WITH reference to your article last week on the possible closure of RAF Lyneham, may I offer the following:

Any campaign, whose objective would be to keep RAF Lyneham as a transport base, would have to organise its structure and resources in a professional way.

Historically, there is not much comfort for campaigners. Since the introduction of the C130 fleet in 1967, two RAF bases have closed, RAF Thorney Island in Hampshire and RAF Colerne. Campaigns were carried out then, but did not prevent their change of use; however damage was minimised as both continued to have a military presence; Thorney Island is now Brown Barracks and Colerne is an army training base.

I have worked on all three C130 bases and I have learned that closing a station has little or no effect on aircraft tasking, or the strategic mission. Campaigners have to focus in on the purpose and advantage, (to MoD), of the proposed closure, if it comes to that.

My view is that three main issues commonly appear in the campaigners' agenda against station closures, impact on the local community, nostalgia, and rationalisation, economy and financial necessity of closure.

Impact on the local community is worrying to those affected, but not to defence chiefs and ministers whose deliberations of the defence budget will not embrace local protest. Nostalgia is not firm ground on which to fight a sensible campaign. Realistically it makes no strategic or economical sense whatever we feel about it.

That leaves the necessity of closure. Paradoxically, this is the campaigners' most useful tool. They have to come up with financial counter proposals, which will provide a satisfactory alternative. Give defence chiefs a scenario for the positive aspects of Lyneham remaining open, and more importantly, show how they might save money. Such a proposal would include elements of the A400M fleet and where it would be based.

This will require input from professional people including accountants, military planners, and our MP James Gray who has made an energetic start to the campaign. However some of his reasons are emotional which, I fear, will not melt the hearts of the MoD.

RAF Lyneham could share the fate of many RAF stations closed since the war; it has been the natural result of a decline in RAF strength and changes in strategic mission. To reverse this trend for Lyneham will consequently require a determined and reasoned campaign culminating in a sound alternative to closure. This would include the future role of both Lyneham and Brize Norton and possibly St Mawgan, where the MP Paul Tiler is proposing that the Wiltshire bases close in preference to St Mawgan.

If people in this area really want to keep Lyneham for the C130 fleet they must identify with the campaign, declare ownership of the objective, and fully support all the able people who can win the day. It is simply a question of how much practical energy people are prepared to commit, to compliment the robustness of their vocal protest.

PAUL MORAN

Salisbury Close

Chippenham