Background

In 2015, it was announced that RAF Mildenhall would close in 2019, later extended to no earlier than 2027. That decision was reversed in 2020 when RAF Mildenhall was deemed "crucial to operational efficiency" by the United States Air Forces in Europe. Prior to the reversal, the 352 Special Operations Wing had abstained from planning and development at RAF Mildenhall in favor of planning for relocation to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. Facilities aged, maintenance was minimized, and several buildings fell out of compliance with anti-terrorism/force protection, basic health, safety and welfare requirements. Band-aid solutions offered only short-term fixes.

Challenge

With RAF Mildenhall being retained, Woolpert was tasked to complete a campus development plan that provided a framework for a modern and consolidated special operations campus for the 352 SOW. When the 352 SOW moves to its own campus, the current SOW real estate vacated will provide unique opportunities for RAF Mildenhall’s host wing, the 100th Air Refueling Wing.

Solution

The 352 SOW CDP and 100 ARW Area Development Plan are the result of a collaborative planning process with multiple stakeholders and included virtual interviews and data collection, draft submittals, development concepts for three alternatives, virtual charrettes, preferred alternative development and on-site review.

To meet tight MILCON programming timelines, the plans were completed in unison with nine concurrent planning charrette reports. Both efforts were tightly coordinated and served to inform each other. By completing the plans and PCRs concurrently, the team provided a realistic, accurate and implementable plan with detailed phasing, construction schedules and cost estimates.

Outcome

The capital improvement plan for the preferred alternative increases mission readiness and unit efficiencies through consolidation and modernization of 352 SOW facilities into a new SOW campus. Although AFI32-1015 splits implementation into three phases, 352 SOW CDP stakeholders agreed on a two-phase implementation plan to better align with projects.

CIP phase 1 moves the current CV- 22 operations and support functions from the north side of the airfield to the south to consolidate the 352 SOW campus. This phase also includes airfield pavement and facilities associated with the beddown of a future mission airframe. Phase 2 consolidates and modernizes the MC-130J operations and support functions within the new 352 SOW campus. The CIP includes the following plan components: demolition and regulating plans; building guidelines; street, parking and landscape standards; and DD Form 1391s and cost estimates.

Benefits

The CDP, ADP and PCRs improve 352 SOW and 100 ARW command and control, provide purpose-built facilities that foster professionalism and effective operations, improve readiness in support of the National Defense Strategy, and ensure that valuable RAF Mildenhall real estate is not lost through inefficient development. The 352 SOW CDP and 100 ARW ADP are critical for bringing RAF Mildenhall up to date as an enduring 21^st-century installation.

Client
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

Location
Royal Air Force (RAF) Mildenhall, U.K.

Challenge
Provide framework for modern, consolidated campus

Solution

• Develop CDP for 352 SOW
• Create ADP for 100 ARW
• Complete PCRs for RAF Mildenhall

 Services

• Planning
• Programming
• Virtual charrettes