The landscape in Leuchars is changing as a project to demolish decommissioned fuel tanks at the RAF base gets under way.
The Bulk Fuel Installation (BFI) consists of three tanks capable of holding 323,000 litres of aviation fuel.
A further six tanks are located underground.
The BFI has been part of the station’s landscape since the 1970s.
The tanks are now surplus to requirements and work to dismantle them is due to be completed by the end of March.
The station commander, Air Commodore Harry Atkinson, said, “This project is being undertaken as part of the annual maintenance programme at RAF Leuchars the necessary work that goes on behind the scenes for the care and maintenance of the station.
“Since we have become the RAF’s second main operating base for Typhoon aircraft there have been a number of changes to the landscape here at Leuchars the demolition of these fuel tanks is another.”‘World-class’Despite speculation over its future, Air Commodore Atkinson said a range of exciting developments are taking place at Leuchars.
“Projects are ongoing in order to provide the necessary infrastructure to sustain our new Typhoon aircraft,” he said.
“These include a new-build Typhoon ejection seat maintenance facility, a refurbished logistics centre and an engine servicing facility to maintain the high-performance Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engines that power these world-class aircraft.”
The current demolition work is being overseen by a specialist team from the Royal Engineers.
The prime contractor is Turner Facilities Management and the sub-contractor is SafeDem.
As well as the tanks, additional material such as pipes and concrete will be removed and, where possible, reused.
Air Commodore Atkinson said all the work will be completed in line with Scottish Environment Protection Agency standards.