ALMOST 400 jobs are to be lost at RAF Lossiemouth in what is feared could be the start of a long-term move to close the station.
Less than 24 hours after a lobby group met defence ministers to argue the case for retaining the two bases in Moray, Adam Ingram, armed forces minister, announced that the maintenance of Tornado jets was being centralised to RAF Marham in Norfolk. As a result, 340 service personnel will move there from Lossiemouth and 50 civilian jobs will be lost. A further 35 engineering jobs are to go at nearby RAF Kinloss.
Angus Robertson, Moray SNP MP and defence spokesman for the party, said the announcement was a bitter blow to the area.
He said: ''This is yet another attack on Scotland's defence, at a time when our forces personnel are more stretched than ever.
''In a matter of weeks the MoD has announced the disbandment and amalgamation of regiments that, as we speak, are involved in combat situations around the world, a review of RAF bases that threatens the existence of RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Kinloss and now this announcement of 390 high-skill job losses in Moray.
''The lie is being exposed of London government support for defence in Scotland. Our service personnel are devalued, our support industries decommissioned and our communities destroyed.
''Our tax contributions are being exported to the detriment of defence jobs in Scotland.''
The first job losses will start later this year and the redeployment is expected to be complete by 2008. The MoD is examining RAF bases as part of its spending review with RAF Lossiemouth and nearby Kinloss earmarked for cuts.
Campaigners have warned that any cuts or closures could be disastrous for the region's economy.
Jamie Halcro Johnston, Conservative parliamentary spokesman for Moray, said: ''Last year, Highlands and Islands Enterprise revealed that 5000 direct and 750 indirect jobs are supported by Moray's RAF bases, with (pounds) 72m of direct and (pounds) 21m of indirect income generated.
''This news is made all the more alarming because of the uncertainty over where it will end. Three hundred and ninety jobs are to be lost at RAF Lossiemouth, but how many more will go at that base and what do the government have planned for Kinloss?
''The armed forces minister has said he wanted a 'leaner air force', but I am concerned Labour will deliver a less effective air force.''
Although the RAF has dismissed it as speculation, the authoritative Flight International magazine has suggested that RAF Strike Command plans to base its future BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4s at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire rather than Kinloss as currently planned.
However, it says Kinloss is not threatened as it would become a ''super base'' and home for the future fleet of 150 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters with its nearness to low flying training areas and bombing ranges a major factor.
It has already been announced that the RAF Lossiemouth search and rescue helicopters will be transferred to Kinloss, and the cuts announced yesterday have increased tension that in the review due next year RAF Lossiemouth could be doomed.
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