Scampton

[canberra]

So why not resurface the runway or is there more to this story?

[Ant1981]

It concerns me when money is an issue within the armed forces.

[Hawkeye001]

I think that you may find that no decision on Scampton has yet been made and that the MOD could retain it after 2017.

Not sure why its been kept on for so long but they must have some idea about its future use or else they would of got rid like they did with Newton.

It could be easier to get rid of ones like Syerston or Barkston Heath as they have very limited units in them and use the money to bring Scampton back up to scratch.

Then either moving the units to Scampton or elsewhere.

HawkEye001

[canberra]

Strange that you mention Barkston, it was looked at as a home for the Red Arrows in 93. I was at Cranwell at the time and there was an item in the local paper about it. Allegedly Barkston was rejected as the runway was too short. They conveniently forgot that ten years before the Arrows actually spent six weeks at Barkston!

However I can remember the Arrows displaying at Cranwell and they came mighty close to Barkston, so I think that was the reason.

There was also talk of the Army using Scampton as a logistics base.

[Balders]

When I went up to Scampton a couple of years ago to donate something to the museum the general view by those based there was that it was kept open because there was no alternative airfield(that wasn't already busy) with a runway long enough to accomodate aircraft from Waddington if need arose. As Hawkeye001 says it would also make more sense to use Scampton for some of the training squadrons as it already has more than enough facilities.

[PNK]

I assume these decisions are made by people who have no knowledge, i.e. Politicians

[Hawkeye001]

The way i read it was that when the cost studdy went on and they were looking to reopen Scampton fully it was under estimated by £55 million. Now if these were my accountants i would sack them.

How can you under estimate it by that much money ?

There must be a multitude of reasons why they have kept Scampton this long and it would be interesting to know these and if there are any future plans for the place.

HawkEye001

[canberra]

Its very simple why Scampton beens kept open, the dambusters.

[philsfields]

Dont know any more about the cost but allegedly its as " cheap" to move the Reds to Waddo lock stock, as it is to upgrade the runway as they did at Waddo 2/3 years ago. Surely they could incorporate some sort of training/logistics unit/s there as well ?? Who knows ? As Canberra says though The Dambusters should be reason enough.

[JCB]

Phil: This sort of thing is nothing to do with the RAF. The Government pays for the RAF and it is so deep in the doggy do-do that it needs every penny it can get. Ask Brown how much he is prepared to pay to keep the home of the Dambusters open. From my take on the strategic issues facing defence spending, if there is still an independent RAF (and Army and Navy) in ten years time we will be thanking our lucky stars.

In 20 years time the RAF, if it still exists as we know it, will have just one type of combat aircraft, a handful of recce/intelligence aircraft, some transports and a small fleet of UAVs. As for airfields, it will have what - Marham, Brize, Coningsby, Cranwell, Waddington, Leuchars or Leeming and Lossie or Kinloss? The likes of Scampton are doomed, with bits of Scanmpton hanging on only because of the needs of the Reds - and how long will the Reds last in a defence spending regime like we have never seen before (except perhaps in 1919/1920). Now as never before the RAF is in need of another 'Boom' Trenchard.