James Gray: "Not scaremongering"

He said: "At the moment I am picking up straws in the wind about the future of Lyneham and I am extremely concerned.

"We need to begin moves to stop the closure of the base now because it would be too late trying to save it once the government has made up its mind to close it.

"I am not scaremongering - we have to do our fighting now."

Replacement plane

Mr Gray said he first began to hear concerns about RAF Lyneham when talks were opened about where to base the new A400M transport plane, which will replace some of the ageing Hercules fleet.

There are about 2,500 service personnel based at Lyneham, as well as 750 civilian staff.

Mr Gray added: "It has been said the base contributes about �18m towards the local economy.

"If it is lost, it would leave a major hole in the middle of this constituency."

Mr Gray is asking for a parliamentary debate on the issue and has already submitted up to 30 written questions to armed forces minister Adam Ingram.

According to newspaper reports, the review will begin in a few weeks and will be led by Air Marshal Sir Anthony Bagnall.

'Future role'

Brize Norton is the base for the VC10 passenger fleet and is used by the Royal Family and the prime minister.

More than 3,000 RAF personnel and more than 600 civilians are employed at the base.

St Mawgan, which boasts about 1,000 personnel, is associated with Nimrod anti-submarine aircraft and with air-sea rescue services in the South West.

A MoD spokeswoman said the review was "a normal part of our planning process".

"It is a cost-effectiveness review examining their future role," she said.

RAF spokesman Tom Draper said work was continuing as usual at the base although there was an air of uncertainty.

Flight Lieutenant Draper said: "We put millions and millions into the local economy so it would definitely have some effect locally.

"We're just getting on with the job and carrying on but we've heard nothing definite at the moment."