Pressure is mounting on the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to come clean on the future of RAF Leuchars after it emerged not a penny of capital investment has been spent at the base to prepare for the promised arrival of the army.
It’s almost 10 months since Liam Fox announced the closure of Leuchars in its present form and that it would be used to house thousands of troops returning to the UK from deployment in Germany instead.
Typhoons from Leuchars are due to be move to RAF Lossiemouth in Moray from next year, with the RAF leaving Leuchars completely by 2015.
However, following a Freedom of Information request by The Courier, the MoD has confirmed no capital investment has yet been made in preparation for the arrival of the army at RAF Leuchars and no Typhoon-related capital investment has been carried out at RAF Lossiemouth in connection with the planned relocation of aircraft.
By contrast, £2.3m has been spent on mission-specific Typhoon infrastructure at RAF Leuchars, following a £40m investment in the main runway.
The Courier understands there is growing concern that the costs of moving the army back from Germany, the cost of moving from Leuchars and re-equipping Lossiemouth and further pressure on the Treasury to make more cuts have reduced the chances of Leuchars being developed as an army base on the scale proposed last summer.
Meanwhile, a fresh question mark hangs over the future of Leuchars following a report that armed forces cuts could bring an end to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell told The Courier that a wholesale basing review was ongoing.
He said:”In the course of the last few days I have spoken to both ministers and senior military officers.
”I have been assured that the basing review is ongoing and thorough and that the results will be announced at the earliest possible date.
”I am as impatient as anyone to establish the future of the base at Leuchars and have continued to make clear that early decisions are necessary.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said the basing review was ongoing and would not be drawn on its contents. A timescale for the review being made public had not been made. The spokesman said no further information on the review was available.