 1 May 2012: Exercise Olympic Guardian is taking place between 2nd and 9th May. RAF Typhoon will be deployed to RAF Northolt, west London, and helicopters from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force will operate from several sites in and around London. Residents in and around Central London can expect to hear aircracft operating as low as 500ft! Read more
 16 Apr 2012: RAF units across Britain are preparing to take part in Europe’s largest military exercise which starts on Monday.
The 10-day event (Exercise Joint Warrior) will see aircraft from the US, Germany, Holland, France, Norway, Denmark and Canada being hosted at RAF stations for a UK wide tri-service exercise. Read more
 21 Feb 2012: An Army Apache AH1 from Wattisham airfield made an emergency landing in fields near Belstead, south of Ipswich. The aircraft had collided with overhead power cables. I visited the scene at around 23.00 and the Suffolk Police helicopter and the RAF SAR Sea King had landed. Fortunately the two crew escaped unharmed. The other Apache in the formation circled around for a while and then returned to base. Read more
 30 Nov 2011: UK military to end SAR helicopter service. The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced its plans for the future of search and rescue (SAR) provision in the UK, and confirmed that the Ministry of Defence will stop delivering services following the retirement of its current Westland Sea Kings in early 2016. Read more
13 Nov 2011: US To Buy Decommisioned British Harrier Jets. An interesting article about how the MoD is to dispose of the remaining 74 Harrier GR9 and GR9A aircraft. Check out the story at: DefenceNews
10 Nov 2011: 8 Saab Gripen aircraft arrived at RAF Lakenheath for a weeks stay to use UK ranges. The aircraft from Satenas AB arrived at Lakenheath in the afternoon of the 10th November and are due to leave on the 18th November. Serials are: 39216 / 39257 / 39224 / 39232 / 39817 / 39823 / 39252 / 39260
 9 November 2011: The RAF Red Arrows website has placed the following statement on its website:
It is with sadness that the MOD must confirm the death of Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (the Red Arrows). Flight Lieutenant Cunningham was killed when he was ejected from his Hawk T1 aircraft on the morning of Tuesday 8 November 2011. A full Service Inquiry will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A book of Condolence has been opened and is currently situated outside the gates of RAF Scampton.
All messages that we receive will be printed and added to the book.
You can also email to the Red Arrows PR Team at:
redarrowspra@scampton.raf.mod.uk
If you wish to write please send your messages to:
Red Arrows
RAF Scampton
Lincoln
Lincs
LN1 2ST
 8 November 2011: Red Arrows pilot has died after an incident at RAF Scampton. The pilot was ejected from his aircraft whilst on the ground.
Group Captain Simon Blake said: "The pilot was ejected from the aircraft whilst the aircraft was on the ground. The director-general of the Military Aviation Authority is in the process of initiating a full and independent service inquiry to determine the cause of this tragic incident."
"It would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause of the incident until that inquiry is complete. The investigation will determine the facts."
"The pilot's next of kin have been informed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot's family and friends at this difficult time."
This follows the sad departure of Flt Lt Jon Egging when he died after a display earlier in the year.
 26 August 2011: The Red Arrows are set to fly back to their base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire after a fatal crash following a Dorset airshow.
Flt Lt Jon Egging (pictured right), 33, from Rutland, died when his plane came down near Bournemouth airport on Saturday.
All the RAF's Hawk T1 aircraft were grounded after the crash but restrictions were lifted on Thursday.
The RAF said the Red Arrows would begin training again using eight planes instead of nine on 30 August.
But it could not say when public displays would resume.
Earlier a spokesman said: "Display flying by the Red Arrows team, in an eight ship formation, will recommence subject to a successful period of consolidation and approval to display."
A defence source had said it was "extremely unlikely that they will do any displays for the rest of this year".
Source: BBC
 22 August 2011: The RAF have ordered an additional 14 Chinook aircraft. The CH-47 Mark 6 aircraft are due to be delivered from 2013 to 2015. The $1.64 billion contract includes the helicopters and associated support. This will bring the RAF's total Chinook fleet up to 60.
 20 August 2011: The MoD has confirmed the death of Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging of the Royal Air Force aerobatics team (The Red Arrows). A full statement has been published on the Red Arrows website. Red Arrows Statement
In addition the Hawk T1 XX260 has been noted at Blackpool being broken up after it suffered a major bird strike earlier in the season. The aircraft is going to be transfered to Scampton to be used as spares.
 1 August 2011:10 A-10C's arrived at RAF Lakenheath for a two week stay. The aircraft arrived from Spangdalem, the aircraft involved are:
81-0945/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st)
81-0956/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st)
81-0962/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st))
81-0976/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st)
81-0985/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st)
81-0991/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st)
81-0992/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st)
82-0649/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st)
82-0654/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st)
82-0656/SP A-10C 81FS/52FW (Arr 1st)
More photos can be seen on the RAF Lakenheath page
30 June 2011: RAF Lyneham's last fling
You may already know from media releases that there will be a formal handover of the RAF Hercules force to RAF Brize Norton on Fri 1 Jul
11.
The current plan is for 3 C-130Js and a C-130K to leave Lyneham at 10:30 local for a low-ish level tactical formation around the local area -
hopefully passing over or close to Malmesbury, Tetbury, Frome,
Warminster, Melksham, Devizes, Avebury, Cherhill, Calne, and
Chippenham. After flying over Lyneham, the aircraft will form a Vic
and then a Box and will overfly Wootton Basset, Blunsdon, and
Shrivenham before positioning for a break overhead Brize Norton at
11:15 local.
All obviously subject to weather (it looks OK on the forecast at the
moment!) and aircraft availability. |
