Summer Deployments

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It does seem to have gone quiet at Fairford in the last few months after a few months of intense rumours...... No public decision about the future RC-135 TDY base, no mention of it becoming a possible KC-135 TDY base, no B-2s that a few people were certain were coming at 2am, no B-1s (yet), no more monthly C-17 visits.

I read something in the news recently that me think Fairford might have quite a "special" role in the future, but I was probably reading between the lines.

[MRTT]

Thought Spec Ops were off to Ramstein?

[POL]

56th RQS are due to go to Aviano, according to the official announcement.

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Are the PJs that the 56th have AFSOC or USAFE? That might have some influence on it, or there again it might not.

[gurkha1]

Ramstein is maxed out,decision early 2017 but looking good for ffd and more local jobs is always good news,Brize going to do poss.base share as it's like Clapham junction at times.

[Rory76]

Bones not coming now then?

[city42]

Bones not coming now then?

Yes they should be around about the end of the month

[Lossie]

352nd SOW was announced as going to Spangdahlem.

[StormsInAfrica]

Just through process of elimination; the Bones will be coming here.

[Rory76]

Lol.

Cheers guys. Got a bit confused there!

[Strathayr]

A lot of wishful thinking but time will tell.Fairford has obvious attractions but many factors that are negative. Ask yourself after all these years why it has not remained major operational base?

[bizfreeq]

The global drawdown of defence spending?

[mushbuster]

A lot of wishful thinking but time will tell.Fairford has obvious attractions but many factors that are negative. Ask yourself after all these years why it has not remained major operational base?

A more relevant question is why, 26 years after the last permanent flying mission was removed, has USAF retained this operational capability and not closed it like all of the other now closed cold war sites to include Mildenhall (which was where that flying mission was consolidated). The use of the base in the various major conflicts since the mid 80s gives you the answer. It is a very inexpensive way for USAF to maintain a very significant mission capability in Europe and one that is presently unique in NATO.

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As mentioned, for the last 38 years, the base has had a unique capability that supports the USAF's most important mission and that can't cost effectively be recreated elsewhere these days.

[city42]

Being said on one of the facebook pages the that B1 our not coming to fairford now

[seancf16]

City42 there is no charge the b1s are still coming to Fairford

[BatmanIX]

Being said on one of the facebook pages the that B1 our not coming to fairford now

Why can't many here just wait to see if they arrive or not instead of posting pointless comments every other day? Will they, won't they... blah blah blah
Painful and amusing at the same time.

[MRTT]

Instead of speculating, why don't we wait until we have official confirmation?

[StormsInAfrica]

Instead of speculating, why don't we wait until we have official confirmation?

'Cos fun innit?!?

[MRTT]

Source?