RAF BENSON will become home to Britain’s new Chinook helicopters from 2012.
On Tuesday, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth announced the purchase of 22 extra Chinooks from US aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
The first 10 of the heavy-lift helicopters, which are due to enter service in 2012, will be stationed at RAF Odiham, Hampshire.
However, Odiham is not big enough to house the entire fleet of 70 Chinooks, and the rest will be stationed at RAF Benson.
As they arrive, the south Oxfordshire air station’s Merlin helicopters will be transferred to the Royal Navy and converted for seaborne use from RNAS Yeovilton, in Somerset, and RNAS Culdrose, near Helston, in Cornwall.
Squadron Leader Al Green, of the Joint Helicopter Command, said: “There is going to be no requirement to cut any jobs and no redundancies at Benson. This absolutely safeguards the long-term future of both RAF Benson and RAF Odiham. They’re as safe as houses.”
Pilots and engineers working on Merlins will be retrained on Chinooks.
In May, the Ministry of Defence abandoned proposals to move all RAF helicopters to a “super-base” at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, which would have led to Benson’s closure.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel