RAF Brize Norton

Overview

The Station

RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, is the largest RAF Station with approximately 5,800 Service Personnel, 300 civilian staff and 1,200 contractors.

The Station is home to the RAF's Air Mobility Force, encompassing Strategic and Tactical Air Transport, and Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) forces, as well as being host to many lodger and reserve units.

With its mixed fleet of aircraft, RAF Brize Norton provides rapid global mobility in support of UK overseas operations and exercises, as well as AAR support for fast jet aircraft, both on operations and in support of UK Homeland Defence.

Latest information:

Brize Development Team

Find out about RAF Brize Norton environmental information:

Environmental Information

Major Accident Emergency Instructions:

Major Accident Emergency Instructions

Move with Confidence

The RAF Brize Norton Station badge depicts a knight’s helmet in front of a castle gateway to symbolize the Gateway to Operations.

Commander

Group Captain Claire O'Grady ADC MA RAF

Who's based here

II Squadron RAF Regiment

2624 Squadron RAuxAF Regiment

Airborne Delivery Wing

Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit

1 Air Mobility Wing

Falcons

Where we parent

What we fly

RAF Brize Norton news

Hounds for Heroes visit Tactical Medical Wing

21 Sep 2023

RAF Brize Norton holds Total Safety Day

18 Sep 2023

Voyager Force support Exercise Cobra Warrior

18 Sep 2023

622 Squadron wave goodbye to long serving C-130 instructors

01 Sep 2023

Key dates

1937 - Opened as a flying training station.
1944 - Nos. 296 and 297 Squadrons dropped paratroops and launched Horsa gliders during D-Day.
1945 - RAF Brize Norton transferred from Flying Training Command to Transport Command.
1951 - The US Air Force accepted control of the Station.
1965 - The RAF took back control of the Station and it became a Transport Command airfield.
2001 - First Boeing C-17A Globemaster III aircraft arrived.
2011 - The Airbus A330 Voyager arrived.
2012 - Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules arrived due to the closure of RAF Lyneham.
2014 - Airbus A400M Atlas arrived.
2023 - Lockheed Martin C130-J Hercules retired and Number 47 Squadron disbanded.

History

RAF Brize Norton officially opened on 13 August 1937. Number 2 Flying Training School was the first unit to be stationed here, arriving on 7 September 1937.

In July 1942, the Heavy Glider Conversion Unit, later renamed No. 21 HGCU, arrived and remained here until 31 December 1945.

Between March and October 1944, the Station was used as a base for parachute and glider operations by Nos 296 and 297 Squadrons, both equipped with Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle aircraft; both Squadrons were involved in D-Day operations, and the airborne landings at Arnhem.

Flying Training Command returned to the Station with No 204 AFTS in August 1949, then left in June 1950.

The USAF formally accepted control of the Station on 16 April 1951, initially basing B-36 Convair Peacemaker bombers then B-47 Stratojets at a later date. The RAF took back control of the Station on 1 April 1965.

Various iconic aircraft have been based here, including Airspeed Oxford, Harvard, Whitley, Albermarle, Horsa Glider, Britannia, VC-10, Belfast, Argosy, Andover, Tri-Star, Globemaster III, Hercules, Voyager and Atlas.

The Station has been involved in many operations including, CORPORATE (1982), GRANBY (1990), TELIC (2003-11), HERRICK (2001-14), SHADER (2014) RUMAN (2017) and PITTING (2021).