No 1 ACC

On the 1st of April 1995, 1 ACC was reformed at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland to fill the role of the Royal Air Force’s deployable radar and C2 element.

Originally equipped with Type 99 radar ‘liberated’ from the Argentineans in 1982, the Unit quickly reacquainted itself with the disciplines required for deployable C2 operations. In 1997 1ACC became the first customer for the Type 101 radar, which marked a quantum leap in performance over the Type 99; the Unit now operates two such systems.

During December 2002, 1ACC received the Thales Tactical Air Control Centre (TACC), a system that has considerably enhanced 1ACC’s deployment and Battle Management capabilities. 1 ACC now provides a tactical Air C2 capability that will enable 24-hour weapons control and air surveillance coverage within a given Area of Responsibility. From May 2003 to January 2004 1ACC was deployed in support of Op TELIC and is currently garrisoned at RAF Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire and declared to the NATO Response Force at R3 until July 2006. No 1 ACC are currently deployed in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick.