Europe's largest air fete cancelled again
Organisers of the largest military air show in Europe said today the event will be cancelled this year due to operational duties surrounding the war on terrorism.
The annual Air Fete is held RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, UK, home to the only United States Airforce (USAF) refuelling wing based in Europe.
Last year the event was cancelled due to operations in Afghanistan.
The air fete celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2001, drawing its largest ever crowd of 550,000.
Colonel Donald Lustig, commander of the 100th Air Refuelling Wing, said: “We look at many factors before hosting Air Fete.
“An important aspect again this year was our operations tempo which has required our aircraft and personnel to be deployed for missions, including support for Operation Enduring Freedom.”
The local community has recently expressed concerns that the show in which more than a hundred aircraft take part, could be an easy target for terrorists.
Colonel Lustig added: “We also listened to local community concerns and based our decision on their interests as well.”
A spokesman for the USAF, said: “Community concerns are important to us, but the main reason for not holding it is because of the operations tempo.”
The wing’s KC-135 Stratotankers are responsible for refuelling US, NATO and allied aircraft in 93 countries.
Colonel Lustig added: “It was a difficult decision to make, but in the end we could not guarantee the calibre of event that people expect of Air Fete at RAF Mildenhall.”
The event was cancelled in 1999 due to operations in Kosovo, as well as last year.
It will not take place in 2004 due to a runway construction project.
