The trial, which begins on Tuesday 1 July 2008 for around six weeks, will extend the planned flight-time from the UK to Afghanistan by three hours, and from Afghanistan to the UK by one and a half hours. But it is hoped that it will reduce the overall time personnel spend in theatre.
The airbridge provides a consistent and reliable service, moving large numbers of personnel and material into hostile environments under difficult conditions and over strategic distances. Indeed from April 2007 to April 2008, 72 per cent of the airbridge flights to and from Afghanistan were on time or delayed for less than one hour. However the MOD is looking to significantly improve the Service.
The aim of the trial is to determine whether or not longer-term adjustments can be made to the Op HERRICK airbridge in order to increase its capacity, and therefore deliver overall benefits both for Operational Commanders and individuals.
The trial will focus on the contribution made by the RAF's Tristar Fleet, and a key element entails altering the airbridge routing so that aircraft make an additional stop (in both directions) at RAF Akrotiri (in Cyprus) to refuel and change crew en-route.
The opportunity is also being taken to capture data on weight, baggage space, catering etc, to enable a thorough assessment to be made about potential future benefits and changes. The trial is timed so that sufficient data and evidence can be gathered to be statistically valid, before the next planned roulement (which is when the Airbridge is typically under greatest stress).
Although the trial will necessitate extended flying times, the MOD asks for understanding while these conditions apply, as it is believed they will lead to benefits downstream.
If the aircraft experiences a delay during the extra stops, passengers will be deplaned and fed, if circumstances warrant and in line with existing practice, if the delay is serious enough, passengers will be accommodated overnight whilst an alternative airlift is sourced.
The expectation is that the trial will demonstrate overall greater levels of robustness and hence reliability. By making the additional stop we should be able to carry greater payloads (due to shorter flying legs) and by making the additional crew change, we should reduce the chances of crew workload being a limiting factor on airbridge operations.
The revised routing could enable the RAF to transport up to 125 more passengers per week during a roulement, which could shorten this process by up to two weeks and help maintain a typical operational tour length of six months for the majority of personnel serving in Afghanistan.
Officer Commanding 216 Squadron Wing Commander Steve Chadwick, who operate the Tristars which carry personnel on the airbridge, said:
"The personnel of RAF Brize Norton are committed to delivering the most efficient Strategic Airbridge and as the Officer Commanding 216 Squadron I am delighted to be leading this trial of alternative Op HERRICK routing with the aim of achieving more reliable and shorter RiPs (relief in place) and, therefore, shorter tours of duty.
"My crews are acutely aware that the trial will result in an extension of the journey times and they will do all they can to mitigate any further delays. But we sincerely believe that the future benefits are that personnel will arrive home from Theatre a number of days earlier."
Staff at the Permanent Joint Headquarters should receive a report of the trial in September 2008, after which time results will be analysed. If clear benefits are demonstrated, a revised routing could be implemented for the HERRICK roulement in spring 2009.
The MOD is committed to significant investment in equipment for the Operational Airbridge, acquiring a range of aircraft - a fifth and sixth C17 as well as A400M and Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA). These will replace existing VC10, Tristar and C130K fleets.
In addition, RAF Brize Norton's passenger handling and other support facilities will be upgraded over the next five years and Defence Minister for Equipment and Support Baroness Taylor recently cut the turf for the state-of-the-art hangar and support facilities at RAF Brize Norton in support of the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme.