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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| RAF Kinloss hit by defence cuts | RAF Kinloss hit by defence cuts |
| (18 minutes later) | |
| The RAF base at Kinloss in Moray is to bear the brunt of military budget cuts in Scotland, it has been confirmed. | The RAF base at Kinloss in Moray is to bear the brunt of military budget cuts in Scotland, it has been confirmed. |
| Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth told the House of Commons that Nimrod MR2 aircraft would be withdrawn from the base 12 months earlier than planned. | Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth told the House of Commons that Nimrod MR2 aircraft would be withdrawn from the base 12 months earlier than planned. |
| The introduction of the Nimrod MRA4 would also be delayed until 2012 for financial reasons, he said. | |
| But all three of the large RAF bases in Scotland - at Kinloss, Leuchars and Lossiemouth - will remain open. | But all three of the large RAF bases in Scotland - at Kinloss, Leuchars and Lossiemouth - will remain open. |
| However, the Kinloss announcement could see part of the base essentially put in "cold storage" to save money, the BBC understands. | However, the Kinloss announcement could see part of the base essentially put in "cold storage" to save money, the BBC understands. |
| The cuts are part of a UK-wide review by the Ministry of Defence. | The cuts are part of a UK-wide review by the Ministry of Defence. |
| Mr Ainsworth also said the UK's force of Harrier jump jets would be cut by one squadron, with the remainder of the aircraft being moved to RAF Wittering, resulting in the closure of RAF Cottesmore. | |
| There will be a further reduction of one or two squadrons of either Harrier or Tornado jets, with the exact composition to be decided at the next defence review. RAF Lossiemouth is the RAF's largest Tornado GR4s base. | |
| Mr Ainsworth had previously announced that 22 new Chinook helicopters will be ordered over the next 10 years for operations in Afghanistan. | Mr Ainsworth had previously announced that 22 new Chinook helicopters will be ordered over the next 10 years for operations in Afghanistan. |