A Ministry of Defence website in North Wales has turn into a regional restore centre for US Air Pressure plane parts, aiming to chop prices and enhance availability throughout Europe.
The initiative, referred to as Atlantic Eagle, is run out of the DE&S Deca facility at MOD Sealand and helps plane together with the C-130 Hercules and KC-135 Stratotanker.
Quite than returning broken components to america, parts now arrive at RAF Mildenhall and are transferred to Sealand for restore. The work contains diagnostics, reconditioning and testing of crucial avionics techniques.
To this point, DE&S Deca engineers have accomplished profitable repairs on Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) items and ARC-164 radio transmitters. Officers on each side describe the undertaking as a check case for extra built-in sustainment between allied forces.
Ian Doughty, Performing Chief Government of DE&S Deca, stated: “The Atlantic undertaking represents a big shift in army logistics, proving that regional experience can ship world-class outcomes whereas strengthening worldwide defence relationships.”
The programme has two tracks. The primary includes bodily restore of plane components. The second focuses on the event of check programme units that enable interoperability between UK and US upkeep techniques.
Two DE&S Deca apprentices, Jack Vaughn and Jimmy Stanley-Bratley, have been a part of the workforce. Stanley-Bratley, a third-year apprentice, stated: “Being skilled up on the TACANs has helped develop my skillset. Assembly the US workforce was a fantastic expertise, particularly attending to faucet into their experience and information.”
Earlier this 12 months, a US Air Pressure Sustainment Heart delegation visited MOD Sealand and permitted the ability’s capability to conduct repairs on the subassembly stage. Tiffany Williams, Atlantic Eagle Motion Officer for the US Air Pressure, stated this implies repairs can now be dealt with regionally with out further US assist.
The programme started with a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between Lieutenant Common Tom Miller of the US Air Pressure and Vice Admiral Rick Thompson of the UK’s Defence Gear & Help.
Vice Admiral Andy Kyte, Chief of Defence Logistics and Help, stated: “Atlantic Eagle exemplifies the perfect of our transatlantic defence partnerships. By establishing DE&S Deca as a ahead restore hub, we’re lowering prices and enhancing plane availability for our American allies whereas showcasing the abilities of our British workforce.”
A follow-on initiative, often called GENUS FALCON, is now being developed to broaden the method. It goals to make Sealand a long-term logistics and sustainment node for US and NATO plane working throughout Europe.