A CLEARER picture of how many of RAF Lyneham's 3,500 staff are expected to move over to Brize Norton could be known by February, said Group Captain Ray Lock.

Gp Cpt Lock, who leaves his post as commander of the base tomorrow, said an early development plan for Brize Norton is expected to be unveiled to senior staff in the new year and will provide the first indication of squadrons moving over to the Oxfordshire base, before the run-down of Lyneham in 2012.

"This will give us an early feel for the actual timescale of a move over," said Gp Cpt Lock. "It will enable some of our squadrons to start preparing for the move and to see how they will fit in over there, although it's still very much a case of waiting to hear the full implications of the MoD's plans."

The Ministry of Defence announced plans in July to close RAF Lyneham after a spending review.

Lyneham employs 750 civilian workers and 2,500 air force personnel. As a result of the closure, 580 jobs at the base look likely to be lost.

Lyneham's more modern J-Class planes are scheduled to be moved to Brize Norton by 2005, while the 26-strong fleet of older K-Class Hercules looked set to be retired.

But there have been suggestions that the K-class could be kept on, while the new generation of A400M aircraft are being built.

Still performing a valuable role at Lyneham, including flying thousands of sorties in the recent Iraq conflict, some of the K-class planes are up to 36 years old, having arrived at the station in 1967.

Gp Cpt Lock said: "Despite their age, these planes are still performing a very important role, flying missions in and out of Iraq and locations like Afghanistan and throughout Europe and although their capabilities could be met by other types of aircraft, it's fair to say that there is still a question mark over their future."

New wing tips were added to Lyneham's K-class planes last year and Gp Cpt Lock said there are also plans to update their avionics.

Despite the uncertainty still surrounding the future role of the base, Gp Cpt Lock said the mood at Lyneham remains buoyant and whereas this time last year, there was an air of trepidation, as the staff prepared for the possibility of war, the pressure has lessened, allowing crews to catch up on training and maintenance.

"It has been a hugely busy year for Lyneham," he said. "And although flights are still going out daily, we are managing to catch up on some of our other work as Christmas approaches.

"The whole base was also full of rejoicing this week, with the news that Saddam had been captured."

He added: "On a personal note, I began my operational career in 1990, just as the first Iraq conflict was about to begin. Thirteen years later, as I am about to leave Lyneham to study higher command at Shrivenham, he has been captured and it has a nice sense of finality to it.

"Everyone at Lyneham now hopes the people of Iraq can begin to rebuild their country."

Gp Capt Lock is to be followed into the driving seat at Lyneham in January by Gp Cpt Paul Oborn, a former chief of Lyneham's 24 Squadron.