Military base revamp amid £300m training boost

Two military bases are set to undergo major revamps to boost training for crew, thanks to a £300m contract.

The eight-year deal to deliver rear crew training for the Royal Navy and RAF is being rolled out at RNAS Culdrose, near Helston, Cornwall and RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire.

At RNAS Culdrose, some of the money will be spent on a new squadron building, revamped King Air Avenger training aircraft and new simulators.

Air Cdre Rob Caine: "For Culdrose, it's an investment in the infrastructure, the people, their training capabilities, the synthetics, the aircraft themselves, the engineering and the local community."

He added: "I think it's going to be worth £9.5m for the local economy so it's going to be a really fantastic change from doing fantastic training now to getting it ready for the future."

Lt Cmdr Phil Clarke said the aircraft will be fitted with "technologies that are at the forefront of what we're using on the frontline".

"Not only so they can go to those squadrons that they need to go to now but also as a foundation for the future and ahead of any emerging technology which may come in," he added.

Between 120 and 140 rear crew will be trained annually between the two sites as part of the contract.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].