THE RAF’s new £2.8bn fleet of aircraft, the first of which was unveiled at RAF Brize Norton yesterday, will create 300 jobs there.

The first of 22 A400M Atlas airlifters arrived at the West Oxfordshire base last week from Spain where it was built.

Oxford Mail:

Prime Minister and Witney MP David Cameron with wing commander Simon Boyle

Prime Minister and Witney MP David Cameron officially received the £130m Airbus-built craft in a ceremony yesterday.

The process of training airmen to fly the new planes and perform maintenance will create 300 jobs at Brize Norton in private business contracts over the next 18 years.

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Station commander Group Captain Simon Edwards said: “Brize is a very exciting and very busy place.

“It is already home to virtually all of the RAF transport fleet so it is definitely the right place to be home to the A400M.

“What is different about the A400M is that the RAF will fly it but industry will lead on how we support it and get it ready to fly.

“This will be a genuine partnership between the RAF and private civilian employment, and will make Brize a busier and more exciting place.”

The new Atlas will eventually replace the Hercules as a transport and strategic plane, being larger, faster, and able to fly higher.

Mr Cameron said: “The arrival of the A400M Atlas will greatly add to our defence capabilities – increasing our ability to move troops and deliver military equipment, aid and medical supplies anywhere in the world quickly and effectively.

“I know from my postbag how much local people appreciate the loyalty and endeavour the RAF at Brize display on our behalf and the expansion of RAF Brize Norton is good news for us locally.”

Carterton Mayor Lynn Little welcomed the new fleet at the base yesterday, saying: “I am absolutely honoured to be a part of this ceremony. This is a piece of history, and I am proud to have this aircraft coming here and I know our community will welcome it.”

A new training school, run by another private firm, Thales, was built at Brize Norton to train the new Atlas pilots and co-pilots.

New state-of-the-art flight simulators have also been installed there, at a cost of £115m.

The total investment in the base associated with the new A400M fleet is about £226m.


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