into the future. Greater coordination between industry and government, in dialogue with defence trade unions, can help develop the right skills base.

The briefing sets out three key policies it would like to see parties commit to:

● an increase in spending in the next strategic defence review to fund the design, construction and maintenance of military equipment

● retention of the civil service’s ability to act as an “intelligent customer” in procuring and supporting defence equipment

● an early decision on the Trident successor programme to ensure an effective nuclear deterrent is retained.

Prospect is backing an early day motion calling on the next government to devote at least 2% of GDP to defence spending, including a 1% a year increase in the defence equipment budget (see page 2).

Meanwhile, the union says civilian job cuts announced in the SDSR have damaged MOD’s ability to act as an intelligent customer.

For example, redundancies in Defence Equipment and Support were made despite an external review that highlighted performance improvements in programme and

project management. “It will take years to recover from

the loss of cost engineers and analysts who are critical to the delivery of defence programmes, as well as the loss of corporate knowledge,” warns Jonathan Green, Prospect’s research section head.

Prospect argues that until there is a credible framework for multilateral nuclear disarmament, the UK should maintain an effective nuclear deterrent.

An early decision will be needed in the next parliament to retain a continuous-at-sea-deterrence (CASD), as construction of the new submarine-based system will need to begin in 2016 to replace the existing fleet by 2028.

Extending the life of the Vanguard submarines was judged “high risk” by the 2013 Trident Alternatives Review. But any move away from the CASD stance would not realise savings until 2030, says Prospect.

Furthermore, such estimates ignore the higher unit costs suppliers are likely to charge for a smaller order.

■■ ■Read■the■briefing:■bit.ly/def _briefing

■■ ■Prospect’s■election■microsite:■http://ge2015.prospect.org.uk

Prospect members in the defence industry

www.prospect.org.uk • Issue 1, March 2015

Prospect seeks key defence commitments ahead of election

■■ Green■–■It■will■take■years■to■recover■from■lost■skills■and■knowledge

“WHAT WILL you do to safeguard capability in key skills in the defence sector?” This is the question Prospect is asking political parties ahead of May’s general election.

A new defence briefing sets out the union’s key concerns and demands on behalf of thousands of members employed as specialists in the sector.

Prospect details the damaging consequences of the last Strategic Defence and Security Review and its singular focus on financial considerations at the expense of capability. More than 10,000 jobs have been lost as a result of the review, including more than 5,000 in aerospace.

The UK’s defence industrial base has been eroded by the increasing preference for buying “off-the-shelf”, Prospect says, which means there is no longer UK capability in developing and designing some military systems.

Acknowledging that the next review is unlikely to reverse the downward trend in defence manufacturing, the briefing says the industry will need to programme work to manage peaks and troughs.

It says the Defence Growth Partnership can help provide insights into the impact of funding decisions

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2 ELECTION

PROSPECT IS urging members to ask their local MPs to sign an early day motion calling on the next government to devote at least 2% of GDP to defence, including a 1% a year increase in the equipment budget.

The EDM was organised by Sir Peter Luff, a former defence minister in the current government. It says this level of spending is required to counter a growing and ever more complex range of threats, many of which, like the Ukraine crisis, are difficult to foresee.

The motion was recently debated in the Commons, with 37 of 40 participating MPs supporting it in a vote that carries symbolic weight.

Sponsors from across the political spectrum include defence select committee chair Rory Stewart, former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell and Bob Ainsworth, defence secretary in the last Labour government.

Garry Graham, Prospect deputy general secretary, said: “In 2010 spending on defence was running at 2.6% of GDP. Since then we have seen a resurgent Russia and the emergence of other threats to our global security.

“The current debate underlines the import contribution our professional members make to the defence of the UK.”

The motion comes amid warnings that Britain’s NATO commitment to maintain

defence spending at 2% of wealth is under threat from 2017. The current commitment only extends to 2016.

Conservative spending plans envisage the combined annual budgets of non-protected departments falling by a third in real terms and recent press reports have suggested chancellor George Osborne has written to Number 10 warning the figure will be missed.

Conservative Rory Stewart has said any dilution of the 2% figure would be “a big mistake”, not least in light of the events in Ukraine and an increasingly fractious relationship between Russia and NATO countries. By contrast, Russian defence spending is set to rise to 4.2% of GDP.

UK defence spending is already set to fall this year, says the European Leadership Network. Alarm bells are now being sounded from across the Atlantic about the UK’s diminishing capability and its commitment to the NATO alliance – most recently by General Raymond Odierno, chief of staff of the US Army.

The EDM was bolstered by a recent YouGov survey for think-tank Chatham House, which found that most people – 64% – want to see defence spending increased or maintained at the present level.

■ EDM and signatories: www.parliament.uk/edm/2014-15/757

EMPLOYERS BACK DEGREE-LEVEL APPRENTICE STUDYDEFENCE ENGINEERING, aerospace engineering and nuclear are among nine new industry-designed degree apprenticeships announced by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The government describes degree apprenticeships as an innovative model bringing together the best of higher and vocational education. They will be developed by groups of businesses, universities and colleges.

Apprentices will split their time between university study and the workplace. They will be employed throughout, gaining a bachelors or masters degree from a respected university while receiving an income and gaining job experience in their chosen profession.

Ministers say the model goes further and is more integrated than the current higher apprenticeships, which already allow study to degree

level. As with other apprenticeships, course costs are shared between the government and employers.

More than 100 companies are working with more than 20 universities to develop the programme, expected to suit both small and large businesses.

Employers backing the defence apprenticeship so far include BAE Systems, Cobham, General Dynamics, Marshall, MBDA, DE&S, DSTL, QinetiQ, Raytheon, Rolls-Royce and Thales.

Prospect: Ask your MP to sign defence spending motion

■■ Graham:■defence■spending■at■2.6%■of■GDP■in■2010

■■ Resurgent■Russia■–■a■T-90MC■battle■tank;■Russia’s■defence■spending■is■set■to■rise■to■4.3%

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■■ Stewart:■any■dilution■‘a■big■mistake’

Support Help for Heroes, recruit a colleague todaywww.prospect.org.uk/mrm

Data Protection NoticeAll your personal information will be held by Prospect and treated as confidential, with appropriate security. By joining Prospect, you agree to our processing this information, including sensitive personal information such as trade union membership, for the following purposes.It will be used for a range of union-based activities related to the running of Prospect, including the maintenance of records, assisting with injury claims, ballots, personal cases, collective bargaining, promoting equal opportunities etc and other benefits for members as required in our ‘notif ication’ to the Information Commissioner under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998. For individuals enquiring about membership, or previous members, the information will be held for a reasonable period for the above purposes.It will be available to our employees and approved representatives at headquarters and regional off ices and

other organisations associated with Prospect, including service providers. Where, occasionally, Prospect uses the services of such organisations, they are contractually obliged to process your data in a secure and confidential manner under our strict instructions.From time to time, we may wish to use the information for analysis or marketing purposes. This may benefit you as Prospect can use members’ collective strength to negotiate attractive terms for the provision of additional member benefits (such as holidays, insurance etc.) and to contact you with details of those of particular interest. If you do not wish to be contacted in this way, please indicate by ticking the box on the form overleaf. Please understand that this will preclude you from receiving details of any of these benefits and offers in future. If you are not sure, you can always notify us of your opt-out at a later date.Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you also

have the right to ask for a copy of your information (for which we make a small charge) and to request correction of any incorrect information held. Please write to the Prospect membership department at the address below.Please note that, in order to make sure we follow your instructions correctly and to improve our service to you through staff training, we may monitor or record communications.

This statement complies with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.Further InformationIf you require further information you can:• write to Prospect, Flaxman House, Gogmore Lane, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 9JS• call us on 01932 577007 • fax us on 01932 567707• email us on membership@prospect.org.uk

If you have any queries about this initiative, please contact organisation@prospect.org.ukPublished by Prospect 2015New Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NNt 020 7902 6600 f 020 7902 6667 e info@prospect.org.uk www.prospect.org.uk Printed by College Hill Press

More members means greater influence Recruit a colleague…

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19/01/2015 10:30

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Drive for rerecognition at QinetiQ enters new phase

■■ Common■cause:■Prospect’s■Hudd■(right)■signs■the■EngTechNow■charter■on■skills■with■Blane■Judd,■chief■executive■of■EngTechNow.■The■charter■is■part■of■a■drive■to■find■solutions■to■the■shortage■of■engineering■skills■in■the■UK.■QinetiQ■was■also■at■the■signing■which■took■place■at■the■parliamentary■launch■of■a■report■into■the■skills■and■experience■gap■in■engineering.■The■charter■sets■out■steps■to■better■develop■professional■technician■roles,■including■encouraging■the■registration■of■engineering■technicians.

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Change at the top and the pending election are offering an opportunity to reset QinetiQ-union relations

THIS IS the year Prospect redoubles its efforts to win back recognition at QinetiQ, deputy general secretary Dai Hudd has declared as a new CEO takes the helm.

With March 2015 marking three years since the company derecognised trade unions, Hudd emphasises the day-to-day work that goes on regardless by reps inside QinetiQ, as well as the opportunities to work together on developing and safeguarding skills.

Hudd describes the decision to derecognise as “ill-advised” and “provocative”, putting QinetiQ in the invidious position of being seen as “as an anti-union company that still relies to a very large degree on publicly-funded contracts to support its business”.

Nevertheless Prospect reps continue to meet and the branch committee still functions – “all of this in their own time”, Hudd adds.

“We continue to deal with members’ individual issues. Ironically some of these have been referred to us by representatives of the employee engagement group, the body set up internally to replace union recognition.”

Common goalHudd says that both Prospect and QinetiQ have a common goal of raising the status and standard of engineers and scientists who work in and around defence.

He points to a recent parliamentary event at which he and QinetiQ’s Ian Beresford signed the EngTechNow charter on boosting skills.

Furthermore, “we both want to support initiatives that seek to attract more women into STEM-based industries”.

Crucially, Hudd believes that the

changing of the guard at QinetiQ and the obvious uncertainties surrounding the general election provide the opportunity to reset relations.

“A new CEO must herald an opportunity to take stock and rethink. We are seeking a meeting with the new chief executive to explore what might be the way forward. We have spoken to ACAS, which is ready to help and keen to do so – if needs be at short notice.”

Member surveyIn addition, Alison Seabeck MP, shadow defence minister, has been a consistent advocate of talks to strike an agreement on recognition terms.

Prospect will be holding meetings at different sites in the coming weeks and months. There will also be a short survey of members at selected sites, which people are encouraged to spend a few minutes responding to.

QinetiQ’s new CEOSTEVE WADEY, who takes over as QinetiQ chief executive on 27 April, is seen as someone with a strong defence pedigree, having most recently been managing director of missile-maker MBDA UK and technical director of the wider MBDA Group.

He also leads the Defence Growth Partnership, the body that brings together the UK defence sector and government.

Wadey replaces Leo Quinn, who left QinetiQ at the end of last year after five years as chief executive to take the top job at Balfour Beatty. Chief financial officer David Mellors has been in temporary charge of QinetiQ in the interim.

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4 TRIDENT

The review, however, leant towards the status quo. The party currently favours reducing the number of Trident submarines – and therefore abandoning the principle of CASD – while continuing to explore lower-cost alternatives.

LibDem-leaning think-tank Centre Forum recently proposed such an alternative, which would be

based on free-fall nuclear weapons delivered by the F35 or Joint Strike Fighter.

Centre Forum says such a programme would deliver between £21.5 and

£29.8bn in capital savings, some of which could be invested in bolstering conventional forces,

including additional Astute-class submarines.

The plan would in part rely on reversing the government’s

u-turn over the UK’s F35 purchase – in other words, changing the order

to the F35C carrier variant and retro-fitting the new aircraft carriers with

catapults and arrested landing equipment. This version of the aircraft has a greater range

and ability to carry a heavier payload.■■ ■Centre■Forum■report:■bit.ly/CF_trident

THE DEBATE around the future of Trident has reopened ahead of the general election, amid speculation that a smaller Westminster party such as the Scottish National Party could hold the balance of power in the event of another hung parliament.

Furthermore, with the final or “main gate” decision on a like-for-like replacement of the Vanguard submarines that carry the Trident II D5 nuclear missiles due in 2016, polling and recent comments have revealed possible fissures in what has been regarded as settled Labour Party policy.

As support for the SNP has continued to surge following the Scottish independence referendum, attention has focused on whether the Scottish nationalists’ firmly anti-Trident stance could become a red line in any possible coalition talks with Labour.

Commentators have also noted the anti-Trident policies of Plaid Cymru and the Green Party, though UKIP appears to support Trident renewal.

The latest government report on the costs of the assessment phase for Trident renewal detailed a £300m rise to £3.3bn. In the light of this, three anti-Trident parties supported a Commons motion calling for a cancellation of the renewal programme.

Angus Robertson, the SNP’s defence spokesperson, who also leads the party in Westminster, recently told the BBC: “The SNP has consistently opposed this [Trident renewal]. And if we exercise any influence in a hung parliament after the election we will continue our opposition to a Trident replacement.”

The SNP first raised alarm bells when it opposed basing Trident at Faslane in Scotland during the independence referendum campaign.

Recent polling by Dods, the political information and communications agency, showed that 42% failed to agree with the statement: “There should be a like-for-like replacement of the Trident nuclear deterrent.”

What is revealing is that 80% of Conservatives who answered the poll agreed with the statement, while for Labour, the figure was only 43%.

Such is the contradictory nature of the debate, however, that the same poll found 71% agreed with the statement that continuous-at-sea deterrence (CASD) should be maintained.

Others have seized on opaque comments from Ed Miliband about Labour wanting the “least-cost nuclear deterrent we can have”, but these have recently been firmed up as meaning Trident renewal by both the Labour leader himself and shadow defence secretary Vernon Coker.

The other potential player in coalition negotiations could be the Liberal Democrats, who insisted on a review of Trident as a condition of entering the current government.

Trident renewal debate resurfaces amid SNP surge

■■ One■of■UK’s■Trident■submarines■at■its■Scottish■base.■Below:■An■F35:■an■alternative■means■of■delivering■a■deterrent?

AP/EMPICS

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■■ Alison■Seabeck■MP■in■conversation■with■Prospect’s■Graham■Stewart

Rival deterrents risk national security, shadow minister warns

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‘Every single detailed report going way back, and I read some going back to the 1960s, make absolutely clear the risks of having the nuclear weapons on planes’

SHADOW DEFENCE procurement minister Alison Seabeck has rejected the idea of any alternative to a like-for-like replacement for the Trident nuclear deterrent in a wide-ranging interview with Prospect.

She told the union’s parliamentary officer Graham Stewart that air-launched alternatives of the type proposed by the Centre Forum think-tank in a recent report took too many risks with national security.

“In my view, no, you can’t drop them from the air. Every single detailed report going way back, and I read some going back to the 1960s, make absolutely clear the risks of having the nuclear weapons on planes,” said the MP for Plymouth Moor View.

“You can do it in the US. America’s big; you can spread them around … but here in the UK those planes would be really vulnerable on the ground and they’re vulnerable in the air as well. They’re not as stealthy as submarines. In my view it would not make sense from the security

perspective to do other than keep them as an at-sea deterrent.”

Seabeck, who is also chair of Prospect’s parliamentary panel, dismissed press suggestions that Labour leader Ed Miliband had been deliberately vague on the issue of a like-for-like Trident replacement.

“Ed Miliband’s been very clear. We are committed to a replacement. We’ve said it more than once,” she said.

But Seabeck added that there were separate issues around the replacement of the missiles and warheads as opposed to the submarine delivery system, which is the focus of the current debate.

“I think that there are separate issues around the Atomic Weapons Establishment, which will need looking at in the future.

“The next missile phase is

dependent on getting the vote on the submarine and that’ll come in 2016 at the latest, and that’s the vote that has to be won.”

The shadow minister also made a robust defence of the role of unions in the sector when asked about de-recognition at QinetiQ. She called on the new chief executive to “sit down” with members of the workforce.

“I’ve always held the view, and I travel around the country looking at businesses of all sizes in the sector, that the unions actually bring something to the table,” said Seabeck.

“Independent evidence suggests that trade unions when operating as they do largely in the defence sector improve productivity,” she said. The workforce was generally happier and unions were “a force for good.”

■■ For■a■full■interview■transcript■see■http://ge2015.prospect.org.uk

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6 DEFENCE EQUIPMENT

BABCOCK CONTRACT WORTH UP TO £2bnA £900M 10-year contract for maintaining the Army’s land vehicles has been formally awarded to Babcock by the Ministry of Defence. It comes as part of its agreement to sell the land division of the Defence Support Group to the engineering group.

The ministry says the contract will transform the way vehicles are maintained, repaired and stored. It has the potential to grow to around £2bn as a result of plans to “optimise” a broader scope of services.

The army will generate savings of around £500m over the course of the contract – about a third.

Philip Dunne, minister for defence equipment, support and technology, said the contract would put DSG “on a sustainable long-term footing”.

He added: “Babcock will provide DSG with key engineering and fleet management expertise, which it has built up over 15 years of working with the Army.

“DSG will also gain the potential

to provide vehicle maintenance to other existing heavy vehicle customers, which it is unable to do while owned by the MOD.”

The £140m sale of DSG’s land division, which employs more than 2,800 engineers, will be completed on 1 April, the same day that the remaining air, components and electronics arm of the business is reborn as the Defence Electronics and Components Agency. The latter will remain under government ownership.

Failed reform of DE&S has a silver liningDEFENCE EQUIPMENT & Support gained a better understanding of its business needs during the failed attempt to reform it as a government-owned, contractor-operated (GoCo) organisation, according to the government spending watchdog.

The MOD trading entity responsible for buying and supporting military equipment “has a better understanding of how staff spend their time and where key skills are needed”, said the National Audit Office.

However, this insight came at a price – the failed reform cost £33m and two-and-a-half years of development time at the point it was halted in late 2013, according to NAO’s Reforming Defence Acquisition report.

The GoCo option was one of three reforms evaluated by the MOD and would have seen DE&S, which directly employs around 16,000 staff, run on a for-profit basis by a private company, accountable to its shareholders, with the government retaining strategic direction and assets.

The watchdog says the GoCo offered the highest evaluated benefits but carried greater assessed implementation risks than other options.

DE&S instead became a bespoke trading entity in April 2014, a model that keeps it in the public sector but with freedom from and flexibilities over civil service pay rules. This was evaluated as a lower-risk option but with the potential to bring the

functional improvements necessary.Progress had been made in

clarifying the role of DE&S, and that of MOD head office and the Armed Forces “commands”.

There is now “a clearer separation of responsibilities between the commands, which request equipment, and DE&S as the organisation responsible for delivering equipment.”

However, the NAO says the MOD needs to demonstrate that the trading model can deliver other key improvements in performance,

including more than £6bn of savings already factored into the department’s “equipment plan”.

The report recommends that the department should set “realistic performance measures” to ensure DE&S makes genuine improvements in acquisition. DE&S should set it its own metrics to ensure managed service providers are offering value for money by measuring their progress in enhancing skills and capabilities.

■■ ■Reforming■defence■acquisition:■bit.ly/NAO_acq

■■ NAO:■“realistic■performance■measures”■needed

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arch 20157DEFENCE BUDGET

RUSI predicts further sharp falls in numbers of service personnel

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THE BRITISH Army could see the number of its soldiers fall to 50,000 by the end of the decade – the fewest in 250 years – says a new report from an influential defence think-tank.

Entitled Mind the Gap: The MoD’s Emerging Budgetary Challenge, the report from the Royal United Services Institute has analysed the budget plans of the main political parties and produced “pessimistic” and “optimistic” forecasts on the implications for the military.

In the former scenario, the MOD would face a 10% real-terms cut in its budget over the next four years, with overall numbers of service personnel falling from 145,000 to 115,000. This estimate includes the 50,000 figure

for the Army, whose service personnel are being cut from 102,000 to 82,000 under current plans.

Even under the optimistic scenario – in which defence is given the same level of funding protection as health and schools – the defence share of GDP will have fallen by a third from 2.6% in 2010 to 1.75% by 2019. This implies a reduction in military service personnel from 145,000 to 130,000.

“Since 2010, the bulk of real-terms cuts in spending have been felt in the personnel budget, with numbers of service and civilian personnel being cut by 17% and 28% respectively,” says report author and RUSI research director Professor Malcolm Chalmers.

“This concentration of cuts on the

personnel budget will be harder to achieve in a further round of cuts. Planned increases in pension and national insurance contributions, together with growing salary costs, will increase the pressure on personnel numbers.”

In the context of wider austerity, the increases in spending necessary to keep pace with growth and maintain defence spending at the NATO-mandated 2% of GDP are “not plausible”, says Chambers.

“The government is not yet convinced that strategic security risks are high enough to justify an exemption for defence from austerity,” he concludes.

■■ See■www.rusi.org/MindtheGap2015

Increases in spending necessary to keep pace with growth and maintain defence spending at 2% of GDP ‘not plausible’

Red alert for your union subsARE YOUR union subscriptions deducted directly from your salary? If so, you need to act now or face a break in your Prospect membership.

The Ministry of Defence withdrew the facility to pay union subs by check-off from the end of February.

You need to switch to direct debit before 15 April to ensure you stay in Prospect.

We will write to you, and you can of course rejoin at any point, but there will be a gap in your membership.

You can switch to direct debit: ■ Online at www.prospect.org.uk/direct_debit

■ By phone on 01932 577041 ■ By downloading a form from https://library.prospect.org.uk//download/2014/01563

MAKE SURE YOU’RE NOT A SITTING DUCKPlease read this leaflet if your Prospect subscriptions are paid out of your salaryThe government is advising all departments to withdraw the facility for union members to pay their subscriptions directly from their salary. Prospect is asking all members in this position to switch to direct debit to ensure they: stay in Prospect keep their voice at work and keep their access to advice, representation and legal support.

Easy ways to set up a direct debitOnline at www.prospect.org.uk/direct_debitPhone on 01932 577041Complete the form overleaf and send to: Prospect, Freepost RTHG-URYE-ASKU, Flaxman House, Gogmore Lane, Chertsey, KT16 9JS

DD DAY

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NEWS8

Published by Prospect, New Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN

DefenceEye editor: Andrew Child E andrew.child@prospect.org.uk T 020 7902 6681

Printed by: College Hill Press

Gloucester date for MOD group conferenceREPS FROM all MOD branches will debate issues directly affecting members at work and decide future negotiating priorities at Prospect’s MOD group conference in Gloucester from June 9-10.

“It’s an opportunity to get your voice heard and to influence the union,” said Steph Marston, the union’s lead MOD negotiator.

“The atmosphere is friendly and open, and although there are differences of opinion, everyone

has the same aim: to make sure that Prospect is a respected and effective advocate for specialist and professional staff within the department, its agencies and trading funds.”

Numbers are limited but every branch is entitled to send a certain number of delegates.

■ Find out more by contacting your branch or emailing defence@prospect.org.uk.

Navy’s new stealth ship moves a step closerA CONTRACT worth £859m to move the Royal Navy’s next generation Type 26 Global Combat Ship into the “demonstration phase” has been announced by defence secretary Michael Fallon.

An order for 13 of the “stealth” ships, to replace the Type 23 frigate, is seen as crucial in sustaining the UK’s sovereign ability to design and build complex warships.

To this end Garry Graham, Prospect deputy general secretary, wrote to the defence secretary at the end of last year, seeking assurances after suggestions by first sea lord Sir George Zambellas that the contract for building the Type 26 could go abroad amid spiralling costs.

In a written Commons statement Fallon said good progress had been made on all aspects of the “assessment phase” and that the next phase would take effect from 1 April.

The demonstration phase will safeguard 1,700 jobs, including 600 on the Clyde. It will continue

detailed design work and invest in shore-based testing facilities.

It will also provide a degree of certainty to suppliers by purchasing key initial equipment for three vessels such as gas turbines and steering gear.

“In parallel, we will continue work, better to understand the programme schedule, cost and risk,” the statement continued.

“This approach draws on key lessons from the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier programme by ensuring that the ship design is sufficiently mature, the supply chain is fully mobilised early in the programme to de-risk material supply, and a full joint analysis of programme risk is completed before awarding a build contract.”

On current planning the “manufacture phase” will start in 2016 with scheduled delivery to the Royal Navy in 2022.

US CUTS LEAD TO WITHDRAWAL FROM THREE UK AIR BASESTHE US Air Force is to pull out of three UK air bases, which currently employ around 500 civil servants, by 2019/20 as part of its programme to save £320 million a year across Europe.

The affected bases are RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, where a KC-135 tanker fleet is based, and RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire, which host communication stations.

Prospect has called for the consequences for civilian employees to be assessed and consulted on as soon as possible. Reps will report to members and take feedback on concerns throughout the process.

The US Department of Defense said the drawdowns would be partially offset by basing two squadrons of F35 jets – 48 in total – at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk by 2020.

■■ F-16■fighters■with■a■KC-135■Stratotanker■from■the■100th■Air■Refueling■Wing,■RAF■Mildenhall

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