RAF Brize Norton
Encyclopedia
RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire
, about 65 mi (104.6 km) west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force
. It is close to the settlements of Brize Norton
, Carterton
and Witney
.
The station is home to Air Transport, Air-to-Air refuelling and Military Parachuting, with aircraft operating from the station including the Hercules, C-17 Globemaster
, TriStar
and VC10
.
Major infrastructure redevelopment began in 2010 ahead of the forthcoming closure of RAF Lyneham
in 2012, at which point Brize Norton will become the sole air point of embarkation for British troops.
By the end of June 2011 all flying units from RAF Lyneham had moved to RAF Brize Norton.
tension was escalating and the United States envisaged stationing nuclear bombers in the United Kingdom as a deterrent to Soviet aggression.
By 1950 the USAF Strategic Air Command
(SAC) was based at RAF Lakenheath
, RAF Marham
, and RAF Sculthorpe
. The increasing tension of the Cold War
led to a re-evaluation of these deployments and by 1953 SAC bombers began to move further west, behind RAF fighter forces, to Brize Norton, RAF Greenham Common
, RAF Upper Heyford
, and RAF Fairford
. As with the other stations it occupied, SAC invested heavily in extending the runway (6000 foot), taxiways and dispersals, as well as constructing accommodation and weapons handling facilities. This work was completed in April 1951. The base was assigned to the 7th Air Division and operated by the 3920th Air Base Group (renamed as the: 3920th Combat Support Group; and the 3920th Strategic Wing in 1964. The 3920th ceased operations in 1965.
The first major USAF deployment was that of 21 Convair B-36 Peacemaker bombers in June 1952. B-29s and KB-29s were based at Brize Norton on temporary duty from December 1952 to April 1953.
In September 1953, B-47E Stratojet 6-engined bombers deployed to Brize Norton accompanied by KC-97G boom-equipped tankers and were based there until 1955, when repair work began on the runways. B-47 Stratojets returned in July 1957. Later deployments included KC-97 and KC-135 tankers and the first B-58
and B-52B bombers to land in the UK.
On 1 July 1960, a PVO Strany MiG-19 shot down an RB-47H (AF Serial No. 53-4281) reconnaissance aircraft based at Forbes AFB, Kansas
operated by the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, operating from RAF Brize Norton, was shot down in the international airspace over the Barents Sea
with four of the crew killed and two captured by the Soviets but released in 1961. The details can be found in a 1962 book named The Little Toy Dog by William L. White
.
In 1965 the RAF returned to Brize Norton and both 10 Squadron
and 53 Squadron
moved from RAF Fairford
in May 1967.
10 Squadron
reformed in 1966 with the Vickers VC10
C.1, a RAF version which was a standard VC10 with the Super VC10 wings, tailplane and engine as well as a strengthened floor. 14 were produced which were later modified with underwing AAR
refuelling pods to refuel two aircraft at once. The C.1 type was changed to C.1(K) to reflect this new tanking capability. On 14 October 2005, 10 Squadron was disbanded, the aircrew and aircraft were merged with 101 Squadron
.
53 Squadron
operated the Short Belfast C1
heavy lift turboprop freighter until it was disbanded in 1976.
In 1970 two squadrons 99 Squadron
and 511 Squadron
operating the Bristol Britannia
moved from RAF Lyneham
. Both squadrons were disbanded in 1976.
In 1976 115 Squadron
moved from RAF Cottesmore
operating the Hawker Siddeley Andover in the radar calibration role. The squadron moved to RAF Benson
in 1983.
101 Squadron
reformed at Brize Norton on 1 May 1984, it previously operated the Avro Vulcan
and participated in the Operation Black Buck
missions of the Falklands War
. 101 Sqn flew converted civil VC10s, heavily modified and updated by British Aerospace
for military service between 1983 and 1993. Of the 39 airline aircraft acquired by the RAF, 13 were converted, while the remainders were used for spare parts. These converted VC10s were all 3-point tankers; capable of refuelling one aircraft (typically another large aircraft) using the main hose or two smaller aircraft using the underwing pods. The variants were known as K.2, K.3 and K.4.
Following the Falklands War, the RAF found itself lacking in the strategic transport capabilities required to sustain the expanded military presence there. As a result 216 Squadron
was reformed at Brize Norton in November 1984, initially flying six ex-British Airways TriStars, followed by three more from Pan-Am.
On 23 May 2001 the RAF's first C-17
arrived at Brize Norton, one of six to be delivered to 99 Squadron
.
On 19 September 2005, Brize Norton was closed as part of a major upgrade project. The runway was completely resurfaced [runway length: 10007 ft] and new ground lighting and equipment installed to meet Category II operation standards; the first RAF airfield to receive this designation. Rotary Hydraulic Arrestor Gear
(RHAG) was also installed to allow Brize Norton to become the Military Emergency Diversion Airfield (MEDA) for the southern UK, as part of the plans to close the current one at RAF Lyneham.
With the closure of RAF Lyneham taking place in late 2011, the repatriation of British personnel was relocated to Brize Norton on the 8th of September 2011. To accommodate the repatriation services, a purpose-built centre has been constructed and an exit gate has been refurbished, formally named Britannia Gate.
, Faslane Naval Base
, RAF Lakenheath
, and Menwith Hill) RAF Brize Norton has been subject to limited protests by peace demonstrators.
During the 2003 Iraq War four anti-war protesters managed to access the main runway in an attempt to prevent aircraft taking off.
A peace camp
was held at the base from 21 to 25 April 2005, along with a demonstration in nearby Carterton.
On 12 August 2006, campaigners restricted access at the main entrance for several hours in a protest against British policy in the Middle East.
in September 2011 will signal Brize Norton becoming the sole "Air Point of Embarkation", the main operating base for RAF air transport and in-air refuelling aircraft, and home to 15% of RAF uniformed manpower. All the RAF's fixed wing transport assets will then be consolidated at Brize Norton, with the transfer of the entire Hercules
force, together with the entry into service of the Atlas
and the Voyager
.
To accommodate this expansion (with the number of aircraft stationed at Brize Norton increasing from 28 to 67), a major infrastructure redevelopment, "Programme Future Brize" was established in 2009. The project involves the overhaul of virtually every element of the airfield's infrastructure, including IT, engineering, housing and personnel.
By March 2011, 70 buildings had been refurbished on the station. As part of work to prepare for the introduction of Voyager aircraft into active service, a new hangar and office complex was opened in the same month.
The Hercules fleet at RAF Lyneham officially moved to Brize Norton on 1 July 2011. The final four aircraft flew to the station, conducting a flypast over Wiltshire. Group Captain John Gladston, Station Commander of RAF Lyneham, flew the lead Hercules, which carried the standards of the Hercules squadrons. These were presented to the Station Commander of RAF Brize Norton, Group Captain Dom Stamp in a welcoming ceremony.
(JADTEU) - A tri-service unit that tests and evaluates air transportation methods, and No.1 Parachute Training School RAF
.
RAF Brize Norton Flying Club resides at the base providing low cost flying for MOD personnel and training to PPL level and above. Initially operating two Cherokee aircraft today the fleet consists of two Piper Warriors painted in pseudo-"training black" (actually dark blue) to enhance visibility in line with RAF training aircraft policies.
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, about 65 mi (104.6 km) west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. It is close to the settlements of Brize Norton
Brize Norton
Brize Norton is a village and civil parish east of Carterton in West Oxfordshire. The original part of RAF Brize Norton is in the parish.-Toponym:...
, Carterton
Carterton, Oxfordshire
Carterton is the second largest town in West Oxfordshire and is about south of the A40 and south-west of Witney. The town is on the edge of the Thames Valley and on the edge of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History:...
and Witney
Witney
Witney is a town on the River Windrush, west of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.The place-name 'Witney' is first attested in a Saxon charter of 969 as 'Wyttannige'; it appears as 'Witenie' in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name means 'Witta's island'....
.
The station is home to Air Transport, Air-to-Air refuelling and Military Parachuting, with aircraft operating from the station including the Hercules, C-17 Globemaster
C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
, TriStar
Lockheed TriStar (RAF)
|-See also:-References:* Prothero, R.M. "Tristar:The answer to an operational requirement". Air International, March 1991, Vol 40 No. 3. pp. 128–134....
and VC10
Vickers VC10
The Vickers VC10 is a long-range British airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, and first flown in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long-distance routes with a high subsonic speed and also be capable of hot and high operations from African airports...
.
Major infrastructure redevelopment began in 2010 ahead of the forthcoming closure of RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton.The station was also home to No...
in 2012, at which point Brize Norton will become the sole air point of embarkation for British troops.
By the end of June 2011 all flying units from RAF Lyneham had moved to RAF Brize Norton.
US Air Force
RAF Brize Norton was opened in 1937 as a training base. By the 1950s Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
tension was escalating and the United States envisaged stationing nuclear bombers in the United Kingdom as a deterrent to Soviet aggression.
By 1950 the USAF Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) was based at RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, RAF Marham
RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Station Marham, more commonly known as RAF Marham, is a Royal Air Force station; a military airbase, near the village of Marham in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia....
, and RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe is a military training facility for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, situated about west of Fakenham in Norfolk, England...
. The increasing tension of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
led to a re-evaluation of these deployments and by 1953 SAC bombers began to move further west, behind RAF fighter forces, to Brize Norton, RAF Greenham Common
RAF Greenham Common
RAF Station Greenham Common is a former military airfield in Berkshire, England. The airfield is located approximately south-southwest of Thatcham; about west of London....
, RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
, and RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in...
. As with the other stations it occupied, SAC invested heavily in extending the runway (6000 foot), taxiways and dispersals, as well as constructing accommodation and weapons handling facilities. This work was completed in April 1951. The base was assigned to the 7th Air Division and operated by the 3920th Air Base Group (renamed as the: 3920th Combat Support Group; and the 3920th Strategic Wing in 1964. The 3920th ceased operations in 1965.
The first major USAF deployment was that of 21 Convair B-36 Peacemaker bombers in June 1952. B-29s and KB-29s were based at Brize Norton on temporary duty from December 1952 to April 1953.
In September 1953, B-47E Stratojet 6-engined bombers deployed to Brize Norton accompanied by KC-97G boom-equipped tankers and were based there until 1955, when repair work began on the runways. B-47 Stratojets returned in July 1957. Later deployments included KC-97 and KC-135 tankers and the first B-58
B-58 Hustler
The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
and B-52B bombers to land in the UK.
On 1 July 1960, a PVO Strany MiG-19 shot down an RB-47H (AF Serial No. 53-4281) reconnaissance aircraft based at Forbes AFB, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
operated by the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, operating from RAF Brize Norton, was shot down in the international airspace over the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
with four of the crew killed and two captured by the Soviets but released in 1961. The details can be found in a 1962 book named The Little Toy Dog by William L. White
William Lindsay White
William Lindsay White , American journalist, was the son of newspaper editor William Allen White. White grew up in Emporia, Kansas, went to the nearby University of Kansas, and then transferred to and graduated from Harvard College. After completing his course of studies at Harvard, he succeeded...
.
Royal Air Force
No. 10 Squadron RAF
No. 10 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron. The squadron served in a variety of roles over its 90 year history...
and 53 Squadron
No. 53 Squadron RAF
-History:No. 53 squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Catterick on 15 May 1916. Originally intended to be a training squadron, it was sent to France to operate reconnaissance in December that year. The squadron was equipped with BE2Es—swapped for the RE8 in April 1917...
moved from RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in...
in May 1967.
10 Squadron
No. 10 Squadron RAF
No. 10 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron. The squadron served in a variety of roles over its 90 year history...
reformed in 1966 with the Vickers VC10
Vickers VC10
The Vickers VC10 is a long-range British airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, and first flown in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long-distance routes with a high subsonic speed and also be capable of hot and high operations from African airports...
C.1, a RAF version which was a standard VC10 with the Super VC10 wings, tailplane and engine as well as a strengthened floor. 14 were produced which were later modified with underwing AAR
Aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
refuelling pods to refuel two aircraft at once. The C.1 type was changed to C.1(K) to reflect this new tanking capability. On 14 October 2005, 10 Squadron was disbanded, the aircrew and aircraft were merged with 101 Squadron
101 Squadron
101 Squadron or 101st Squadron may refer to:* No. 101 Squadron RAF, a unit of the United Kingdom Royal Air Force* 101 Squadron , a unit of the Israeli Air Force* 101 Squadron , a unit of the Portuguese Air Force...
.
53 Squadron
No. 53 Squadron RAF
-History:No. 53 squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Catterick on 15 May 1916. Originally intended to be a training squadron, it was sent to France to operate reconnaissance in December that year. The squadron was equipped with BE2Es—swapped for the RE8 in April 1917...
operated the Short Belfast C1
Short Belfast
The Short Belfast is a heavy lift turboprop freighter built by Short Brothers at Belfast. Only 10 were built for the British Royal Air Force with the designation Short Belfast C.1. When they were retired by the RAF, five went into civilian service with the cargo airline HeavyLift Cargo Airlines...
heavy lift turboprop freighter until it was disbanded in 1976.
In 1970 two squadrons 99 Squadron
No. 99 Squadron RAF
No. 99 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a bomber squadron in both first and second world war. At present it operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III from RAF Brize Norton, the RAF's air transport hub. The squadron was the first RAF unit to receive the Avro Aldershot, Handley Page Hyderabad,...
and 511 Squadron
No. 511 Squadron RAF
No. 511 Squadron was a Royal Air Force transport squadron, active during World War II, the Berlin Airlift and during the sixties and early seventies. It operated, during its three periods of existence, aircraft such as the Douglas Dakota, the Avro York, the Handley Page Hastings and the Bristol...
operating the Bristol Britannia
Bristol Britannia
The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
moved from RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton.The station was also home to No...
. Both squadrons were disbanded in 1976.
In 1976 115 Squadron
No. 115 Squadron RAF
No. 115 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron during World War I. It was then equipped with Handley Page O/400 heavy bombers. During World War II the squadron served as a bomber squadron and after the war it flew in a similar role till 1958, when it was engaged as a radio calibration unit...
moved from RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore was a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station housed all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing...
operating the Hawker Siddeley Andover in the radar calibration role. The squadron moved to RAF Benson
RAF Benson
RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force station near Benson in South Oxfordshire, England. It is home to the Royal Air Force's support helicopters, the Aérospatiale Puma and the EH-101 Merlin, known as the Puma HC.Mk 1 and the Merlin HC.Mk 3 and Mk 3a....
in 1983.
101 Squadron
No. 101 Squadron RAF
No. 101 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Vickers VC10 C1K, K3 and K4 from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. Since 10 Squadron disbanded in 2005, the squadron is the only operator of the VC10.-Formation and early years:...
reformed at Brize Norton on 1 May 1984, it previously operated the Avro Vulcan
Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan, sometimes referred to as the Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, was a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A V Roe & Co designed the Vulcan in response to Specification B.35/46. Of the three V bombers produced,...
and participated in the Operation Black Buck
Operation Black Buck
During the Falklands War, Operations Black Buck 1 to Black Buck 7 were a series of seven extremely long-range ground attack missions by Royal Air Force Vulcan bombers planned against Argentine positions in the Falkland Islands...
missions of the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
. 101 Sqn flew converted civil VC10s, heavily modified and updated by British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
for military service between 1983 and 1993. Of the 39 airline aircraft acquired by the RAF, 13 were converted, while the remainders were used for spare parts. These converted VC10s were all 3-point tankers; capable of refuelling one aircraft (typically another large aircraft) using the main hose or two smaller aircraft using the underwing pods. The variants were known as K.2, K.3 and K.4.
Following the Falklands War, the RAF found itself lacking in the strategic transport capabilities required to sustain the expanded military presence there. As a result 216 Squadron
No. 216 Squadron RAF
No. 216 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Lockheed Tristar K1, KC1 and C2 from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.- History :216 Squadron was formed at RAF Manston by re-numbering No. 16 Squadron RNAS when the RAF was established in 1918, hence it is always spoken of as 'two-sixteen Squadron'...
was reformed at Brize Norton in November 1984, initially flying six ex-British Airways TriStars, followed by three more from Pan-Am.
On 23 May 2001 the RAF's first C-17
C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
arrived at Brize Norton, one of six to be delivered to 99 Squadron
No. 99 Squadron RAF
No. 99 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a bomber squadron in both first and second world war. At present it operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III from RAF Brize Norton, the RAF's air transport hub. The squadron was the first RAF unit to receive the Avro Aldershot, Handley Page Hyderabad,...
.
On 19 September 2005, Brize Norton was closed as part of a major upgrade project. The runway was completely resurfaced [runway length: 10007 ft] and new ground lighting and equipment installed to meet Category II operation standards; the first RAF airfield to receive this designation. Rotary Hydraulic Arrestor Gear
Arresting gear
Arresting gear, or arrestor gear, is the name used for mechanical systems designed to rapidly decelerate an aircraft as it lands. Arresting gear on aircraft carriers is an essential component of naval aviation, and it is most commonly used on CATOBAR and STOBAR aircraft carriers. Similar systems...
(RHAG) was also installed to allow Brize Norton to become the Military Emergency Diversion Airfield (MEDA) for the southern UK, as part of the plans to close the current one at RAF Lyneham.
With the closure of RAF Lyneham taking place in late 2011, the repatriation of British personnel was relocated to Brize Norton on the 8th of September 2011. To accommodate the repatriation services, a purpose-built centre has been constructed and an exit gate has been refurbished, formally named Britannia Gate.
Protests
Like many UK military bases (e.g. RAF FairfordRAF Fairford
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in...
, Faslane Naval Base
HMNB Clyde
Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy...
, RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, and Menwith Hill) RAF Brize Norton has been subject to limited protests by peace demonstrators.
During the 2003 Iraq War four anti-war protesters managed to access the main runway in an attempt to prevent aircraft taking off.
A peace camp
Peace camp
Peace camps are a form of physical protest camp that is focused on anti-war activity. They are set up outside military bases by members of the peace movement who oppose either the existence of the military bases themselves, the armaments held there, or the politics of those who control the bases...
was held at the base from 21 to 25 April 2005, along with a demonstration in nearby Carterton.
On 12 August 2006, campaigners restricted access at the main entrance for several hours in a protest against British policy in the Middle East.
Programme Future Brize redevelopment
Brize Norton is already a major airbase for the RAF's transport fleet. However, the end of flying from RAF LynehamRAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton.The station was also home to No...
in September 2011 will signal Brize Norton becoming the sole "Air Point of Embarkation", the main operating base for RAF air transport and in-air refuelling aircraft, and home to 15% of RAF uniformed manpower. All the RAF's fixed wing transport assets will then be consolidated at Brize Norton, with the transfer of the entire Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
force, together with the entry into service of the Atlas
Airbus A400M
The Airbus A400M, also known as the Atlas, is a multi-national four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military as a tactical airlifter with strategic capabilities. The aircraft's maiden flight, originally planned for 2008, took place on 11 December 2009 in...
and the Voyager
Airbus A330 MRTT
The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport is an aerial refuelling tanker aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330-200. The A330 MRTT has been ordered by the Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Air Force , United Arab Emirates Air Force, and Royal Saudi Air Force...
.
To accommodate this expansion (with the number of aircraft stationed at Brize Norton increasing from 28 to 67), a major infrastructure redevelopment, "Programme Future Brize" was established in 2009. The project involves the overhaul of virtually every element of the airfield's infrastructure, including IT, engineering, housing and personnel.
By March 2011, 70 buildings had been refurbished on the station. As part of work to prepare for the introduction of Voyager aircraft into active service, a new hangar and office complex was opened in the same month.
The Hercules fleet at RAF Lyneham officially moved to Brize Norton on 1 July 2011. The final four aircraft flew to the station, conducting a flypast over Wiltshire. Group Captain John Gladston, Station Commander of RAF Lyneham, flew the lead Hercules, which carried the standards of the Hercules squadrons. These were presented to the Station Commander of RAF Brize Norton, Group Captain Dom Stamp in a welcoming ceremony.
Operations
The station is home to the Administrative wing, Airport of Embarkation Wing, Depth Support Wing, Forward Support Wing and Operations Wing. Lodger units are the RAF Police, Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation UnitJoint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit
The Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit is located at RAF Brize Norton and comprises 124 [Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Civil Service] personnel commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel....
(JADTEU) - A tri-service unit that tests and evaluates air transportation methods, and No.1 Parachute Training School RAF
No.1 Parachute Training School RAF
No.1 Parachute Training School RAF is a Royal Air Force training unit that was initially based at RAF Ringway, now Manchester Airport and is currently based at RAF Brize Norton. It was formed at Ringway on 21 June 1940 as the Central Landing School and from 1 October 1940 it was designated as the...
.
RAF Brize Norton Flying Club resides at the base providing low cost flying for MOD personnel and training to PPL level and above. Initially operating two Cherokee aircraft today the fleet consists of two Piper Warriors painted in pseudo-"training black" (actually dark blue) to enhance visibility in line with RAF training aircraft policies.
Squadrons and aircraft
- No. 24 Squadron RAF - Hercules C4 & C5
- No. 30 Squadron RAFNo. 30 Squadron RAFNo. 30 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the second generation C-130J Hercules from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The squadron operates alongside No. 24 Squadron and No. 47 Squadron all flying the Hercules.-History:...
- Hercules C4 & C5 - No. 33 Engineering Squadron RAF - Engineering for Lockheed C-130 Hercules (all variants)
- No. 47 Squadron RAFNo. 47 Squadron RAFNo. 47 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Hercules from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.-First formation:No. 47 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed at Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire on 1 March 1916 as a home defence unit, protecting Hull and East Yorkshire against attack by German...
- Hercules C1, C3, C4 & C5 - No. 99 Squadron RAFNo. 99 Squadron RAFNo. 99 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a bomber squadron in both first and second world war. At present it operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III from RAF Brize Norton, the RAF's air transport hub. The squadron was the first RAF unit to receive the Avro Aldershot, Handley Page Hyderabad,...
- C-17 GlobemasterC-17 Globemaster IIIThe Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout... - No. 101 Squadron RAFNo. 101 Squadron RAFNo. 101 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Vickers VC10 C1K, K3 and K4 from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. Since 10 Squadron disbanded in 2005, the squadron is the only operator of the VC10.-Formation and early years:...
- VC10 C1(K), K3 & K4Vickers VC10The Vickers VC10 is a long-range British airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, and first flown in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long-distance routes with a high subsonic speed and also be capable of hot and high operations from African airports... - No. 216 Squadron RAFNo. 216 Squadron RAFNo. 216 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Lockheed Tristar K1, KC1 and C2 from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.- History :216 Squadron was formed at RAF Manston by re-numbering No. 16 Squadron RNAS when the RAF was established in 1918, hence it is always spoken of as 'two-sixteen Squadron'...
- TriStar K1, KC1 & C2/C2ALockheed TriStar (RAF)|-See also:-References:* Prothero, R.M. "Tristar:The answer to an operational requirement". Air International, March 1991, Vol 40 No. 3. pp. 128–134.... - No 4624 (Movements) Squadron RAuxAF
- No. 501 (OS) Squadron RAuxAF
Former operational RAF units and aircraft
- No. 10 Squadron RAFNo. 10 Squadron RAFNo. 10 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron. The squadron served in a variety of roles over its 90 year history...
(1967–2005) - Vickers VC10Vickers VC10The Vickers VC10 is a long-range British airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, and first flown in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long-distance routes with a high subsonic speed and also be capable of hot and high operations from African airports... - No. 53 Squadron RAFNo. 53 Squadron RAF-History:No. 53 squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Catterick on 15 May 1916. Originally intended to be a training squadron, it was sent to France to operate reconnaissance in December that year. The squadron was equipped with BE2Es—swapped for the RE8 in April 1917...
(1967–1976) - Short Belfast C1Short BelfastThe Short Belfast is a heavy lift turboprop freighter built by Short Brothers at Belfast. Only 10 were built for the British Royal Air Force with the designation Short Belfast C.1. When they were retired by the RAF, five went into civilian service with the cargo airline HeavyLift Cargo Airlines... - No. 99 Squadron RAFNo. 99 Squadron RAFNo. 99 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a bomber squadron in both first and second world war. At present it operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III from RAF Brize Norton, the RAF's air transport hub. The squadron was the first RAF unit to receive the Avro Aldershot, Handley Page Hyderabad,...
(1970–1976) - Bristol BritanniaBristol BritanniaThe Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire... - No. 115 Squadron RAFNo. 115 Squadron RAFNo. 115 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron during World War I. It was then equipped with Handley Page O/400 heavy bombers. During World War II the squadron served as a bomber squadron and after the war it flew in a similar role till 1958, when it was engaged as a radio calibration unit...
(1976–1983) - Armstrong Whitworth ArgosyArmstrong Whitworth AW.660 ArgosyThe Armstrong Whitworth Argosy was a British post-war military transport/cargo aircraft and was the last aircraft produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft...
, Hawker Siddeley Andover - No. 296 Squadron RAFNo. 296 Squadron RAFNo. 296 Squadron RAF was an airborne forces squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. With sister squadrons 295 and 297 it formed 38 Wing, which later expanded to create No. 38 Group RAF.-With the Airborne Forces:No...
(1943–1944) - Armstrong Whitworth AlbemarleArmstrong Whitworth AlbemarleThe Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle was a British twin-engine transport aircraft that entered service during the Second World War.Originally designed as a medium bomber that could be built by non-aviation companies without using light alloys, the Albemarle never served in that role, instead... - No. 297 Squadron RAFNo. 297 Squadron RAFNo 297 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was notable for being the first airborne forces squadron formed. With sister No 296 Squadron it formed No 38 Wing RAF -soon to be expanded with sister No 295 Squadron, which expanded later to become No 38 Group RAF.-Formation and World War...
(1944) - Armstrong Whitworth AlbemarleArmstrong Whitworth AlbemarleThe Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle was a British twin-engine transport aircraft that entered service during the Second World War.Originally designed as a medium bomber that could be built by non-aviation companies without using light alloys, the Albemarle never served in that role, instead... - No. 511 Squadron RAFNo. 511 Squadron RAFNo. 511 Squadron was a Royal Air Force transport squadron, active during World War II, the Berlin Airlift and during the sixties and early seventies. It operated, during its three periods of existence, aircraft such as the Douglas Dakota, the Avro York, the Handley Page Hastings and the Bristol...
(1970–1976) - Bristol BritanniaBristol BritanniaThe Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire... - No 241 Operational Conversion Unit RAF - Training and checking crews for Belfast, Britannia and VC10