Red Arrows relocation to RAF Waddington

Red Arrows flypast

In various announcements in the local press here near ACC Towers and now in the National press it has been announced that the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT), the Red Arrows will be relocating to RAF Waddington.

The Lincolnshire Live reported that,

“Lincolnshire will remain the home of the world-famous Red Arrows after the Ministry of Defence confirmed the location of their new home.

The iconic Red Arrows are to move a short distance to RAF Waddington once their current base at RAF Scampton closes, it has been confirmed.”

and the official RAF website reports,

“Following the announcement in July 2018 that RAF Scampton would close, it was announced today that RAF Waddington has been selected as the only viable alternative basing location for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT) – the Red Arrows.”

Great news for Lincolnshire and the city of Lincoln as the world famous Red Arrows will stay flying in the skies over the area.

Lincolnshire Live Website

RAF Website

Replies

  1. Second line of the RAF’s article;
    “There will now be an assessment study to examine and cost the options before developing a business case for the eventual move.”

    Still scope for this not to happen. Waddo is going to get very busy, especially with unmanned Protectors in the airspace in the not too distant future.

  2. this is very odd…

    “it was announced today that RAF Waddington has been selected as the only viable alternative…There will now be an assessment study to examine and cost the options before developing a business case for the eventual move”

    to me that seems a contradiction. If as they say there were 30 options on the table (how did they reach 30…are there really 30 airfields available to the RAF?) and were whittled down to “three potential future locations for RAFAT were subsequently approved” how was the costs involved not considered from the beginning or at the very least in the final three stage?

    did the conversation go something like:
    “We have given it some thought sir and feel you have options A, B and C, all we need to do next is the financi…”
    “We’ll choose A please.”
    “But we haven’t considered the costs yet, it may be financially beneficial for you to take optio…”
    “shhh your noise, i have decided so make it so”
    yes sir"

  3. Most of the kit at Waddo takes off, goes away and eventually comes back. I don’t think the impact in the circuit is that bad.

    Any UCAVs won’t be shooting circuits round the airfield or doing tours of Lincoln. Unless things have changed, they’ll be operating from posted danger areas to segregate them from commercial traffic.

    A few Hawks may need to find a new hangar somewhere but they can depart and recover fairly easily. If they want to let visitors into their facility they might need special arrangements. They’ll be practising over Scampton, just as they did when they were based at Cranwell before their current residence at Scampton.

  4. I view it more as this is the RAF saying the only other airfield they could use is Waddo.

    Whether that means it’s cheaper than Scampton is another matter.

  5. me too - which makes me wonder how they started with a list of 30 options…

    were they listing every airfield the RAF has ownership of (and by this i include VGS sites and grass strips) so as it looked they have reviewed all the options even thought everyone knew Waddington was the only option to consider but a “selection process” was required and so completed?

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