RAF Marham Safe from closure

[Habu Hunter]

Minister of State for the Armed Forces - Nick Harvey M.P. has announced that
RAF Marham is 'safe' from closure and that one of two RAF stations in
Scotland will close. This has caused fury and embarrassment at the Ministry
of Defence, as this should not have been revealed in this way and should
have been announced to the House of Commons by the Secretary of State for
Defence later in 2011.

See below the story from David Ross, Highland Correspondent of The Herald -
Scotland newspaper.

28 January 2011

*Scotland’s RAF bases at Leuchars and Lossiemouth appear to be in a straight
fight with each other for survival after the Government said it would be too
expensive to shut a base in Norfolk.*

The news the bases were fearing emerged yesterday when Armed Forces Minister
Nick Harvey met representatives of the Moray Taskforce, which is fighting to
save RAF Lossiemouth and minimise the impact of the closure of RAF Kinloss.

Both RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Marham in Norfolk are home to Tornado
squadrons, and it had been thought that one would close. However, the
Government had previously said that no decision had been taken.

Six members of the task force met with the minister at RAF Kinloss and
emerged dejected, saying he had confirmed that RAF Marham had been saved.

However, a final decision on whether Lossiemouth or RAF Leuchars in Fife
will survive is not likely to be announced until the summer.

Calum MacPherson, the taskforce’s spokesman, said: “We understand that RAF
Marham is now safe. It is now between Leuchars and Lossiemouth. We were told
it would be too expensive to relocate RAF Marham.”

He said that they were also extremely disappointed that it was highly
unlikely any decision would be taken before “Purdah” started in the run in
to the Scottish elections.

“That could mean we don’t get a decision until mid-July,” he said. If that
was the case it would extend the uncertainty hanging over Moray where
one-in-five jobs is supported by the two RAF bases.

However, on Marham Mr Harvey said: “I think they are overstating what I
said. I simply made the point that the costs of relocating the RAF out of
Marham would be very high and first and foremost the purpose of this whole
exercise is to try and achieve financial savings. We will await the verdict
of the RAF investment appraisal, which we haven’t yet seen yet.”

However, when The Herald talked to the taskforce again, all six members were
adamant the minister had said it was now between Leuchars and Lossiemouth.

Meanwhile, the minister also confirmed that the target date for closing the
runway at RAF Kinloss was August 1. One of the first things to go will be
air traffic control.

Responding to criticism from six former defence chiefs that the scrapping of
the Nimrod programme, which heralded the closure of Kinloss, would leave
gaps in our defences, Mr Harvey said: “There is a gap. Nobody has pretended
any different.”

But he said the Government had to tackle the country’s deficit and that
axing the Nimrod had been the most uncomfortable decision.

He said: “It was one of the options and, it was decided this was an area
where we were willing to take risks over the next few years.

“One respects the view of the retired military chiefs but the decisions are
taken by ministers now on the basis of the current military advice.”

When asked if the decision would affect the UK’s ability to monitor Russian
submarines, Mr Harvey said: “The Russian submarine activity in the North Sea
remains quite busy. I am not going to say any more than that. The Russians
have their sub-marines but the Cold War ended 20 years ago.”

Courtesy of Lowestoft Aviation Society - Suffolk's Eyes on the Skies

[Gary]

There's a lot building work going on the live side of Marham. Apparently its to accommodate the extra jets this isnt confirmed just what i've heard and seen, before i get shouted down

[Richard B]

There's a lot building work going on the live side of Marham. Apparently its to accommodate the extra jets this isnt confirmed just what i've heard and seen, before i get shouted down

If they are spending money on Marham then its going to be the one that will close.

[headset 57]

actually, i don't agree with that, screw the House of P tell the real people affected, not the lazy ar***s signing it off...

[tonkatom]

Whilst I was at marham Last,which was the first week of january this year, i saw a lot of work being done next to the eastern side of the southern HAS area,where 9 and not sure on other squadron,13 Maybye are housed.
But there was a lot of work being done,big bucket diggers were ,what can only be described "laying new ground"as if to build on.
Also Work being carried out by the east HAS area which can be seen happening by runway 24 end.
New building work has been the kiss of death in other RAF bases ,but I think marham will be around for many years to come yet.

[Gary]

Whilst I was at marham Last,which was the first week of january this year, i saw a lot of work being done next to the eastern side of the southern HAS area,where 9 and not sure on other squadron,13 Maybye are housed.

Yep No.IX(B) & No.XIII Sqns share the southern HAS complex.

Also look out for tornado's hopefully fitted with ASRAMM in the near future. They had just taken delivery of some when i was there

up costs. That process is by putting them through the Tornado RTP (which is already set up at RAF Leeming) and as the RAF have done with the F.3 (which its self has helped with parts supply to the GR.4 maintainers to keep the GR.4 fleet flying.

Apparently RTP hasn't been entirely successful. With parts coming from RTP not being able to be used because the necessary paperwork for them isnt/ wasn't available . Might have changed since our RAeS chairman from Tornado Engineering Squadron (TES) first told us about the problem.