Air base may be home to squadron

A new squadron could be stationed at a Shropshire air base as part of a bid to protect the RAF from attack on operations overseas, it has been announced.

An extra 184 personnel are being recruited and an additional RAF Regiment Field Squadron and RAF Force Protection Wing Headquarters are being established to help ease pressures caused by ongoing involvement in Afghanistan, Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell announced.

The squadron will be based either at RAF Shawbury or RAF Leuchars in Fife, with a decision to be taken in the autumn after a study is completed.

In a written ministerial statement, Mr Rammell said recruitment and training for an additional 184 personnel had already begun, with the units set to be formed in October and deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick in April 2011.

"The RAF Regiment provides essential protection to our air assets and armed forces serving on operations in Afghanistan," Mr Rammell said.

"The new RAF Force Protection Wing Headquarters and Regiment Field Squadron will increase the time that their personnel spend between operational deployments, will bring harmony levels more into line with guidelines and will have a positive effect on retention of skilled personnel."

The RAF Regiment's role is to protect deployed air bases, keeping personnel, equipment and infrastructure safe from ground-based threats.