RAF Fairford
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| RAF Fairford | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: FFD - ICAO: EGVA | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | United States Air Force | ||
| Serves | Fairford | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 286 ft (87 m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 09/27 | 9,994 | 3,046 | Asphalt |
RAF Fairford (IATA: FFD, ICAO: EGVA) is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is currently classified as a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as a base for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in 1991.
RAF Fairford is the only TransOceanic Abort Landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle in the UK. As well as having a sufficiently long runway for a shuttle landing (the runway is 3 km long), it also has NASA trained fire and medical crews stationed on the base. [1]
RAF Fairford is also the home of the Royal International Air Tattoo, an annual air display. The Air Tattoo is one of the largest airshows in the world, with the 2003 show recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest military airshow ever, with an attendance of 535 aircraft.
Contents |
[edit] History
RAF Fairford was constructed at the height of World War II in 1944 to serve as a base for British and American troop carriers and gliders for the D-Day invasion of Normandy. In 1950, as a result of the beginning of the Cold War, the the base was transferred to the U.S. Air Force for strategic bomber operations. In order to facilitate long range bomber operations a 10,000-foot runway was constructed.
The runway was completed in 1953, and served as a forward airbase for the first Convair B-36 Peacemaker aircraft from Carswell Air Force Base, Texas. The base later received B-47s which were maintained at a heightened state of alert because of increased tensions with the Soviet Union.
Following a period of transition, Fairford was chosen in 1969 as the British test center for the Concorde Aircraft. The Concorde was tested at RAF Fairford until 1979, when the U.S. Air Force returned with a squadron of KC-135 Stratotankers. These tankers would play a major role in supporting the attack on Libya in 1986. The KC-135s were withdrawn in 1990 and the base was returned to standby status.
Due to RAF Fairford's location and infrastructure, the airbase is designated as a forward operating location for the U.S. Air Force. In this capacity it was used in the first Gulf War in 1991, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and during the 2003 Iraq War. During these three conflicts, the airbase was the home to American B-52, B-1 Lancer, and KC-135 aircraft, and their support personnel. In recent years the airfield has been used by American B-2 Spirit stealth bombers.
Due to increased operational levels, RAF Fairford underwent a $90 million upgrade of its runway and fuel bunkers in the largest American military construction project within a NATO country since the end of the Cold War. This worked last from 2000 through 2002.
RAF Fairford is used as one of many Transatlantic Abort Landing sites located in western europe for the NASA Space Shuttles.
[edit] USAF Units
On 14 January 2004, the 420th Air Base Group (420 ABG) was established at RAF Fairford to improve the control of its geographically separated units, (GSUs), that had been aligned beneath the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall. These units are assigned to bases at RAF Fairford, RAF Croughton, RAF Alconbury, RAF Molesworth and RAF Menwith Hill. The 420 ABG reported directly to 3rd Air Force until 26 May 2004, when the 38th Combat Support Wing (38 CSW) was established at Sembach Annex, Germany to provide oversight on its behalf.
On May 12, 2005, USAFE activated the 501st Combat Support Wing, with headquarters at RAF Mildenhall, to provide support to its GSUs in the United Kingdom. The Airmen of the 501st CSW focus on units that, by their nature, are separated from main operating bases of Royal Air Forces Mildenhall and Lakenheath. A command staff of about 30 people are assigned.
The 420th ABG and the 424th Air Base Squadron are presently responsible for the day to day operations of RAF Fairford, ensuring that it is provided with the resources it needs to meet command standards for mission execution.
[edit] See also
- List of RAF stations
- United States Air Forces in Europe
- United States Air Force in the United Kingdom
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Unofficial RAF Fairford website
- World Aero Data airport information for EGVA
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|---|---|
| ACTIVE BASES: | RAF Alconbury (USAFE) • RAF Barford St John (USAFE) • RAF Blenheim Crescent (USAFE) • RAF Croughton (USAFE) • RAF Fairford (USAFE) • RAF Feltwell (USAFE) • RAF Lakenheath (SAC/USAFE) • RAF Menwith Hill (USAFE) • RAF Mildenhall (SAC/USAFE/AMC) • RAF Molesworth (SAC/USAFE) • RAF Upwood (USAFE) • RAF Welford (USAFE) |
| INACTIVE BASES: | RAF Bentwaters (USAFE) • RAF Burtonwood (AFMC) • RAF Chelveston (SAC/USAFE) • RAF Chicksands (USAFSS) • RAF Daws Hill (SAC) • RAF Greenham Common (SAC/USAFE) • RAF Manston (USAFE) • RAF Sculthorpe (SAC) • RAF Shepherds Grove (USAFE) • RAF Upper Heyford (SAC/USAFE) • RAF Wethersfield (USAFE) • RAF Woodbridge (USAFE) |
| ACTIVE ORGANIZATIONS: | United States Air Forces in Europe • HQ Air Command Europe • Third Air Force • 48th Fighter Wing (USAFE) • 100th Air Refueling Wing (USAFE) • 501st Combat Support Wing (USAFE) |
| PAST ORGANIZATIONS: | Sixteenth Air Force |
