Closure
On Tuesday 15th December 2009 the Defence Secretary, Bob Ainsworth, announced the closure of RAF Cottesmore and the reduction of the Harrier force by one squadron as part of a package of defence cuts in a speech made to the Commons.
The defence cuts were to pay for £900 million more to be spend on the Afghanistan including twenty two new Chinook heavy lift helicopters which will increase the RAF’s fleet to 70. The number of helicopters available in Afghanistan has been a hot topic in the news of late and it is without doubt the helicopter of choice is the Chinook but with an expected delivery date of 2012 / 2013 these additional helicopters will not increase the number of helicopters available for some time. Other items of the list (detailed below) will have a more immediate impact such as making night vision goggles and improved body armour available to 50% more troops.
The Harrier squadron to stand down is Number IV(AC) Squadron currently stationed at RAF Cottesmore. They will stand down on the 31st March 2010 and then replace Number 20(R) Squadron as the Harrier OCU (training) Squadron under the Number 4(R) Squadron number plate at RAF Wittering.
From the 1st April 2010 Number 1(F) Squadron should start to relocate their Harriers to RAF Wittering and complete the relocation by 1st April 2011 and the closure of the RAF station by 31st March 2013. It’s not clear if the Navy Strike Wing (NSW) will also relocate to RAF Wittering or to RNAS Yeovilton.
In practice, the relocation will not start on the 1st April as there is a lack of hangar space at RAF Wittering (currently they can only just about store the Harriers assigned to 20(R) Sqn). This will require a new hangar to be created.
A number of other factors will also impact the closure of RAF Cottesmore. At present Cottesmore provides Wittering with a radar service, if Cottesmore was to shut then this would need to be relocated to Wittering. BAE is currently carrying out servicing of the Harrier (including the GR9 / GR9A / T12 upgrades) at Cottesmore this would also need to be relocated to Wittering, maybe with the need for another hangar?
With this in mind we may well see RAF Cottesmore remain open until the Harrier is withdrawn from service. Originally the out of service date (OSD) for the Harrier GR9 was is 2015 but thanks to increase to the maintenance intervals from 500 to 720 flying hours for minor maintenance and from 2000 to 2880 flying hours for major maintenance the OSD was increased to 2018. Combined with decreasing the size of the Harrier fleet and rotating the airframes to even out the flying hours the Harrier may not need another major maintenance at the cost of reducing the OSD.
Resistance to the closure of RAF Cottesmore is growing with two campaigns, support from well known ex-military figures, news paper coverage and support from the local MP. The Conservative Party has promised to review the planned closure of both RAF Lynham and RAF Cottesmore if elected and Bob Ainsworth has said the closure will be reviewed as part of the Strategic Defense Review (SDR) due after the next general election and also suggested Cottesmore may be used as an Army base for the forces returning from Germany.
We won’t really know what future RAF Cottesmore has until the after the SDR. I’m expecting the annoucement that the Harrier will be withdrawn from service earlier than its OSD, maybe as early as 2013 if development of the Typhoon’s air to ground role is advanced enough by that stage but no later than 2015 with RAF Cottesmore staying open until the end for the Harrier. At that stage I think the British Army will have to choose between RAF Cottesmore, RAF Lynham, RAF Wittering and RAF Lynham.
I’m a big fan of the Harrier and also of RAF Cottesmore. It will be a sad day when the end comes.
Defence cuts:
The Nimrod MR2 is to be removed from service a year earlier than planned (March 2010).
The Nimrod MRA4 will be delayed until 2012.
Merlin Mk1 and Lynx helicopters will be retired early.
One survey ship and one mine-hunter will be retired early.
2,500 job cuts in non-critical armed forces personnel.
Reduction of one Harrier squadron.
Reduction of another Harrier squadron or one Tornado GR4 squadron.
Temporary reduction in some aspects of army training.
Defence spend:
An extra C-17 strategic lift aircraft.
Improve defensive aid suites for the C-130J Hercules fleet.
Increased funding for intelligence, surveillance target acquisition and reconnaissance.
More Bowman radios and patrol satellite systems for troops.
Improving Special Forces’ communication equipment.
Twenty two new Chinook heavy lift helicopters.
Body armour and night vision goggles being made available to 50% more troops.
Doubling the number of Reaper UAVs.