USAF pulling out of Mildenhall, Alconbury and Molesworth
Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2015 11:07 am
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-30725366
I'm left wondering how they're going to shoehorn 1200 people into Lakenheath. I wonder if they'll do what Moody wound up doing and punt everyone who's been in for five minutes off-base.
Most of these old RAF bases grew out of WW2 airstrips hastily built all over the English countryside. As a result, the ones in use today are comparatively tiny as air force bases go. Mildenhall, Lakenheath and Feltwell are all about 5-10 minutes away from each other and share resources.The United States Air Force (USAF) has confirmed it will pull out of three UK airbases.
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said the Americans will leave RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire.
The move is part of a programme to save £320m ($500m) a year across Europe. The USAF lease the RAF bases.
Mr Hagel said he understood it would mean job losses and thanked those who had supported the US Air Force.
...
The USAF KC-135 tanker fleet based at Mildenhall will be moved to Germany.
RAF Lakenheath, with two squadrons of new F-35 jets (48 of them) arriving by 2020, will be the aircraft's only European base.
The Pentagon said the loss of about 2,000 US military and civilian personnel is due to relocation away from Mildenhall, but will be offset by the addition of about 1,200 people stationed permanently at Lakenheath.
I'm left wondering how they're going to shoehorn 1200 people into Lakenheath. I wonder if they'll do what Moody wound up doing and punt everyone who's been in for five minutes off-base.