RAF Cosford, located on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border near Albrighton, is currently home to the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering which provides training for aircraft engineering officers and tradesmen across the three British armed forces.

The announcement has been criticised by the union representing civilian workers on the Shropshire base.

In 2009 the future of RAF Cosford looked bleak when RAF St Athan was awarded a £14 billion contract to become the principal training centre for all three armed forces.

The project was later scrapped due to it no longer being cost effective.