Shock as 108 jobs axed at RAF Kinloss

‘Hammer blow’ to Moray base

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UNION chiefs today described the loss of more than 100 jobs at RAF Kinloss in Moray as a “hammer blow”.

The 108 staff are employed at RAF Kinloss by aerospace contractors Cobham, carrying out skilled work, including engineering and maintenance of operations.

Lyn Turner, Unite regional industrial officer, said: “The loss of more than 100 skilled jobs at RAF Kinloss is a hammer blow for the workers affected and the local economy.

“We are extremely disappointed given that the prospect of these workers, many of whom are local residents with families to support, being able to redeploy their niche skills elsewhere into the local economy are next to nothing.

“It is in an isolated location and the local economy needs it to be operating at maximum capacity.”

It emerged last month that RAF Kinloss would be hit by military cutbacks in Scotland.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth told the House of Commons that Nimrod MR2 aircraft will be withdrawn from RAF Kinloss 12 months earlier than planned.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said that Cobham performed “depth maintenance” on the Nimrod MR2 fleet under sub-contract from BAE Systems.