The Station

RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire is one of two RAF Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Stations which protect UK airspace. RAF Lossiemouth is the other. 

RAF Coningsby is home to two frontline, combat-ready squadrons and is the training station for Typhoon pilots.

Almost 3,000 Service Personnel, Civil Servants, and contractors work at RAF Coningsby.

Commander

Group Captain Billy Cooper

Group Captain Billy Cooper took command of RAF Coningsby in October 2022. Prior to this he worked as the Typhoon Programme Director within Capability at Air Command.

Group Captain Cooper began his career on Tornado aircraft and has served at Coningsby on two previous occasions, flying Typhoon aircraft with 3 (Fighter) Squadron.
 

What we fly

Key dates

 

  • 1941 - RAF Coningsby opened, serving as an RAF Bomber Command station until the early 1960s.
  • 1960 - The arrival of the Phantom in the late 60s marked the base as a Fighter Station.
  • 1976 - Coningsby became home to the world-famous RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
  • 1987 - The Tornado came into service.
  • 2008 - Typhoon aircraft replace the Tornado and have been flown here ever since.

 

History

RAF Coningsby was built just before World War Two and became the home of 617 Squadron, known as the Dambusters, during the second half of the war.

Later, it was the base for the Vulcan bomber.

Connect with RAF Coningsby