RAF Wyton

"QUY" redirects here. For other uses, see Quy.

Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton (IATA: QUY, ICAO: EGUY) is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and the station is now under the command of UK Strategic Command.

RAF Wyton
Near St Ives, Cambridgeshire in England
Canberra PR9 'XH170' which is RAF Wyton's gate guardian
Verum Exquiro (Latin for 'Seek the Truth')[1]
RAF Wyton Shown within Cambridgeshire
Coordinates	52°21′26″N 000°06′28″W
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	Strategic Command
Condition	Operational
Website	www.raf.mod.uk/rafwyton
Site history
Built	1915 (1915)
In use	1916 – present
Garrison information
Current commander	Wing Commander Jim Doyle
Occupants	National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) Defence Infrastructure Organisation Defence Assurance and Information Security Defence Intelligence Estates Rationalisation Team RAF Wyton Area Voluntary Band
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: QUY, ICAO: EGUY, WMO: 03566
Elevation	40.2 metres (132 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 08/26 799 metres (2,621 ft) Grass
Source: RAF Wyton Defence Aerodrome Manual[2]

RAF Wyton is home to the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence (NCGI), which provides Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) support to HM Armed Forces. It also contains the Ministry of Defence Police Headquarters, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation Regional Headquarters, 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic), and several other UK and Allied capabilities, authorities, and departments.^[3]

Located within the station, the Pathfinder Building is described as the "operations centre of Defence Intelligence" and the “largest Top Secret, Five-Eyes by design, military intelligence fusion and assessment facility in the world."^[4][5][6]

History

Flying station

A Percival Petrel and Bristol Blenheim Mark IVs of No. 2 Group at Wyton between 1939 and 1941

"Map of Air Routes and Landing Places in Great Britain, as temporarily arranged by the Air Ministry for civilian flying", published in 1919, showing "Wyton" as a "military and civil station", and as a stop on the route between Hounslow, near London, and the north.

Wyton has been a military airfield since 1916, when it was used for training by the Royal Flying Corps and then its successor the Royal Air Force (RAF).^[7]

The following squadrons were posted to Wyton between 1916 and 1935:

• No. 46 Squadron RFC between 1916 and 1916.^[8]
• No. 65 Squadron RFC between 1916 and 1917.^[9]
• No. 83 Squadron RFC between 1917 and 1917.^[10]
• No. 96 Squadron RAF between 1918 and 1918.^[11]
• No. 104 Squadron RFC between 1917 and 1917.^[12]
• No. 117 Squadron RAF between 1918 and 1919.^[13]
• No. 119 Squadron RAF between 1918 and 1918.^[13]
• No. 120 Squadron RAF between 1918 and 1918.^[13]
• No. 130 Squadron RAF between 1918 and 1918.^[14]
• No. 156 Squadron RAF between 1918 and 1918.^[15]
• No. 211 Squadron RAF between 1919 and 1919.^[16]

Second World War

During the Second World War it was used primarily as a bomber base, flying Bristol Blenheim, de Havilland Mosquito and Avro Lancaster aircraft.^[17] In 1942 it became the home of the Pathfinder Force under the command of Group Captain Don Bennett.^[7]

The following squadrons were posted to Wyton between 1935 and 1939:

• No. 44 Squadron between 1937 and 1937.^[18]
• No. 114 Squadron between 1936 and 1939.^[13]
• No. 139 Squadron between 1936 and 1939.^[19]

The following squadrons were posted to Wyton between 1939 and 1945:

• No. 15 Squadron between 1939 and 1940.^[20]
• No. 15 Squadron for a second time between 1940 and 1942.^[20]
• No. 40 Squadron between 1939 and 1941.^[21]
• No. 57 Squadron between 1940 and 1940.^[22]
• No. 57 Squadron for a second time between 1940 and 1940.^[22]
• No. 83 Squadron for a second time between 1942 and 1944.^[10]
• No. 105 Squadron between 1942 and 1945
• No. 109 Squadron between 1942 and 1942.^[23]
• No. 109 Squadron for a second time between 1942 and 1943.^[23]
• No. 128 Squadron between 1944 and 1945.^[14]
• No. 139 Squadron for a second time between 1943 and 1944.^[19]
• No. 156 Squadron for a second time between 1945 and 1945.^[15]
• No. 163 Squadron between 1945 and 1945.^[24]

Cold War

After the war Wyton became home to the English Electric Canberras of the Strategic Reconnaissance Force.^[25] Vickers Valiants arrived for No. 543 Squadron in 1955 and a Handley Page Victor arrived for the Radar Reconnaissance Flight in 1959.^[25]

In 1974, three Nimrod R1s belonging to No. 51 Squadron arrived for use in the Elint and Sigint role, and in 1975, the T17 and T17A Canberras of No. 360 Squadron arrived: this was a joint RAF and RN Squadron specialising in Electronic countermeasures training.^[25]

The following squadrons were posted to Wyton between 1946 and 2011:

• No. 13 Squadron between 1978 and 1982.^[26]
• No. 15 Squadron for a third time between 1946 and 1950.^[20]
• No. 25 Squadron between 1983 and 1989.^[27]
• No. 26 Squadron between 1969 and 1976.^[27]
• No. 39 Squadron between 1970 and 1982.^[21]
• No. 44 Squadron for a second time between 1946 and 1951.^[18]
• No. 51 Squadron between 1963 and 1995.^[28]
• No. 58 Squadron between 1953 and 1970.^[22]
• No. 82 Squadron between 1953 and 1956.^[10]
• No. 85 Squadron between 1989 and 1991^[29]
• No. 90 Squadron between 1946 and 1950.^[30]
• No. 100 Squadron between 1956 and 1956.^[12]
• No. 100 Squadron for a second time between 1982 and 19??.^[12]
• No. 138 Squadron between 1946 and 1950.^[19]
• No. 207 Squadron between 1969 and 1984.^[31]
• No. 360 Squadron between 1975 and 19??.^[32]
• No. 540 Squadron between 1953 and 1956.^[33]
• No. 542 Squadron between 1954 and 1955.^[34]
• No. 542 Squadron for a second time between 1955 and 1955.^[34]
• No. 543 Squadron between 1955 and 1974.^[34]

Post-Cold War

In the early 1990s one of its pilots was rugby union player Flight Lieutenant Rory Underwood.^[35]

During a four-month period in 1989, two squadrons of U.S. Air Force Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II jets were operated out of RAF Wyton while the runway at their base, nearby RAF Alconbury, was resurfaced.^[36]

In May 1995 both RAF Wyton and RAF Alconbury airfields were decommissioned and Wyton was formally amalgamated with RAF Brampton, and later with RAF Henlow to make all three locations a single RAF Station under a single station commander for administrative purposes.^[37] The airfield continued to host light aircraft for the Cambridge and London University Air Squadrons until they both moved to RAF Wittering in 2015.^[38]

On 25 March 2013 it was decided to relocate all flying units from Wyton due to the high maintenance costs of the airfield.^[39]

Following the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review the RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow formation was disbanded: RAF Henlow subsequently became a separate station again and RAF Brampton was demolished.^[40]

Intelligence station

The Joint Forces Intelligence Group (JFIG), a unit which was responsible for the collection of signals, geospatial, imagery and measurement and signature intelligence,^[41] moved from Feltham in Middlesex to RAF Wyton in 2013.^[42][43] 42 Engineer Regiment relocated from Denison Barracks in Hermitage to RAF Wyton to co-locate with the Joint Forces Intelligence Group in July 2014^[44] and No. 1 Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Squadron moved from RAF Marham to Wyton in April 2017.^[45]

In 2016, JFIG disbanded, and the bulk of its former units and capabilities were re-rolled to establish the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence.^[3] The NCGI is a 1-star commanded organisation^[46] which in recent years has monitored military and terrorist activities taking place in real time, such as:

• HMS Diamond in operations against the Houthis in the Red Sea
• Unidentified radio signals coming from the Yemeni coast
• Different types of drones being used by Russia in Ukraine, including the physical analysis of Russian Orlan-10 and Iranian Shaheed 131 UAVs
• Development of Chinese DF-17 hypersonic missiles
• Pyongyang sending artillery rounds and missiles to Russian forces in Ukraine

It is also involved in homeland security and played a vital part in the Salisbury poisoning investigation by tracing the Novichok trail.^[4][6]

Hangars in 2013

Former units

Other units moved (now disbanded)

The following other units were posted to Wyton at some point:^[47]

• No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF (June 1982 - July 1992)^[48]
• No. 2 Group Communication Flight RAF (January 1940 - May 1943)^[49]
• No. 4 Blind Approach Training Flight RAF became No. 1504 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF (December 1940 - August 1942)^[50]
• No. 7 Group Communication Flight RAF (July 1940 - September 1941)^[49]
• 8th Aero Squadron
• No. 8 Group Communication Flight RAF (August 1942 - October 1945)^[49]
• No. 8 (Pathfinder Force) Group RAF (August 1942 - May 1943)^[51]
• No. 13 Aircraft Modification Unit RAF (March - August 1946)^[52]
• No. 70 (Bomber) Wing RAF
• No. 231 Operational Conversion Unit RAF (July 1982 - December 1990, May 1991 - April 1993)^[53]
• No. 1323 (Canberra) Flight RAF (October 1953 - November 1955)^[54]
• No. 1409 (Meteorological) Flight RAF (January - July 1945)^[55]
• No. 1499 (Bombing) Gunnery Flight RAF (March - June 1943)^[50]
• No. 1655 Mosquito Training Unit RAF
• No. 2730 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 2763 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 2781 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 2844 Squadron RAF Regiment
• Canberra Air Race Flight RAF (June - October 1953)^[56]
• Canberra Standardisation and Training Flight RAF (December 1990 - May 1991)^[56]
• Electronic Warfare Division RAF became Electronic Warfare Detachment RAF (Unknown - December 1994)^[57]
• Electronic Warfare Engineering and Training Unit RAF (-1976) became Electronic Warfare and Avionics Unit RAF (1976-1993)^[57]
• Electronic Warfare Operational Support Establishment RAF (1983-1995) becoming part of Air Warfare Centre 1993^[57]
• Equipment Support (Air) Group RAF (November 1999 - unknown)^[58]
• Ground Controlled Approach Operators School RAF (March 1952)^[59]
• Logistics Command RAF (April 1995 - April 2000)^[60]
• Radar Reconnaissance Flight RAF (October 1955 - September 1961)^[61]
• Cambridgeshire Police Air Operations Unit

Currently operational units moved

On 25 March 2013 it was decided to relocate the following flying units from Wyton due to the high maintenance costs of the airfield.^[62]

• 57(R) Squadron relocated to RAF Cranwell in Summer 2013.^[62]
• Cambridge University Air Squadron relocated to RAF Wittering in mid-2014.^[62]
• University of London Air Squadron relocated to RAF Wittering in mid-2014.^[62]
• 5 Air Experience Flight also relocated to RAF Wittering in mid-2014.^[62]

Based units

Notable units based at RAF Wyton.^[63][45][64]

Strategic Command Defence Intelligence National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence (NCGI) Defence Digital Defence Assurance and Information Security Royal Air Force No. 1 Group (Air Combat) RAF RAF Wyton Area Voluntary Band No. 22 Group (Training) RAF Headquarters, Central & Eastern Region, Air Training Corps Headquarters, Bedfordshire and Cambridgshire Wing, Air Training Corps

British Army Royal Engineers 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) 13 Geographic Squadron 14 Geographic Squadron 16 Geographic Support Squadron 135 Geographic Squadron Ministry of Defence Defence Infrastructure Organisation Defence Intelligence Estates Rationalisation Team (PRIDE) Ministry of Defence Police United States Department of Defense Defense Contract Management Agency – United Kingdom

See also

• United Kingdom portal
• Aviation portal

• List of Royal Air Force stations
• RAF Wyton Area Voluntary Band

References

Citations

1. Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 249. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
2. "RAF Wyton Defence Aerodrome Manual (DAM)" (PDF). RAF Wyton. Military Aviation Authority. 31 March 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
3. "RAF Wyton | Royal Air Force". 24 May 2024.
4. Nicholls, Dominic (8 February 2024). "RAF Wyton: Inside the 'jewel in the crown of British Defence Intelligence'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
5. "Inside the UK's top-secret spy base preparing for war". Sky News. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
6. Sengupta, Kim (8 February 2024). "Drones, missiles and white Russian horses: The UK intelligence agency you haven't heard of". The Independent. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
7. "RAF Wyton". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
8. Jefford 1988, p. 40.
9. Jefford 1988, p. 45.
10. Jefford 1988, p. 50.
11. Jefford 1988, p. 53.
12. Jefford 1988, p. 54.
13. Jefford 1988, p. 57.
14. Jefford 1988, p. 59.
15. Jefford 1988, p. 63.
16. Jefford 1988, p. 70.
17. "Avro Lancaster B.Mk.1 R5868/7325M Museum Accession Number 74/A/12" (PDF). RAF Museum. p. 3. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
18. Jefford 1988, p. 39.
19. Jefford 1988, p. 60.
20. Jefford 1988, p. 29.
21. Jefford 1988, p. 38.
22. Jefford 1988, p. 43.
23. Jefford 1988, p. 55.
24. Jefford 1988, p. 64.
25. "RAF Wyton". Vulcan to the Sky Trust. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
26. Jefford 1988, p. 28.
27. Jefford 1988, p. 33.
28. Jefford 1988, p. 41.
29. Raynham News (1991). "RAF West Raynham Missile Squadron to be Disbanded" (PDF). Retrieved 28 August 2018.
30. Jefford 1988, p. 52.
31. Jefford 1988, p. 69.
32. Jefford 1988, p. 89.
33. Jefford 1988, p. 96.
34. Jefford 1988, p. 97.
35. "Sport. Rugby Union. pic: January 1989. RAF. Wyton, Cambridgeshire. England wing Rory Underwood, a pilot flight-lieutenant in the RAF, poses in the cockpit his Canberra jet". Getty Images. 15 January 2008. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
36. "A-10A Thunderbolt of 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron/10th Tactical Fighter Wing on detachment to RAF Wyton in May 1989". Airport Data. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
37. "Air Officer Scotland: Air Vice Marshal Ross Paterson". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
38. "University of London Air Squadron". Retrieved 26 November 2021.
39. "RAF Wyton airfield to close as training flights are moved - but base still open for intelligence hub". The Hunts Post. 27 March 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
40. "Dramatic Footage Shows Demolition Of RAF Base". 13 January 2017.
41. "Joint Forces Intelligence Group Achieves Full Operating Capability". Ministry of Defence. 22 September 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
42. "New Defence Intelligence buildings handed over to MOD". Ministry of Defence. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
43. "UK JARIC Transitions to Defence Geospatial and Intelligence Fusion Centre" (PDF). November 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2013.
44. "42 Engr Regt (Geo) arrive at RAF Wyton". Eagleeyeonline.vo.uk. Archived from the original on 1 February 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
45. Ellwood, Tobias (21 December 2017). "Air Force: Military Intelligence:Written question - 120057". UK Parliament. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
46. Drew, Rob (26 March 2021). "The National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence. InstRE". The Institution of Royal Engineers (InstRE). Retrieved 24 May 2024.
47. "Wyton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
48. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 211.
49. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 155.
50. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 125.
51. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 149.
52. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 42.
53. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 197.
54. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 119.
55. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 120.
56. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 82.
57. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 102.
58. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 108.
59. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 148.
60. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 173.
61. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 213.
62. "Defence Estate Rationalisation Update" (PDF). Ministry of Defence (MoD). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
63. "RAF Wyton". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
64. "DCMA United Kingdom | Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire". Defense Contract Management Agency. Retrieved 25 April 2021.

Bibliography

• Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
• Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
• Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J. (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.
• RAF Annual Review 2012

External links

• Official site
• RAF Wyton Area Voluntary Band