Page 15 - issue19.04.2019
P. 15
Royal Air Force News Friday, April 19, 2019 P15
News
News bulletin
Forces charities Triple Typhoon scramble
in the firing line
MILITARY CHARITIES are
closing down faster than at counters Putin bombers
anytime over the last decade,
according to researchers.
A probe by the Directory of
Social Change predicts that one in
10 good causes supporting Forces
families could fail by 2020.
The survey reveals that
nationally the Forces charity
sector shrank by just under five
per cent in the six months between
January and July last year.
In Scotland twice as many
groups are closing down than
are opening and the number of
association branches across the
UK has slumped by 25 per cent
since 2012.
Forces in Mind charity chief
Air Vice-Marshal Ray Lock said:
“There is a common myth that
there are too many Armed Forces
charities. This report shows that
this is untrue.”
Gibraltar cops Simon Mander hours before Foreign Ministers and escort Russian aircraft that
airspace
gathered in Washington to mark
international
transit
are Rock solid RAF FIGHTER jets were 70 years since Nato was founded. within proximity to the UK’s area
of interest and continue to be on
scrambled to monitor two
At the summit, the Alliance’s
Russian bombers for the new Secretary General Jens call every day.”
third time in eight days amid Stoltenberg told the US Congress At the Washington summit,
indicating rising tensions that the alliance would need to Ministers agreed new measures to
between Nato and Vladimir deal with a ‘more assertive’ Russia. beef up security in the Black Sea
Putin’s government. It was the third time in eight region and strengthen support for
Typhoons from RAF days that RAF Quick Reaction Georgia and Ukraine.
Lossiemouth and a Brize Norton- Alert pilots responded to Russian They also discussed Russia’s
based Voyager air-to-air refuelling bombers ongoing violation of the
tanker were sent to intercept Typhoons intercepted two Intermediate-Range Nuclear
the Tupolev Tu-160 aircraft, long-range bombers of the same Forces (INF) Treaty but drew back
nicknamed ‘Blackjacks,’ flying type over the North Sea at from deploying ground-launched
in international airspace the end of March and nuclear missiles in Europe.
off the northeast coast of escorted them from the NATO MISSION: Voyager tanker deployed The Secretary General
A TEAM of police officers from Britain. UK’s area of interest. to support two Typhoons tracking Blackjacks welcomed fairer burden-sharing
Gibraltar scooped an RAF air safety The British fighters And two days earlier in the Alliance including four
award for tackling a traffic accident monitored the visitors, jets were scrambled but also monitored by Russians last consecutive years of rising
which threatened to close the which did not enter UK not required to intercept month in a move believed to have investment which he said will
island’s only runway. territorial airspace, but left other Russian aircraft. been a response to RAF missions. see European Allies and Canada
Members of the Police Red heading north. A US B52 After the latest incident, the adding $100 billion dollars to
Section were presented with the The incident flying out of Ministry of Defence said: “The their defence spending by the end
award by RAF Gibraltar station occurred just Fairford was RAF routinely identify, intercept of next year.
chief Wg Cdr John Kane.
JARTS star Clem takes
a bow at Boscombe
Staff Reporter
BROLLY GOOD
AIRCRAFT RECOVERY expert FELLOW: WO
WO Clem Cleminson bowed out Cleminson (left),
of the RAF this month, after 38 with Chief of
Staff Wg Cdr Vin
years service. Thomas, inset
He was given a long- right, leaving
established bowler hat send- station with his
off by colleagues at Boscombe wife Heather
Down – home to the Air Force
Joint Aircraft Recovery and
Transportation Squadron
(JARTS) where he has spent
the last 10 years, leading
salvage operations all over the
world.
He donned the traditional
bowler hat and brolly for his
entry to Civvy Street and was
towed to the station gates on
board an old military chopper
used to train JARTS engineers.