The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 03 February but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the… read more
From: First published: 3 February 2017 Part of: A series of improvements are being carried out on the A64 this month, which will improve safety for drivers. Contractors for Highways England will begin a number of projects which include rene… read more
The Minister visited some of the aircraft and met with personnel stationed at the base. RNAS Culdrose is the heart of the naval air fleet, where naval aviators train. The base is an important part of the programme, which will deliver the two Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers, the largest warships ever built in the UK and from which the UK’s new F-35B Lightning II jets will fly.
After visiting the Merlin training facility, the Defence Minister saw the Dummy Flight Deck, designed to train QEC aircraft handlers among others, where she witnessed live training exercises. The skilled aircrew and engineers at the base specialise in anti-submarine warfare and Airborne Surveillance and Control.
It was an honour to visit one of Europe’s largest helicopter bases and meet the men and women behind its success. The state-of-the art facilities are helping to test and safeguard our maritime aircraft capacity.
The base provides 3,000 civilian and military jobs and is one of the biggest single-site employers in Cornwall, pumping £100m into the local economy every year, bringing welcome regional investment.
Many of the Merlins based at Culdrose will be fitted with the Crowsnest system, as announced recently in a £269 million deal. The system will act as the eyes and ears for the Royal Navy’s ships, providing long range air, maritime and land detection and tracking capability. Crowsnest is an important step in the ambitious carrier programme, which will be vital to protect the new vessels.
A weapon being loaded onto the Merlin Weapons Systems Trainer. Crown Copyright.It was a privilege to welcome the Defence Minister to Culdrose this week, and to discuss the vital role its people continue to play in the defence of our nation. She visits at a very important time for us; whilst we continue to deliver our primary roles of protecting the Nuclear Deterrent and supporting Counter Terrorism, we are also getting ready to defend the Royal Navy’s Carrier Task Groups.
HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Nation’s new flagship, will sail into Portsmouth Harbour this year and Naval Air Power will be at the forefront of this nation’s deployed capabilities. It is essential that we at RNAS Culdrose are ready to play our important role in this exciting new venture. Indeed, aircraft from 820 Naval Air Squadron, will be the very first to land on the flight deck of the new carrier.
The Minister also visited A&P Group and World Fuels at Falmouth docks. A&P support and maintain the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s four Bay Class ships, one of which is currently stationed in The Gulf. Last year the ships conducted operations in the Caribbean and Mediterranean.
read moreI am delighted to be in Falmouth, which has a vital ship repair capability, sustaining jobs and part of a UK-wide carrier effort.
Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin has visited Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, home of the Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopters. read more
3 February 2017 Gordon Aikman, who raised £500,000 for MND research and successfully campaigned for a doubling of the number of MND nurses in Scotland, has died. Gordon worked for the Labour Party in the Scottish Parliament and was the Director of Research at Better Together, making a massive contribution to Scotland. You can donate to MND Scotland here. Below is a comment from Kezia Dugdale following the announcement of Gordon’s death: “I am utterly bereft. Although we all knew time was precious, Gordon’s death comes as a shock. “I have lost a best friend and the world has lost a man who made it a better place. I will keep Gordon’s husband Joe and all his family in my thoughts and prayers. The wedding of Gordon and Joe was one of the happiest days of my life. I will treasure those memories. “I will miss Gordon’s smile, his laugh, his energy, his brilliant dance moves and terrible singing voice, and his positive outlook on life despite the hand he was dealt towards the end. I will miss his advice and I will miss campaigning with him to advance the causes dear to us. But most of all I will miss just spending time with my friend. “All of us in the Labour Party will be forever grateful for his commitment to our movement, particularly during his time working in the Scottish Parliament and his pivotal role in the Better Together campaign. His death will be mourned by all those who had the pleasure to work alongside him. “Although we grieve for Gordon, we must not allow our sadness to erase the many happy memories we have of his time with us. To respond to his MND diagnosis by raising more than £500,000 for research into this horrible disease so that others don’t have to suffer like he did should inspire us all. “Gordon’s constant determination to do good for others was an antidote to a world so full of fear and anger. I hope that will be his legacy.”