Explainer from a MoD tender document:
Leuchars airfield operated as MOD Leuchars until 2014 when the airfield operations were downgraded, and the station was taken over by the Army. At this time the Bulk Fuel Installations on site, and all related pipelines for bulk fuel resupply, were closed and decommissioned.
There is now an appetite to increase usage of the airfield by UK military aircraft and other NATO partners both for exercises and operations, and to expand the use of commercial and business aircraft. There is a perceived demand for circa 5.5M litres of F34 (Jet A-1 + additives) per annum with possible increasing demand from commercial aircraft. Currently, F34 is currently provided from RAF Lossiemouth, decanted from the bulk fuel tanker at Lossiemouth into one of 3 MOD owned and operated fuel bowsers that then travel to the airfield at MOD Leuchars to fuel the aircraft as required.
The lack of any bulk fuel storage at MOD Leuchars currently limits the number of air movements that can be accommodated at MOD Leuchars. Innovative options/ideas are sought to improve the availability of F34 and ideally the options should be adaptive to enable fulfillment of the increasing demand from commercial aircraft. Any options would be required to operate from 07:00 to 18:00 with very occasional weekend or out of hours operations. There is a possible site for any bulk fuel infrastructure replacement.
There may be options to take over all the refuelling operations on site, to include aircraft refuelling, and suitable innovative ideas and technical options that combine all of the above may be considered. The Authority is seeking options in relation to the storage, continued operation and maintenance of bulk aviation fuel at MOD Leuchars.
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