthawke

[Spitfire88]

Quote from the DefSec yesterday:



The military has debated for years whether to keep Airmen at Mildenhall, the only permanent U.S. air refueling wing in Europe. The base hosts more than 4,200 Active-duty Airmen, according to Air Force Magazine’s 2020 almanac.

“[It] made obvious strategic sense in the wake of the [National Defense Strategy],” Esper said during an online Aspen Institute event. “We’re keeping 2,500 Airmen there.”

He did not offer specifics on why it is strategically beneficial to remain in the United Kingdom instead of Germany.

Given the numbers quoted it suggests the RJs are still moving as expected.

[Vulcan74]

If the RJs move from Mildenhall, will 51 sqn join them from Waddington to make it a combined unit?

[Spitfire88]

If the RJs move from Mildenhall, will 51 sqn join them from Waddington to make it a combined unit?

The talk Local is no they won’t ATM as the RAF don’t want to pay.

[BOLLO]

That local talk .lol