RAF MILDENHALL, SUFFOLK-Organizers of RAF Mildenhall's annual Air Fete have decided against hosting Europe's largest military-sponsored air show this year.

The event, typically held over the last weekend in May, drew its largest crowd ever last year with more than 550,000 people and 143 aircraft from 14 countries participating.

"We look at many factors before hosting Air Fete," said Col. Donald Lustig, 100th Air Refueling Wing commander. "An important aspect this year was our operations tempo which has required our aircraft and personnel to be deployed a good deal since Sept. 11 last year."

As the only American aerial refueling wing based in Europe, the KC-135s at Mildenhall are responsible for refueling U.S., NATO and allied aircraft within a 13 million square mile area from the Northern tip of Norway to South Africa.

Much like our reasons to cancel Air Fete in '99 due to the Kosovo situation, the unpredictability of the ongoing war on terrorism had increased the operations tempo for not only us but many of our sister services and allies.

Another deciding factor was the lack of available parking on the installation. In past years operational missions at RAF Mildenhall were suspended during Air Fete, but with the increased operations tempo that isn't an option this year. Ongoing operations restrict parked vehicles within operational mission resources, such as aircraft and taxiways.

Additionally, construction on RAF Mildenhall has decreased available areas. "Although we won't have the pleasure of hosting Air Fete this year, we have had numerous requests to take part in the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. We plan to participate in these events to the maximum extent possible, in recognition of our close ties with Her Majesty's government and the British people," Lustig said.

"It was a difficult decision to make and took a few months to review all of our avenues to bring this annual showcase event to Britain, but in the end we could not guarantee the caliber of event that people expect of an Air Fete at RAF Mildenhall."

Planning has now shifted to focus on the 2003 Air Fete. There will be no show in 2004 because of a scheduled runway construction project.

TSgt. Theresa A. McCullough

100th ARW Public Affairs.