THE Royal Air Force is to withdraw its last combat-aircraft units from Germany by 2002 with the closure of RAF Bruggen and the relocation to the UK of its four Panavia Tornado squadrons.
The decision to end the RAF presence in Germany was announced in the 1996 Statement on the Defence Estimates.
RAF Laarbruch, home to two British Aerospace Harrier GR7 squadrons, is to close in 1999 - a decision originally taken in 1994, but now reconfirmed.
The end of the RAF presence in Germany is a result of the end of the Cold War. No decision has been taken as to where the six units will be relocated in the UK.
Source: Flight International
