The opening of a new building extension at RAF Valley is heralding fresh economic investment in the Anglesey area, while helping boost training capabilities for the military aircrew of the future.
The new Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) building is part of a £175m investment by the MOD into the delivery of basic flight training within UKMFTS, the UK’s military flying training system.
The SDSR building will house a Texan dome simulator scheduled to arrive at RAF Valley later this year, additional instructors and other facilities for basic flying training. The existing facility has also been upgraded to provide increased mission planning capacity and improved facilities for trainees, instructors and other staff. The SDSR project is designed to increase basic flight training throughput of trainee pilots by almost 50%.
Virginia Crosbie, MP for Ynys Môn formally opened the building, before taking a guided tour of the new facilities. She said:
“RAF Valley is a huge part of the island community and to invest £175m into it has widespread benefit across the island, not just in jobs and skills, but in other areas like retail and services. Anglesey remains a crucial part of our defence as we invest to safeguard our skies. Nothing highlights this more than expanded pilot training in these uncertain times.”
Ascent Flight Training was appointed in 2008 to design and deliver a modern and efficient flying training system by the UK MOD. It was created as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin UK and Babcock International.
