List of Royal Air Force stations
This list of Royal Air Force stations is an overview of all current stations of the [Royal Air Force] throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. This includes front-line and training airbases, support, administrative and training stations with no flying activity, unmanned airfields used for training, intelligence gathering stations and an early warning radar network.
The list also includes RAF stations occupied by the United States Visiting Forces, former RAF stations now operated by defence contractor QinetiQ on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, and air weapons ranges operated by the MOD.
Overseas, the RAF operates airfields at four Permanent Joint Operating Bases which are located in British Overseas Territories.
RAF stations and MOD airfields in the UK
Royal Air Force
RAF front-line operations are centred on seven main operating bases :- RAF Coningsby, RAF Marham, and RAF Lossiemouth — Air Combat
- RAF Waddington — Combat Intelligence, Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance
- RAF Brize Norton — Air Transport
- RAF Benson and RAF Odiham — Support Helicopter Force, operating under Joint Aviation Command
Stations such as RAF Cranwell, RAF Valley and RAF Shawbury form part of the UK Military Flying Training System, which is dedicated to training aircrew for all three UK armed services. Specialist ground crew training takes place at RAF Cosford and MOD St Athan.
The Control and Reporting Centre at RAF Boulmer is tasked with compiling a Recognised Air Picture of UK airspace and providing tactical control of the Quick Reaction Alert Force. Boulmer is supported by a network of seven Remote Radar Heads spread throughout the UK.
Ministry of Defence
Several former RAF stations are still owned by the Ministry of Defence, and are operated by defence contractor QinetiQ in the test and evaluation role. The main facility is MOD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, which still has a significant RAF presence.A small number of former RAF stations remain in MOD ownership even though they are used by the RAF in the relief landing ground role, flying by Volunteer Gliding Squadrons or other training purposes. They are described as airfields and are typically unmanned.
Non-RAF stations used by the RAF
These are MOD or British Army facilities listed in recognition of the RAF retaining a presence at each site.| Name | Constituent country | County | Units and purpose |
| MOD Aberporth | Wales | Ceredigion | Former RAE Aberporth, now operated by QinetiQ on behalf of the MOD as a test and evaluation range. |
| MOD Boscombe Down | England | Wiltshire | Test and evaluation airbase operated by QinetiQ on behalf of the MOD. Home to the Air Test and Evaluation Centre, Empire Test Pilots School, Rotary Wing Test and Evaluation Squadron, and the Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Squadron. |
| MOD Hebrides | Scotland | Outer Hebrides | Deep sea range for complex weapons trials, currently operated by QinetiQ on behalf of the MOD as a test and evaluation range. |
| MOD St. Athan | Wales | Vale of Glamorgan | Training station, home to No. 4 School of Technical Training and the University of Wales Air Squadron flying the Grob Tutor T1. |
| MOD West Freugh | Scotland | Dumfries and Galloway | Former RAF station, now operated by QinetiQ on behalf of the MOD as a test and evaluation range. Its airfield is disused and unlicensed, but available for military exercises. |
| Aldergrove Flying Station | Northern Ireland | County Antrim | Formerly RAF Aldergrove, the station is now a British Army facility. The RAF maintains a presence with the Northern Ireland Universities Air Squadron and No. 13 Air Experience Flight operating the Grob Tutor T1 and No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron (Royal Auxiliary Air Force). |
| Kenley Airfield | England | Surrey | Former RAF station, currently home to No. 615 Volunteer Gliding Squadron flying the Grob Viking T1. |
| Keevil Airfield | England | Wiltshire | Former RAF station, now an unmanned airfield used for training purposes predominantly by aircraft from RAF Brize Norton. It is also used by the British Army for ground exercises, by Joint Aviation Command, and by 47th Regiment Royal Artillery to fly the Watchkeeper UAV. |
| Kirknewton Airfield | Scotland | Midlothian | Former RAF station, home to No. 661 Volunteer Gliding Squadron flying the Grob Viking T1. |
| Leuchars Station | Scotland | Fife | Relief Landing Ground for RAF Lossiemouth, maintained by a small number of RAF personnel operating the airfield and air traffic control radar. This former RAF station is now a British Army barracks, but continues to accommodate the East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron and No. 12 Air Experience Flight, and No. 612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron (Royal Auxiliary Air Force) in the medical support role. |
| Little Rissington Airfield | England | Gloucestershire | Former RAF station, currently home to No. 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron and No. 637 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. It is also used for military training exercises. |
| London Area Control Centre | England | Hampshire | No. 78 Squadron is embedded in the civilian London Area Control Centre operated by NATS at Swanwick. It provides a military air traffic control service across the UK, operates the UK's Distress and Diversion Cell, and provides air traffic control services for RAF Northolt. |
| Ternhill Airfield | England | Shropshire | Former RAF station, unmanned airfield now used primarily for training purposes and as a Relief Landing Ground for helicopters of the No. 1 Flying Training School. |
| Upavon Airfield | England | Wiltshire | Formerly RAF Upavon now known as Upavon Station, north site now operated by the British Army as Trenchard Lines, airfield used by No. 622 Volunteer Gliding Squadron which teaches Air Cadets to fly the Grob Viking T1. |
Remote Radar Heads
Remote Radar Heads are the UK's air defence radar sites. The RRHs can now be monitored centrally with only limited on-site radar maintenance support. This has enabled the release of the majority of RAF personnel previously based permanently at these locations. The sites are maintained and operated primarily by Serco. The MOD finished installing new state-of-the-art communications buildings, radar towers and bespoke perimeter security on the sites in 2023 under Programme HYDRA.| Name | Constituent country | County | Units and purpose |
| RRH Benbecula | Scotland | Outer Hebrides | Remote Radar Head forming part of the UK Air Surveillance and Control System managed from RAF Boulmer. |
| RRH Brizlee Wood | England | Northumberland | Remote Radar Head forming part of the UK Air Surveillance and Control System managed from RAF Boulmer. |
| RRH Buchan | Scotland | Aberdeenshire | Remote Radar Head forming part of the UK Air Surveillance and Control System managed from RAF Boulmer. |
| RRH Neatishead | England | Norfolk | Remote Radar Head, forming part of the UK Air Surveillance and Control System managed from RAF Boulmer. |
| RRH Portreath | England | Cornwall | Remote Radar Head forming part of the UK Air Surveillance and Control System managed from RAF Boulmer. |
| RRH Staxton Wold | England | North Yorkshire | Remote Radar Head forming part of the UK Air Surveillance and Control System managed from RAF Boulmer. |
| RRH Saxa Vord | Scotland | Shetland Islands | Remote Radar Head forming part of the UK Air Surveillance and Control System managed from RAF Boulmer. |
RAF stations operated by the United States Visiting Forces
At the invitation of the UK Government, the United States has had military forces permanently stationed in the United Kingdom since the Second World War. The 1951 NATO Status of Forces Agreement and the Visiting Forces Act 1952, along with other bilateral acts, establishes the legal status of the USVF in the UK. Several military sites within England are made available for the USVF's purposes.A Royal Air Force commander is present at the main USVF sites, and is normally of the rank of Squadron Leader, whereas a US Colonel will normally command US personnel at each station. The role of the RAF commander is to liaise with the US base commander, and act as head of establishment for Ministry of Defence employees. The use of UK bases for combat operations by the United States is a joint decision by both governments.
The United States Air Force 501st Combat Support Wing manages and supports operations at RAF Alconbury, RAF Croughton, RAF Fairford, RAF Menwith Hill, RAF Molesworth, and RAF Welford, whereas RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall are managed by their respective host wings.
| Name | Constituent country | County | Units and purpose |
| RAF Alconbury | England | Cambridgeshire | Non-flying station home to the USAF 423rd Air Base Group which provides services and accommodation to support operations at RAF Molesworth and the Joint Warfare Centre, Stavanger in Norway. |
| RAF Barford St John | England | Oxfordshire | Non-flying station operated as a signals intelligence relay station by the USAF. The facility is a satellite station of RAF Croughton and controlled remotely. |
| RAF Croughton | England | Northamptonshire | Non-flying station operated as a signals intelligence facility by the USAF and US intelligence agencies. The station is operated by the USAF 422nd Air Base Group. |
| RAF Fairford | England | Gloucestershire | Forward operating airfield predominately used by USAF heavy bombers such as the B-1B Lancer, B-2A Spirit and B-52H Stratofortress. The station is operated by the USAF 420th Air Base Squadron, 422nd Air Base Group. The Royal International Air Tattoo, the world's largest military air show, is held at Fairford annually in July. |
| RAF Feltwell | England | Norfolk | Non-flying station, operated as an intelligence gathering facility by a detachment of the US Space Force's 73rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron, which is assigned to Space Delta 7. Feltwell is parented by the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath. |
| RAF Lakenheath | England | Suffolk | Home to the USAF 48th Fighter Wing, operating the F-15C/D Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F-35A Lightning II. |
| RAF Menwith Hill | England | North Yorkshire | Joint UK / US signals intelligence gathering station which functions primarily as a field station of the US National Security Agency. Operations are supported by the USAF 421st Air Base Squadron which is part of the 501st Combat Support Wing. |
| RAF Mildenhall | England | Suffolk | Home to the USAF 100th Air Refuelling Wing operating the KC-135R Stratotanker, and the 352nd Special Operations Wing operating the CV-22 Osprey and MC-130J Commando II. The 95th Reconnaissance Squadron supports RC-135 aircraft when deployed to Europe and operating from the station. |
| RAF Molesworth | England | Cambridgeshire | Non-flying station, home to the Joint Intelligence Operations Center Europe (JIOCEUR) Analytic Center operated by the US Defense Intelligence Agency and the J2 Directorate which provides US Africa Command with intelligence. The station is supported by the USAF 423rd Air Base Group. |
| RAF Welford | England | Berkshire | Non-flying station used as ammunition depot in support of bomber operating from RAF Fairford. The station is operated by the USAF 420th Munitions Squadron. |
MOD air weapons ranges
Air weapons ranges within the United Kingdom, previously operated by the Royal Air Force, are the responsibility of the Service Delivery part of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. QinetiQ were awarded a three-year contract by the DIO in 2010 to manage the ranges, but this role was taken over by Landmarc Support Services in 2014 as part of a contract covering the wider MOD Defence Training Estate.| Name | Constituent country | County | Units and purpose |
| DIO Cape Wrath | Scotland | Highland | Parented by DIO Tain. |
| DIO Donna Nook Air Weapons Range | England | Lincolnshire | Parented by RAF Coningsby. |
| DIO Holbeach Air Weapons Range | England | Lincolnshire | Parented by RAF Marham. |
| DIO Pembrey Sands Air Weapons Range | Wales | Carmarthenshire | |
| DIO Tain Air Weapons Range | Scotland | Highland | Parented by RAF Lossiemouth. |
Map of stations within the UK
Map of the United Kingdom showing active RAF stations, Ministry of Defence airfields, MOD air weapons ranges and RAF stations occupied by the United States Visiting Forces.Overseas
Permanent Joint Operating Bases
The United Kingdom operates Permanent Joint Operating Bases in four British Overseas Territories, namely Ascension Island, the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus, the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar.The Falkland Islands also have three Remote Radar Heads, forming part of an early warning and airspace control network.
The PJOBs contribute to the physical defence and maintenance of sovereignty of these British Overseas Territories and enable the UK to conduct expeditionary military operations.
The Director of Overseas Bases, Strategic Command, controls and oversees the PJOBs.
| Name | Country | Units and purpose | ||||
| RAF Akrotiri |  Akrotiri and DhekeliaOverseas operationsThe Royal Air Force has a presence at several overseas locations. Active military operations in the Middle East are supported by Expeditionary Air Wings which have been established at foreign airfields in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The RAF has a presence within Eastern European countries on a rotational basis as part of NATO's Baltic Air Policing and Southern Air Policing missions. No. 17 Test and Evaluation Squadron is located in the United States at Edwards Air Force Base in California, where test and evaluation of the F-35B Lighting II is undertaken. Donnelly Lines, a permanent UK military facility at a United Arab Emirates air base, was opened most recently, in 2024.
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Estonia