The Ministry of Defence has announced that Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose and MoD Boscombe Down will be used to launch Quick Reaction Alerts in the event of the UK being threatened by terrorists.

RNAS Culdrose is located in Cornwall, South West England. Should an air-launched terror attack be considered likely, the base would rapidly receive Royal Air Force Typhoon and Tornado fighters, which would then be launched in order to counter the threat as quickly as possible.

In this way, Culdrose is taking over the duties currently tasked to nearby RAF St. Mawgan, while Boscombe Down is taking over from Somerset’s RNAS Yeovilton.

The situation was explained further by a spokesman from the Cornish naval base. "Following the decision to transfer RAF St Mawgan to care and maintenance it has been decided that MoD Boscombe Down and RNAS Culdrose will be enabled to cover any threats to the South and South West airspaces by having available Quick Reaction Alert aircraft (QRA)”, he said.

"QRA comprises armed Tornado F3 and Typhoon aircraft held at ground readiness for immediate take-off. It provides an airborne contribution to countering threats against the UK by terrorist organisations or individuals."

"Work to prepare Boscombe Down and RNAS Culdrose is expected to be completed before RAF St Mawgan is sold", he concluded.

Officials at the Ministry of Defence have emphasised how the move is a precautionary measure, and that the Tornadoes and Typhoons would not use Culdrose and Boscombe Down as permanent bases. According to a spokeswoman, the chance of either base actually being employed for QRA is “unlikely”.

"The Quick Reaction Alert force of Tornado and Typhoon aircraft will now use RAF Boscombe and RNAS Culdrose in the extremely unlikely event that they need to be used to specifically check the south and south western airspace”, she stated, adding: “They are not going to be stationed at these bases, but will fly from there if required."

Source – Armed Forces International’s Aviation Expert

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