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

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To clarify, the 488th IS is the 500 UK based air and ground crew that fly and support European RC-135 missions, not the aircraft. I don't know if Waddington has the accommodation or desire for 500 permanently based Americans?

[bigcrow]

To clarify, the 488th IS is the 500 UK based air and ground crew that fly and support European RC-135 missions, not the aircraft. I don't know if Waddington has the accommodation or desire for 500 permanently based Americans?

A very good point 500 extra personal is a lot to accomodate at Waddington. I've heard Fairford is now the prefered option, hence the new security fences. Time will tell..

[RJ79]

Does this mean the likes of the BX and visiting airman quarters at Fairford will be getting a spruce up and used again then?


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[Spitfire88]

Apparently they are getting a spruce.

[skysearcher]

Hi all,
Stars N Stripes are reporting that unit re-basing of the 606th ACS by August will make room at Spangdhalem for Mildenhall based units. Does this mean the Hercs and Ospreys are leaving the hall this summer?

[Ravendriver2008]

Hi all,
Stars N Stripes are reporting that unit re-basing of the 606th ACS by August will make room at Spangdhalem for Mildenhall based units. Does this mean the Hercs and Ospreys are leaving the hall this summer?

This article here?

http://www.stripes.com/news/606th-air-c ... t-1.400944

Though one question comes to mind - this Air Control unit - leaving one place and moving to another - does not say specifically what from the 'Hall will go in its place. Judging by the 606th size -it could be anything - plenty of non flying squadrons at Mildenhall that could slide into the vacant space at Spang. Admittedly the original plans and paper it is the 352nd meant to go out to Spang but wonder if some1 can answer on here

- Has there been any work construction work done at Spang say like they did with here to harden the ramp and pads to operate the CV-22?

-Has there been an area been allocated for the 352nd already?

cheers

[JG71]

- Has there been any work construction work done at Spang say like they did with here to harden the ramp and pads to operate the CV-22?

-Has there been an area been allocated for the 352nd already?

The 352nd area at Spangdahlem will be allocated in the Northeastern Shelterarea. The Shelters will get scrapped soon. The plans for the new Ramps and Hangars are made, now they are waiting for the building permissions. It is 100% confirmed that 352nd SOW will leave the UK in near future

[TankBuster]

Seems a bit daft, and a waste of funds by moving the 352nd SOG to Germany?

Why build new pads & hangars when the facilities already exist in the UK, not to mention that the UK offers better training areas for these units. I personally cannot see what advantage they will have by re-locating to Spang. The 352nd have operated out of Mildenhall for years, so what has really changed, as all current theatres of war have always been reachable from this location!

Hopefully a change of US government later this year will scrub the whole idea of closing Mildenhall. I have a better idea... close Spangdahlem & re-locate those units to Mildenhall & Lakenheath

TankBuster

[welshandy]

Seems a bit daft, and a waste of funds by moving the 352nd SOG to Germany?

Why build new pads & hangars when the facilities already exist in the UK, not to mention that the UK offers better training areas for these units. I personally cannot see what advantage they will have by re-locating to Spang. The 352nd have operated out of Mildenhall for years, so what has really changed, as all current theatres of war have always been reachable from this location!

Hopefully a change of US government later this year will scrub the whole idea of closing Mildenhall. I have a better idea... close Spangdahlem & re-locate those units to Mildenhall & Lakenheath

TankBuster

I agree & I thought that the F35 was to replace the F16 as it is meant to do all the things an F16 can do but better So what will happen to Spang's 480th FS F16's??

[Doughnut]

. I've heard Fairford is now the prefered option, hence the new security fences. Time will tell..

Always considered RAF Fairford as the best USAF operated base to be retained, there is already security and base maintenance units on site and obviously plenty of space for the transit and TDY RC-135 and U-2. The B-52 operations are really only possible from RAF Fairford. But by far the most important reason for RAF Fairford's retention is RAF Brize Norton. If anything were to reduce Brize Norton's actives or close the runway then two mile runway just up the road will be very useful.

[JG71]

Seems a bit daft, and a waste of funds by moving the 352nd SOG to Germany?

Why build new pads & hangars when the facilities already exist in the UK, not to mention that the UK offers better training areas for these units. I personally cannot see what advantage they will have by re-locating to Spang. The 352nd have operated out of Mildenhall for years, so what has really changed, as all current theatres of war have always been reachable from this location!

The infrastructure at Mildenhall is totally outdated. If they would stay at Mildenhall they have to spend as much money as they have to spend at Spangdahlem. The training opportunities in the UK are not that good as you think. Nowadays most of the Missions are flown without special forces troops. Only the Aircrews of 352 SOW are on board. The special forces troops are currently based at "Panzer Kaserne" Böblingen, Germany. In the next years those units will move to Baumholder. At Baumholder and Grafenwöhr you can find some excellent military training areas where both parts of a successful special forces team (Air and Ground Troops) can train together under real wartime scenarios. Also training with allied and partner forces is better accessible from Germany. As Example. If they want to train with the German KSK Kommando Spezialkräfte at Calw, they will need 20 minutes to reach their training area from Spangdahlem. Nowadays they need nearly 2 hours. Germany offers pretty good low flying areas as well, the Mosel Valley. The Multinational Aircrew Electronic Warfare Tactics Facility POLYGONE will be also interesting for the 352nd SOW Aircrews.
Currently construction work is going on in the former 81st FS. (Not 352nd SOW related). Time will tell for which aircraft...

[f106dart]

I guess Lakenheath wont be the first overseas base to get F-35s

http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/defe ... /82626494/

WASHINGTON — Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, will be the future home of the Air Force's first operational F-35 joint strike fighters in the Pacific theater, the service announced today.

The base will receive two squadrons of F-35As, which will join the wing's F-16 squadron currently assigned to Eielson, according to an April 4 Air Force statement. On-base construction to prepare for the JSF is planned to start in fiscal year 2017, and the new jets are scheduled to begin arriving in 2020.

Eielson will be the first base outside of the continental United States in the Pacific area of operations to receive the Air Force's fifth-generation fighter jet, service spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said April 4. The Air Force looked at a variety of overseas locations, including bases in foreign nations, but ultimately settled on Eielson as the preferred alternative, she said.

The Alaska base's proximity to the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC) was a factor in the final decision, allowing the Air Force to take advantage of JPARC's 65,000 square miles of airspace for large force exercises.

The decision to base two F-35 squadrons at Eielson, combined with the existing F-22s at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, will double the Air Force's fifth-generation fighter aircraft presence in the Pacific arena, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said April 4.

"Integrating that fifth-generation force with Navy, Marine, and allied F-35 forces will provide joint and coalition warfighters unprecedented survivability, lethality and battlespace awareness in contested environments," Welsh said, according to the statement. "It's an exciting time for Pacific airpower."

[das]

one question re all these ideas, will the German govt be happy to let US mil operate from their bases on military 'live' missions? I know the UK do, but some countries are a bit reluctant to be involved directly in certain missions

Ray

[Precinct7]

"" I guess Lakenheath wont be the first overseas base to get F-35s "

Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, is in the USA !

[f106dart]

Alaska and Hawaii are both considered overseas bases in the military. They both belong to PACAF Being in the US is called CONUS the Continental United States

[skysearcher]

Hi everyone

Just saw in the EUROPEAN REASSURANCE INITIATIVE finance request, EUCOM wants to retain the 493rd at LK and defer planned force reduction.

[skysearcher]

and 5th generation fighters rotating through Spang... maybe thats some of the construction work going on there in addition to work for arrival of 352nd

[skysearcher]

and KC-135 operations...

[skysearcher]

sadly no dollars earmarked for a last minute reprieve of RAF Moldy hole :-(

[Gary]

Why spread that out of four posts? You could have easily made that a single post covering all four thing