It is close to the villages of Brize Norton, Carterton and the town of Witney.. [17], On 18 November 2017, SA Airlink started a scheduled weekly charter from Longwood, Saint Helena to the island.[21]. 297 Squadron both moved in on 14 March 1944 with their Armstrong Whitworth Albemarles,[14] displacing the Heavy Glider Conversion Unit, which moved to RAF North Luffenham. “Developing a UK C-17 SPRO capability allows the RAF to exploit the existing capability of the C-17, opening up a new area of operation for defence now and for the future,” RAF Brize Norton said. [9] The station's first unit, No. No. [2] The first aircraft to land on Ascension Island was a Fairey Swordfish from HMS Archer in June, 1942 and it went on to be used by more than 25,000 aircraft as a staging point during the war. [1] Wideawake Airfield (named after a noisy colony of sooty terns nearby) was built by the US military in 1942 by arrangement with the British government. On 16 August, the airfield was attacked by German bombers, with 35 Oxfords and 11 Hawker Hurricanes destroyed. The station is home to Air Transport, Air-to-Air refuelling and Military Parachuting, with aircraft operating from the station including the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, Airbus A400M Atlas and Airbus Voyager which replaced the now-decommissioned Vickers VC10 in September 2013[5] and the Lockheed TriStar in March 2014. The variants were designated K.2, K.3 and K.4. The Earth Awaits calculates your cost of living around the world according to your lifestyle, family, and housing needs! 2 Service Flying Training School (2 SFTS) in September 1939, when it re-equipped with the Airspeed Oxford. Both squadrons were disbanded in 1976,[30] along with 53 Squadron, operating the Short Belfast C1 heavy lift turboprop freighter. [38] A peace camp was held at the station from 21 to 25 April 2005, along with a demonstration in nearby Carterton. [13][14], Ascension serves as a diversion airport for ETOPS aircraft crossing the Atlantic. The following information applies to all OHA tables: If only an island or country is listed, all territory within the boundaries of the island or country is included, including all offshore islands in the same general vicinity. XR808 was the first of fourteen VC 10s to enter RAF service, arriving on 7 July 1966. It’s also just a very cool flight. [71], The station featured in the 2013 observational documentary series Inside RAF Brize Norton. 38 Expeditionary Air Wing was formed at Brize Norton on 1 April 2006 to create a deployable air force structure. [16], Potholes on the runway led to the suspension in April 2017 of all Ministry of Defence South Atlantic Air Bridge Flights between RAF Mount Pleasant and RAF Brize Norton until at least 2019/2020. Both of these segments are long, and as Ascension is a “locally governing dependency” under the British crown, perhaps it counts? AKROTIRI & ASCENSION ISLAND ... RAF Brize Norton provides a coach service from the Air Terminal to Oxford Rail and Coach Station and Heathrow Airport (LHR) Terminals 1 & 5. [44] All the RAF's fixed wing transport assets were consolidated at Brize Norton, with the transfer of the entire Hercules force, together with the entry into service of the Airbus A400M and the Voyager. 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. [3], A U.S. Space Force tracking station was officially activated as a satellite of Patrick Space Force Base in Florida on 25 June 1956. A partial list of units previously based at Brize Norton. The increasing tension of the Cold War led to a re-evaluation of these deployments. For other uses, see, No. [56], The station is home to approximately 5,800 military staff, 1,200 contractors and 300 civilian staff. [28], In 1970 two squadrons 99 Squadron[29] and 511 Squadron operating the Bristol Britannia moved from RAF Lyneham. [66], The station's motto (Transire confidenter) is in Latin and translates into English as Pass through confidently, again acknowledging the station's gateway role. [17] Later deployments included KC-97 and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker and the first Convair B-58 Hustler and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers to land in the United Kingdom. [4] The Airbus A330 MRTT is operated by AirTanker Services under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft contract. [11] No. Built from 1960-1961 for anti-ballistic missile measurement, the "Golf Ball" radar antenna was on Cat Hill, and a collimation tower for radar calibration was towards English Bay. 297 Squadron also moved to Earls Colne a day later. 38 Group (Air Combat Service Support) RAF, Royal Logistic Corps (16 Air Assault Brigade, 13 Air Assault Regiment), Defence College of Logistics, Policing, and Administration (Defence Logistics School, Supply and Movements Training Wing). [12] Additionally civilian passengers had been permitted on flights to and from RAF Brize Norton with reservations handled by AW Ship Management, with some customers doing package deals combined with the RMS Saint Helena, which travelled between Saint Helena and Cape Town, South Africa until the opening of St Helena Airport to passenger flights. Passengers can book flights between RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) in England to Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands (MPN) with a refueling stop at Ascension Island (ASI). [67], RAF Brize Norton enjoys the freedom of Carterton, Exeter, and Torbay. [50], The Hercules fleet at RAF Lyneham officially moved to Brize Norton on 1 July 2011. RAF Ascension Island is normally the refuelling point for the Ministry of Defence's South Atlantic air bridge flights to RAF Mount Pleasant, on the Falkland Islands, from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, in the UK. Named Gate Guardian, the metal sculpture depicts a globe circled by four of Brize Norton's aircraft, an Atlas, a Voyager, a Globemaster and a Hercules. For specific information about how BFBS can help in your situation, contact our UK helpdesk on 0044 (0)203 750 4567 or email [email protected].. All Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxillary ships have BFBS Radio and TV services delivered. [7], The NASA Tracking Station at Devil's Ashpit and the Cable & Wireless Earth Station at Donkey Plain were built in the mid-1960s for space operations and communications, including the latter's use for transmitting "microwave borne data via the Early Bird Satellite back to the NASA facility at Andover, Maine". [18], The station was transferred from USAFE to SAC effective from 8 December 1952. These were presented to the Station Commander of RAF Brize Norton, Group Captain Dom Stamp in a welcoming ceremony. [8] The station was originally to be named RAF Carterton, given its proximity and relationship with the town of the same name, but was instead named RAF Brize Norton to avoid possible confusion with RAF Cardington in Bedfordshire. In January 2013, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-200LR en route from Johannesburg to Atlanta diverted to Ascension as a result of engine problems. 1: Survey Inspection) Transfer of Royal Air Force Station Brize Norton, England from United States Air Forces in Europe to Strategic Air Command", "VC10s and Belfasts to be Based at Brize", "How Wootton Bassett became the town that cried", "RAF Brize Norton expects 2,000 people as military repatriations return", "RAF Brize Norton ceremony marks Lyneham transfer", "Brize Norton continues its evolution into main RAF hub", "RAF Brize Norton - Programme Future Brize", "Housing shortages at Brize Norton caused by funding constraints", "New hangar opens for tanker aircraft at RAF Brize Norton", "Mixed emotions as Hercules leave RAF Lyneham", "Work starts on medical support facilities at Oxfordshire air base", "DIO opens RAF Brize Norton Tactical Medical Wing facilities - Government Opportunities", "Atlas aircraft hangar opened by Defence Minister", "RAF Regiment Squadron Receives New Standard", "RAF Voyager No13 arrives at RAF Brize Norton", "RAF Flights Fly with the RAF and meet the RMS en route", "RAF Hercules arrives in Barbados from UK", Organisation of Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit, "No.1 Parachute Training School RAF Brize Norton Freefall Progressions", "80 years of RAF Brize Norton celebrated with sculpture", "RAF Brize Norton honoured to receive Freedom of the Town of Carterton", "RAF Brize Norton granted freedom of Exeter", "RAF's biggest base to get the Freedom of Torbay", RAF Brize Norton Defence Aerodrome Manual, UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Brize Norton (EGVN), United States Air Force in the United Kingdom, United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RAF_Brize_Norton&oldid=999485473, Military units and formations established in 1937, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Headquarters No.