RAF Lakenheath
| Royal Air Force Lakenheath | |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | |
 | |
| Type | Air Force Base |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Air Force |
| Site history | |
| In use | April 1947 - present |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders | Brigadier General John Hesterman |
| Garrison | Third Air Force |
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RAF Lakenheath (IATA: LKZ, ICAO: EGUL) is a NATO airfield located near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. It is home to the United States Air Force 48th Fighter Wing. Also known as the Liberty Wing.
48th Fighter Wing
The 48th Fighter Wing is also designated the Air Force’s Statue of Liberty Wing, and is the only USAF wing with both a numerical designation and an official name. Since its activation at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base France on 10 July 1952 the Liberty Wing has been one of the premier fighter wings of the United States Air Forces in Europe, spending its over 50-year existence as part of USAFE. The 48th FW has nearly 5,700 active-duty military members, 2,000 British and U.S. civilians, and includes a geographically separated unit at nearby RAF Feltwell.
Tactical squadrons of the 48th Operations Group are:
- 492d Fighter Squadron (F-15E)
- 493d Fighter Squadron (F-15C/D)
- 494th Fighter Squadron (F-15E)
Aircraft of the 48th FW carry the tail code "LN".
In addition to supporting three combat-ready squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft, the Liberty Wing houses the 56th Rescue Squadron’s HH-60G Combat Search and Rescue helicopters.
RAF Lakenheath and its sister base RAF Mildenhall are the two main U.S. Air Force-operated base in United Kingdom, and the 48th Fighter Wing is the only U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) F-15 fighter wing.
Nuclear Weapons Storage
Part of the 48th FW mission is the deployment of about 110 tactical B61 nuclear bombs using F-15E aircraft. The B61 nuclear bombs are stored in vaults inside the base's Hardened Aircraft Shelters using the WS3 Weapon Storage and Security System, and are the only tactical nuclear weapons still stored in the United Kingdom.[1][2]
Note: The United States Government neither confirms or denies the presence of nuclear weapons at RAF Lakenheath.
History
The first use of Lakenheath Warren as an airfield was in World War I when the area was made into a bombing and ground-attack range for aircraft flying from elsewhere in the area. It appears to have been little used and was abandoned when peace came in 1918.
World War II
In 1940, the Air Ministry selected Lakenheath as an alternative satellite for RAF Mildenhall and was first used as a decoy airfield. Prior to actual construction, false lights, runways and aircraft diverted Luftwaffe attacks from the nearby RAF Mildenhall.
Hard runways were put down with the main runway, 05-23, being 2,000 yards, and the subsidiaries, 12-30 at 1,300 yards and 17-35 at 1,400 yards. At a later date, another 100 yards was added to runway 17-35. Hardstands for 36 aircraft were built along with two T-2s and a B-1 hangar. One T-2 was on the technical site and the other hangars to the east across the A1065 Mildenhall-Brandon road were reached by taxiways.
Lakenheath Airfield was initially used by RAF flying units on detachment late in 1941. As planned, the station soon functioned as a Mildenhall satellite with Stirling bombers of No. 149 Squadron being dispersed from the parent airfield as soon as conditions allowed. The squadron had exchanged its Vickers Wellingtons for Stirlings late in 1941 and after becoming fully operational with its new aircraft, the squadron moved into Lakenheath in April 1942 and remained in residence until 1944.
Taking part in more than 350 operations, of which more than half involved mine-laying, 149 Squadron had one of the lowest percentage loss rates of all the Stirling squadrons. One of No. 149's Stirling pilots, Flight Sergeant Rawdon Middleton, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour on the night of November 28/29, 1942 when he sustained serious face wounds from shell-fire during a raid on Turin. Despite great pain and loss of blood, he determinedly brought the damaged aircraft back to the coast of southern England. With fuel nearly exhausted his crew were ordered to bail out, Middleton was killed when the Stirling, BF372 OJ-H, crashed in the English Channel.
In early 1943 three T-2 hangars were erected on the north side of the airfield for glider storage, some 40 Horsa Gliders being dispersed at Lakenheath during that year.
In June 1943 No. 199 Squadron was established as a second Stirling squadron at Lakenheath. Commencing operations on 31 July, it was engaged principally in mine-laying during the winter of 1943-44. At the end of April 1944, after 68 operations, the squadron was transferred to No. 100 Group for bomber support operations moving to RAF North Creake in May 1944.
No. 149 Squadron ended its long association with RAF Lakenheath the same month, taking its Stirlings to RAF Methwold. Between them the two squadrons had lost 116 Stirling Bombers in combat while flying from Lakenheath.
The reason for the departure of the two bomber squadrons was Lakenheath's selection for upgrading to a Very Heavy Bomber airfield. Lakenheath was one of three RAF airfields being prepared to receive United States Army Air Force Boeing B-29 Superfortresses which were tentatively planned to replace some of Eighth Air Force's Third Air Division B-24 Liberator groups spring of 1945.
The work entailed removal of the existing runways and laying new ones comprising 12 inches of high-grade concrete. The main at 07-25 was 3,000 yards long, the subsidiaries, 01-19 and 14-32, both 2,000 yards, all three being 100 yards wide. Part of the A1065 road between Brandon and Mildenhall was closed and a new section built further to the east on the Warren. During the peak period of construction over 1,000 men were working on the site yet, instead of the 12 months planned, it actually took 18 months for the ground work alone and 2 1/2 years before Lakenheath's transformation was considered complete. The cost was near £2 million.
By the time construction ended the war with Germany was over and RAF Lakenheath was put on a care and maintenance status.
United States Air Force Use
Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union in Europe began as early as 1946. In November, President Harry S. Truman ordered Strategic Air Command B-29 bombers to RAF Burtonwood, and from there to various bases in West Germany as a "training deployment". In May 1947 additional B-29s were sent to the UK and Germany to keep up the presence of a training program. These deployments were only a cover-up, as the true aim of these B-29s were to have a strategic air force permanently stationed in Europe.
In April 1947 RAF Bomber Command returned to Lakenheath and had the runways repaired, resurfaced, and readied for operations by May 1948.
Strategic Air Command
In response to the threat by the Soviet Union, by the 1948 Berlin blockade President Truman decided to realign USAFE into a permanent combat-capable force. In July, B-29 Superfortresses of the SAC 2nd Bombardment Group were deployed to Lakenheath for a 90-day temporary deployment.
On 27 November 1948 operatonal control of RAF Lakenheath was transferred from the Royal Air Force to USAFE. The first USAFE host unit at RAF Lakenheath was the 7504th Base Completion Squadron, being activated that date. The squadron was elevated to an Air Base Group (ABG) on 28 January 1950 and to a Wing (ABW) on 26 September 1950.
Control of RAF Lakenheath was allocated to Third Air Force at South Ruislip Air Station which had command of SAC B-29 operations in England. Third Air Force was subsequently placed directly under USAF orders, with Strategic Air Command establishing the 7th Air Division Headquarters at RAF Mildenhall. The collocation of the two headquarters within the United Kingdom allowed HQ USAFE to discharge its responsibilities in England, while at the same time allowing Strategic Air Command to continue in its deterrent role while retaining operational control over flying activities at Lakenheath.
By 1950 Lakenheath was one of three main operating bases for the U.S. Strategic Air Command in the UK, the others were RAF Marham and RAF Sculthorpe. A succession of bombardment squadrons and wings, 33 in all, rotated through Lakenheath, the B-29s giving way to the improved B-50 Superfortresses and then, in June 1954, B-47 Stratojets.
On 1 May 1951 Lakenheath was transferred from USAFE to SAC and placed under the 3909th Air Base Group. By 1952 high security perimeter fencing was erected for security. The 3909th moved to RAF Greenham Common in 1954 and was replaced by the 3910th Air Base Group.
Known SAC units which deployed to RAF Lakenheath were:
- 830th Bombardment Squadron (1 Jun 49 - 21 Aug 49) (B-50D)
(TDY From the 509th Composite Group Walker AFB New Mexico) - 65th Bombardment Squadron (15 Aug 49 - 15 Nov 49) (B-50D)
(TDY From the 43d Bombardment Wing Davis-Monthan AFB Arizona) - 33d Bombardment Squadron (20 Nov 49 - 18 Feb 50) (B-29)
(TDY From the 22d Bombardment Wing March AFB California) - 96th Bombardment Squadron (22 Feb 50 - 12 May 50) (B-50D)
(TDY From the 2d Bombardment Wing Hunter AFB Georgia) - 301st Bombardment Wing (28 Jun 50 - 28 Nov 50) (B-29)
(TDY From Barksdale AFB Louisiana) - 97th Bombardment Wing (15 Mar 52 - 1 Apr 52) (B-50D, KC-97)
(TDY From Biggs AFB Texas) - 19th Bombardment Squadron (6 Sep 51 - 13 Dec 51) (B-29)
(TDY From the 22d Bombardment Wing March AFB California)
The increasing tension of the Cold War lead to a re-evaluation of these deployments and by 1953 SAC bombers began to move its heavy bomb groups further west, behind RAF fighter forces, to RAF Brize Norton, RAF Greenham Common, RAF Upper Heyford and RAF Fairford, while its shorter-range B-47 were sent to East Anglica.
- 43d Air Refueling Squadron (21 Mar 53 - 5 June 53) (KC-97)
(TDY From the 43d Bombardment Wing Davis-Monthan AFB Arizona) - 321st Bombardment Wing (9 Dec 54 - 9 Mar 55) (B-47, KC-97)
(TDY From Pinecastle AFB Florida) - 40th Bombardment Wing (9 Jun 55 - 9 Sep 55) (B-47, KC-97)
(TDY From Shilling AFB Kansas) - 340th Bombardment Wing (14 Sep 55 - 3 Nov 55) (B-47, KC-97)
(TDY From Whiteman AFB Missouri) - 98th Bombardment Wing (12 Nov 55 - 28 Jan 56) (B-47, KC-97)
(TDY From Lincoln AFB Nebraska) - Lakenheath Task Force (Provisional) (1 May 55 - UNK) (RB/ERB-47H) (Electronic Reconnaissance and Countermeasures)
(TDY From 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Forbes AFB Kansas) - 509th Air Refueling Squadron (26 Jan 56 - 30 Apr 56) (KC-97)
(TDY From Walker AFB New Mexico) - 307th Bombardment Wing (11 Jul 56 - 5 Oct 56) (B-47, KC-97)
(TDY From Lincoln AFB Nebraska)
Note: Many SAC Squadrons had aircraft at RAF Lakenheath on a transitotry basis without any recorded deployment to the base. For example in January 1951, a detachment of Convair RB-36D Peacemaker intercontinental bombers from the 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Travis AFB, California arrived for a few days and various tanker and transport aircraft also made periodic appearances at the base. Several of the temporary detachments included in-flight refuelling tanker aircraft.
Meanwhile on 30 April 1956 two Lockheed U-2s were airlifted to Lakenheath to form CIA Detachment A. The first flight of the U-2 was on 21 May. The Central Intelligence Agency unit did not remain long, moving to Wiesbaden Air Base West Germany on 15 June.
A near nuclear accident occurred on 27 July, 1956, when a B-47 bomber crashed into a storage igloo at Lakenheath containing three MK-6 nuclear weapons while on a routine training mission. Although the bombs involved in the accident did not have their fissile cores installed, each of them carried about 8,000 pounds of high explosives as part of their trigger mechanism. The crash and ensuing fire did not ignite the high explosives and no detonation occurred. The damaged weapons and components were later returned to the Atomic Energy Commission. The B-47 involved in the accident, which killed four crewmen, was part of the 307th Bombardment Wing.[3].
48th Fighter Wing
Following French President Charles de Gaulle's insistence in 1959 that all nuclear forces should be withdrawn from his country, the USAF began a redeployment of its forces. The 48th TFW left its base at Chaumont AB, France on 15 January 1960, its North American F-100D/Fs arriving at Lakenheath that afternoon. When the first F-100D touched down on RAF Lakenheath’s runway, the landing symbolized a return for the Statue of Liberty Wing. Almost 16 years had passed since the World War II Ninth Air Force 48th Fighter Group’s arrival at RAF Ibsley, England, for the D-Day invasion.
In conjunction with this transfer, control of RAF Lakenheath was transferred from Strategic Air Command back to USAFE. As SAC elements began their departure, the 3910th Air Base Group began its transition of handing RAF Lakenheath’s facilities and real estate over to the 48th’s Combat Support Group elements.
The tactical components of the 48th TFW upon arrival at Lakenheath were:
- 492d Tactical Fighter Squadron (LR,blue colors)
- 493d Tactical Fighter Squadron (LS,yellow colors)
- 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron (LT,red colors)
The squadron markings consisted of alternating stripes across the tailfin in squadon colors, with a shadowed "V" shaped chevron on the nose. Starting in March 1970 squadron tail codes (shown above) were added when the aircraft went from a natural finish to a Southeast Asian camoflauge motif.
East Germany’s 1961 decision to build the Berlin Wall and the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis increased Cold War tensions to an all-time high. In response, RAF Lakenheath served as a rotational base for SAC B-47 and B-52 aircraft throughout the Berlin Crisis. Also in 1962, the 48th TFW came under the operational command of Third Air Force.
Between 1963 and 1972 the wing’s F-100 fleet maintained its readiness by participating in a number of USAFE and NATO exercises.
The period between 1972 and 1977 can be described as a five-year aircraft conversion. Beginning in late 1971 the 48th TFW started its conversion to the McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II, with the aircraft being transferred from the 81st TFW at RAF Bentwaters. The conversion to the F-4D took several years, with the last F-100 departing in August 1974. With the arrival of the Phantoms, the F-4s adopted a common tail code of "LK". This tail code lasted only a few months as in July and August 1972 the 48th TFW further recoded to "LN". The F-4D carried squadron identifying fin cap colors of blue, yellow and red (492d, 493d, 494th respectivley). The squadron conversion dates were:
- 492d TFS 1 October 1971 and 31 January 1972
- 493d TFS 1 December 1971 and April 1972
- 494th TFS 1 February 1972 and 25 July 1974
The F-4's service with the 48th TFW was short as operation "Ready Switch" transferred the F-4D assets to the 474th TFW at Nellis AFB Nevada. The 474th sent their General Dynamics F-111As to the 347th TFW at Mountain Home AFB Idaho, and the 347th sent their F-111Fs to Lakenheath in early 1977.
A fourth fighter squadron, the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated with the 48th TFW on 1 April 1977 with a squadron tail color of green. This was 33 years to the day since the squadron’s inactivation. The 495th’s mission of functioning as a replacement training unit for the other three fighter squadrons made the 48th TFW unique in two ways. First, it made the 48th the only combat unit in USAFE with four squadrons. Furthermore, it made the 48th the only wing operating with its own replacement training unit. In the same year construction of the airfield's Hardened Aircraft Shelters (acronym: HAS, but commonly referred to as a TAB-VEE) began as part of a wider NATO effort.
By September 1979, the wing had flown the highest number of hours ever recorded in a fiscal year by an F-111 unit. This dedication culminated in the 48th’s performance during a joint USAFE Operational Readiness Inspection and NATO Tactical Evaluation in March 1980. As a result, the Secretary of the Air Force selected the 48th TFW for its fourth Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
In the 1980s a peace camp was located outside Lakenheath.
Operation El Dorado Canyon
Terrorist incidents such as the bombing of US Marines in Beirut (1983), TWA highjacking (1985), the ship Achille Lauro hijack (1985), had brought about an overwhelming public outcry for action. Two aircraft carriers of the United States Navy Sixth Fleet and the F-111s of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing were selected to conduct the strike. The F-111Fs from Lakenheath were chosen for their capability to fly long distances and deliver laser-guided munitions with great accuracy.
At approximately 19:00 the evening of 14 April 1986, 24 F-111Fs departed Lakenheath's runway, six of which were airborne spares in the event malfunctions forced any of the primary aircraft to abort. In flights of four, aircrews flew south through the Straits of Gibraltar and began their orchestrated attack shortly after midnight on 15 April. They were targeted on Azziziyah Barracks, the Sidi Balal terrorist training camp, and Tripoli Airport. With the sky lit up from Tripoli's city lights, anti-aircraft tracers, and brilliant surface to air missile detonations, determined 48th TFW crews unleashed 60 tons of munitions, damaging their targets. In spite of the mission's success, the Wing experienced a major loss. As the strike force recovered at Lakenheath, both air and ground crews were given the somber news that Major Fernando Ribas, pilot, and Weapons System Operator Captain Paul Lorence, were missing.
On 8 September 1986, US Navy Secretary John Lehman personally presented the Navy's Meritorious Unit Commendation to the 48th TFW for its participation in the operation. The 48th TFW is the only Air Force unit to have received this prestigious award.
Operation Desert Storm
In response to the Iraqui invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 the 48th TFW deployed more than 60 aircraft and 1,500 personnel to Taif Air Base, Saudi Arabia. The 492d, 493d and 494th TFSs deployed, supplying 66 F-111Fs, which were in place by December 1990.
During the air war 17 January though 24 February 1991, and subsequent four-day ground war of February 24 - 28, 48th TFW F-111Fs flew thousands of sorties, unleashing their lethality of precision-guided munitions on Iraqi armor, artillery, bridges, military airfields and command and control centers. 48th aircrews even stopped the flow of oil contaminating the Persian Gulf by bombing a pumping installation purposefully damaged by retreating Iraqi forces.
Overall, the 48th TFW flew a total of 1919 combat sorties, totaling 2203 target hits. All the wing’s personnel returned to RAF Lakenheath by 13 May 1991.
Post Cold War Activities
On 1 October 1991 the 48th TFW implemented the objective wing concept and was redesignated the 48th Fighter Wing, and all of its operational squadrons were also redesignated as "Fighter Squadrons". The program also realigned the maintenance-fighter squadron work force and establishing several command positions to include the logistics group, operations group, medical group and support group commanders.
Lakenheath began to receive its first McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagles in 1992. With the departure of the F-111s, the 495th FS was inactivated on 13 December 1991. On 18 December 1992 the last F-111 departed the base. Along with its departure, the 493d FS was also inactivated.
With the pending closure of Bitburg Air Base Germany on 25 February 1994 it was decided to reactivate the 493d as an F-15C/D squadron. Aircraft were transferred from Eglin AFB Florida and the 493d was reactivated on 1 January. The 493rd’s arrival meant that the 48th became the largest F-15E/F-15C composite unit in the U.S. Air Force.
Operations in the 1990s that the 48th FW particpated in were to support the no-fly zones above Iraq and later Bosnia as part of Operations PROVIDE COMFORT and DELIBERATE GUARD, operations which the squadron continues to support.
During 1995, 492nd, 493rd and 494th FS aircrews and support people deployed 330 days to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, and Aviano Air Base, Italy, to support Operations Provide Comfort and Deny Flight.
In August 1998 an F-15D (Serial 86-182) of the 493d Fighter Squadron paid a visit to Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base (now called Quartier General d'Aboville), France for an open house static display. This was the first time a Statue of Liberty Wing aircraft was at its original air base in almost 40 years.
During 1999's Operation Allied Force aircraft of the 493d FS scored four aerial victories over Serbian Mikoyan MiG-29s.
In 2003, the 48th FW received the first of 10 new F-15Es. The aircraft were part of the final batch of F-15s expected to be ordered by the USAF.
Global War on Terrorism
The task of developing a comprehensive listing of USAF units present in the area is particularly difficult following the events of September 11, 2001 and the Global War on Terrorism. The USAF seeks to improve Operations security (OPSEC) and to deceive potential enemies as to the extent of American operations, therefore a listing of which units deploying where and when is unavailable.
However, it is certain that USAFE units are currently flying missions over both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Trivia
Lakenheath has been used as a location for Tomorrow Never Dies, as the unnamed "US Air Base" in the South China Sea. Aircraft F-15Es, clearly display the "LN" tail markings giving away the true identity of the location. The credits for the film acknowledge the cooperation of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and the 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath. Pierce Brosnan was filmed at the base.
The Motto of the 48th Communications Squadron is "Can you hear me now?".
A special public viewing area is provided at the end of the runway where planes can clearly be seen taking off and landing on the main runway.
The Motto for the 494th Fighter Squadron is "Panther Cock".
See also
- List of RAF stations
- United States Air Forces in Europe
- United States Air Force in the United Kingdom
References
Some of the text in an early version of this article was taken from pages on the RAF Lakenheath website, which as a work of the U.S. Government is presumed to be a public domain resource. That information was supplemented by:
- Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM.
- Fletcher, Harry R. (1989) Air Force Bases Volume II, Active Air Force Bases outside the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799536
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 USAF Reference Series, Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
- Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
- [1] Joe Baugher's Encyclopedia of American Aircraft
- [2] USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present
- [3] Strategic-Air-Command.com
- ^ Hans M. Kristensen (February 2005), U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Europe (PDF), Natural Resources Defense Council, retrieved 2006-05-23
- ^ Col Bret T. Klassen (29 January 2007), United States Air Forces in Europe Instruction 91-125 - Nuclear Surety Staff Assistance Visit (NSSAV) AND Functional Expert Visit (FEV) program management (PDF), United States Air Forces in Europe, retrieved 2007-05-29
- ^ "Cable to Commander-in-Chief Strategic Air Command Curtis LeMay". U.S. Department of Defense. July 27, 1956. Retrieved 2006-07-05.
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