RAF Lakenheath facts for kids

Quick facts for kids RAF Lakenheath
Near Eriswell, Suffolk in England
Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles of the 48th Fighter Wing taxiing at Lakenheath.
RAF Lakenheath Shown within Suffolk
Coordinates	52°24′30″N 000°33′24″E / 52.40833°N 0.55667°E / 52.40833; 0.55667
Type	RAF station (US Visiting Forces)
Code	LN
Area	727 hectares
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	United States Air Force
Controlled by	United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)
Condition	Operational
Site history
Built	1940 (1940)
In use	1941 – 1948 (Royal Air Force) 1948 – present (US Air Force)
Garrison information
Garrison	48th Fighter Wing
Occupants	492d Fighter Squadron 493d Fighter Squadron 494th Fighter Squadron 495th Fighter Squadron
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: LKZ, ICAO: EGUL, WMO: 03583
Elevation	10 metres (33 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 06/24 2,743 metres (8,999 ft) Concrete/Asphalt

Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath (IATA: LKZ, ICAO: EGUL) is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, UK, 4.7 miles (7.6 km) north-east of Mildenhall and 8.3 miles (13.4 km) west of Thetford. The installation's perimeter borders Brandon.

Despite being an RAF station, Lakenheath currently only hosts United States Air Force (USAF) units and military personnel. The host wing is the 48th Fighter Wing (48 FW), also known as the Liberty Wing, assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). The wing operates the F-15E Strike Eagle and the F-35A Lightning II.

History

World War I

The first use of Lakenheath Warren as a Royal Flying Corps airfield was in World War I, when the area was made into a bombing and ground-attack range for aircraft flying from elsewhere in the area. It appears to have been little used, and was abandoned when peace came in 1918.

World War II

Royal Air Force use

In 1940, the Air Ministry selected Lakenheath as an alternative for RAF Mildenhall and used it as a decoy airfield. False lights, runways and aircraft diverted Luftwaffe attacks from Mildenhall.

In 1941, hard runways were put down with the main runway, 04/22, being 2,000 yards, and the subsidiaries, 12/30 at 1,300 yards and 16/34 at 1,400 yards. Another 100 yards was added to runway 16/34. Hardstands for 36 aircraft were built, along with two T-2s and a B-1 hangar. One T-2 was on the technical site, the other hangars to the east across the A1065 Mildenhall-Brandon road were reached by taxiways.

Lakenheath Airfield was used by RAF flying units on detachment late in 1941. The station soon functioned as a Mildenhall satellite with Short Stirling bombers of No. 149 Squadron RAF dispersed from the parent airfield as conditions allowed. The squadron exchanged its Vickers Wellingtons for Stirlings late in during November 1941. After becoming fully operational with its new aircraft, the squadron moved into Lakenheath on 6 April 1942 and remained until mid 1944 when the squadron moved to RAF Methwold.

Taking part in more than 350 operations, more than half mine-laying, 149 Squadron had one of the lowest percentage loss rates of all Stirling squadrons.

In early 1943, three T-2 hangars were erected on the north side of the airfield for glider storage, 40 Horsa Gliders being dispersed at Lakenheath during that year.

On 21 June 1943, No. 199 Squadron RAF was established as a second Stirling squadron. Commencing operations on 31 July, it laid mines during the winter of 1943–44. moving to RAF North Creake on 1 May 1944.

No. 149 Squadron ended its association with RAF Lakenheath the same month, taking its Stirlings to RAF Methwold. Between them, the two squadrons lost 116 Stirling bombers in combat while flying from Lakenheath.

The reason for the departure of the two bomber squadrons was Lakenheath's selection for upgrading to a Very Heavy Bomber airfield. Lakenheath was one of three RAF airfields being prepared to receive United States Army Air Forces Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, which were tentatively planned to replace some of Eighth Air Force's Third Air Division Consolidated B-24 Liberator groups in the spring of 1945.

The work entailed removal of the existing runways and laying new ones comprising 12 inches of high-grade concrete. The main at 07/25 was 3,000 yards long; the subsidiaries, 01/19 and 14/32, both 2,000 yards; all three being 100 yards wide. Part of the A1065 road between Brandon and Mildenhall was closed, and a new section built further to the east on the Warren. During the peak period of construction, over 1,000 men were working on the site; yet instead of the 12 months planned, it took 18 months for the ground work alone and 2+1⁄2 years before Lakenheath's transformation was complete. The cost was nearly £2 million.

By the time construction ended the war with Germany was over and RAF Lakenheath was put on a care and maintenance status.

United States Air Force use

Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union in Europe began as early as 1946. In November, President Harry S. Truman ordered Strategic Air Command B-29 bombers to RAF Burtonwood, and from there to various bases in West Germany as a "training deployment". In May 1947, additional B-29s were sent to the UK and Germany to keep up the presence of a training program. These deployments were only a pretense, as the true aim of these B-29s was to have a strategic air force permanently stationed in Europe.

In April 1947, RAF Bomber Command returned to Lakenheath and had the runways repaired, resurfaced, and readied for operations by May 1948.

Strategic Air Command

307th Bombardment Group Boeing B-29A-75-BN Superfortress 44-62328 SAC 8th Air Force, at RAF Lakenheath, England during the Berlin Airlift, 1948

Boeing B-50D

Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, 1951

USAF Boeing B-47E-50-LM (AF Serial No. 52-3363) in flight.

In response to the threat by the Soviet Union, by the 1948 Berlin blockade, President Truman decided to realign USAFE into a permanent combat-capable force. In July, B-29 Superfortresses of the SAC 2nd Bombardment Group were deployed to Lakenheath for a 90-day temporary deployment.

On 27 November 1948, operational control of RAF Lakenheath was transferred from the Royal Air Force to USAFE. The first USAFE host unit at RAF Lakenheath was the 7504th Base Completion Squadron, being activated that date. The squadron was elevated to an Air Base Group (ABG) on 28 January 1950, and to a Wing (ABW) on 26 September 1950.

Control of RAF Lakenheath was allocated to Third Air Force at South Ruislip Air Station, which had command of SAC B-29 operations in England. Third Air Force was subsequently placed directly under USAF orders, with Strategic Air Command establishing the 7th Air Division Headquarters at RAF Mildenhall. The collocation of the two headquarters within the United Kingdom allowed HQ USAFE to discharge its responsibilities in England, while at the same time allowing Strategic Air Command to continue in its deterrent role while retaining operational control over flying activities at Lakenheath.

By 1950, Lakenheath was one of three main operating bases for the U.S. Strategic Air Command in the UK, the others were RAF Marham and RAF Sculthorpe. A succession of bombardment squadrons and wings, 33 in all, rotated through Lakenheath, the B-29s giving way to the improved B-50 Superfortresses and then, in June 1954, B-47 Stratojets.

On 1 May 1951, Lakenheath was transferred from USAFE to SAC, and placed under the 3909th Air Base Group. By 1952, high security perimeter fencing was erected. The 3909th moved to RAF Greenham Common in 1954, and was replaced by the 3910th Air Base Group.

Known SAC units which deployed to RAF Lakenheath were:

• 830th Bombardment Squadron (1 June 1949 – 21 August 1949) (B-50D)
  (TDY From the 509th Composite Group Walker AFB, New Mexico)
• 65th Bombardment Squadron (15 August 1949 – 15 November 1949) (B-50D)
  (TDY From the 43d Bombardment Wing Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona)
• 33d Bombardment Squadron (20 November 1949 – 18 February 1950) (B-29)
  (TDY From the 22d Bombardment Wing March AFB, California)
• 96th Bombardment Squadron (22 February 1950 – 12 May 1950) (B-50D)
  (TDY From the 2d Bombardment Wing Hunter AFB, Georgia)
• 301st Bombardment Wing (28 June 1950 – 28 November 1950) (B-29)
  (TDY From Barksdale AFB, Louisiana)
• 97th Bombardment Wing (15 March 1952 – 1 April 1952) (B-50D, KC-97)
  (TDY From Biggs AFB, Texas)
• 19th Bombardment Squadron (6 September 1951 – 13 December 1951) (B-29)
  (TDY From the 22d Bombardment Wing March AFB, California)

The increasing tension of the Cold War lead to a re-evaluation of these deployments, and by 1953 SAC bombers began to move its heavy bomb groups further west, behind RAF fighter forces, to RAF Brize Norton, RAF Greenham Common, RAF Upper Heyford and RAF Fairford, while its shorter-range B-47 were sent to East Anglia.

• 43d Air Refueling Squadron (21 March 1953 – 5 June 1953) (KC-97)
  (TDY From the 43d Bombardment Wing Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona)
• 321st Bombardment Wing (9 December 1954 – 9 March 1955) (B-47, KC-97)
  (TDY From Pinecastle AFB, Florida)
• 40th Bombardment Wing (9 June 1955 – 9 September 1955) (B-47, KC-97)
  (TDY From Schilling AFB, Kansas)
• 340th Bombardment Wing (14 September 1955 – 3 November 1955) (B-47, KC-97)
  (TDY From Whiteman AFB, Missouri)
• 98th Bombardment Wing (12 November 1955 – 28 January 1956) (B-47, KC-97)
  (TDY From Lincoln AFB, Nebraska)
• Lakenheath Task Force (Provisional) (1 May 1955 – UNK) (RB/ERB-47H) (Electronic Reconnaissance and Countermeasures)
  (TDY From 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Forbes AFB, Kansas)
• 509th Air Refueling Squadron (26 January 1956 – 30 April 1956) (KC-97)
  (TDY From Walker AFB, New Mexico)
• 307th Bombardment Wing (11 July 1956 – 5 October 1956) (B-47, KC-97)
  (TDY From Lincoln AFB, Nebraska)

Many SAC Squadrons had aircraft at RAF Lakenheath on a transitory basis without any recorded deployment to the base. For example, in January 1951, a detachment of Convair RB-36D Peacemaker intercontinental bombers from the 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Travis AFB, California arrived for a few days, and various tanker and transport aircraft also made periodic appearances at the base. Several of the temporary detachments included in-flight refuelling tanker aircraft.

Meanwhile, on 30 April 1956, two Lockheed U-2s were airlifted to RAF Lakenheath to form CIA Detachment A. The first flight of the U-2 was on 21 May. The Central Intelligence Agency unit did not remain long, moving to Wiesbaden Air Base, West Germany on 15 June.

A near nuclear accident occurred on 27 July 1956 – when a B-47 bomber crashed into a storage igloo at Lakenheath containing three MK-6 nuclear weapons while on a routine training mission. Although the bombs involved in the accident did not have their fissile cores installed, each of them carried about 8,000 pounds of high explosives as part of their trigger mechanism. The crash and ensuing fire did not ignite the high explosives and no detonation occurred. The damaged weapons and components were later returned to the Atomic Energy Commission. The B-47 involved in the accident, which killed four crewmen, was part of the 307th Bombardment Wing.

On 10 October 1956, a United States Navy Douglas R6D-1 Liftmaster transport on a Military Air Transport Service flight carrying 50 members of the 307th Bombardment Wing on their way home to the United States after a temporary duty assignment and a U.S. Navy crew of nine disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean after departure from RAF Lakenheath for a flight to Lajes Field in the Azores with the loss of all 59 people on board.

48th Fighter Wing

Following French president Charles de Gaulle's insistence in 1959 that all non-French nuclear-capable forces should be withdrawn from his country, the USAF began a redeployment of its North American F-100-equipped units from France. The 48th TFW left its base at Chaumont AB, France on 15 January 1960, its aircraft arriving at Lakenheath that afternoon. When the first F-100D touched down on RAF Lakenheath's runway, the landing symbolised a return for the Statue of Liberty Wing. Almost 16 years had passed since the World War II Ninth Air Force 48th Fighter Group's arrival at RAF Ibsley, England, for the D-Day invasion.

F-100D Super Sabre of 494 Tactical Fighter Squadron 48 TFW in 1965

In conjunction with this transfer, control of RAF Lakenheath was transferred from Strategic Air Command back to USAFE. As SAC elements began their departure, the 3910th Air Base Group began its transition of handing RAF Lakenheath's facilities and real estate over to the 48th's Combat Support Group elements.

The tactical components of the 48th TFW upon arrival at Lakenheath were:

• 492d Tactical Fighter Squadron (LR, blue colours)
• 493d Tactical Fighter Squadron (LS, yellow colours)
• 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron (LT, red colours)

The squadron markings consisted of alternating stripes across the tailfin in squadron colours, with a shadowed "V" shaped chevron on the nose. Starting in March 1970, squadron tail codes (shown above) were added when the aircraft went from a natural finish to a Southeast Asian camouflage motif.

The period between 1972 and 1977 can be described as a five-year aircraft conversion. Beginning in late 1971, the 48th TFW started its conversion to the McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II, with the aircraft being transferred from the 81st TFW at RAF Bentwaters. The conversion to the F-4D took several years, with the last F-100 departing in August 1974. With the arrival of the Phantoms, the F-4s adopted a common tail code of "LK". This tail code lasted only a few months as in July and August 1972 the 48th TFW further recoded to "LN". The F-4D carried squadron identifying fin cap colours of blue, yellow and red (492d, 493d, 494th respectively).

The F-4's service with the 48th TFW was short, as operation "Ready Switch" transferred the F-4D assets to the 474th TFW at Nellis AFB, Nevada. The 474th sent their General Dynamics F-111As to the 366th TFW at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, and the 366th sent their F-111Fs to Lakenheath in early 1977.

A fourth fighter squadron, the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated with the 48th TFW on 1 April 1977, with a squadron tail color of green. This was 33 years to the day since the squadron's inactivation. The 495th's mission of functioning as a replacement training unit for the other three fighter squadrons. This made the 495th and the 48th TFW unique, as the only WSO (Weapons System Operator) training unit for USAFE.

F-111s from the 48th TFW participated in 1986 United States bombing of Libya in 1986. This bombing of Libya prompted the mock-acronym, Lakenheath Is Bombing Your Ass. During the operation one F-111 from Lakenheath was shot down by Libyan forces and the two crew members were killed. The Libyan government eventually returned one of the bodies, however there is still much controversy over the remains of the other missing pilot.

Lakenheath received its first McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagles in 1992. With the departure of the F-111s, the 495th FS was inactivated on 13 December 1991. On 18 December 1992, the last F-111 departed the base. Along with its departure, the 493d FS was also inactivated.

With the pending closure of Bitburg Air Base, Germany on 25 February 1994, it was decided to reactivate the 493d as an F-15C/D squadron. Aircraft were transferred from the 33d Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida, and the 493d was reactivated on 1 January. The 493d's arrival meant that the 48th became the largest F-15E/F-15C composite unit in the U.S. Air Force.

In 2003, the 48th FW received the first of 10 new F-15Es. The aircraft were part of the final batch of F-15s expected to be ordered by the Air Force.

On 22 March 2011, F-15E 91-0304 crash-landed and was destroyed in eastern Libya after reportedly suffering from a mechanical failure. Both crewmen ejected and were safely recovered.

On 8 October 2014, F-15D 86-0182 belonging to the 493d Fighter Squadron crashed during a training flight in a field outside Spalding, Lincolnshire. The pilot successfully ejected and was shortly recovered back to Lakenheath on board a Pave Hawk.

Accidents involving nuclear weapons

Two accidents involving nuclear weapons happened at RAF Lakenheath, in 1956 and 1961.

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at RAF Lakenheath.

United States Air Force

United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)

• 48th Fighter Wing
  • 48th Operations Group
    • 48th Operations Support Squadron
    • 492nd Fighter Squadron – F-15E Strike Eagle
    • 493rd Fighter Squadron – F-35A Lightning II
    • 494th Fighter Squadron – F-15E Strike Eagle
    • 495th Fighter Squadron – F-35A Lightning II
  • 48th Maintenance Group
    • 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
    • 48th Component Maintenance Squadron
    • 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron
    • 48th Maintenance Operations Squadron
    • 48th Munitions Squadron
    • 748th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
  • 48th Medical Group
    • 48th Dental Squadron
    • 48th Inpatient Operations Squadron
    • 48th Medical Operations Squadron
    • 48th Medical Support Squadron
    • 48th Surgical Operations Squadron
  • 48th Mission Support Group
    • 48th Civil Engineer Squadron
    • 48th Communications Squadron
    • 48th Contracting Squadron
    • 48th Force Support Squadron
    • 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron
    • 48th Security Forces Squadron
  • 48th Fighter Wing Staff Agencies
    • Judge Advocate Office
    • Public Affairs
    • 48th Comptroller Squadron
    • Safety - Occupational/Weapons/Aviation
    • Equal Opportunities
    • Protocol
    • Inspector General

The base also has 1,500 British and US civilian staff, that serve the base at the site.

Nuclear Weapons

Although never officially confirmed, US nuclear weapons were based at Lakenheath from the first deployment of SAC aircraft to the base in the 1950s until the 1990s. As of 2024, no US nuclear weapons are known to be based in the UK. In February 2024, US documents detailing the awarding of contracts to build new storage facilities for nuclear cores stimulated public discussion in East Anglia that nuclear weapons may be redeployed to Lakenheath in the near future.

Heritage

Gate guardian

RAF Lakenheath's gate guardian is North American F-100D Super Sabre, serial number '54-2269'. The aircraft was originally delivered to the French Air Force. On return it was moved to the "Wings of Liberty Memorial Park" at RAF Lakenheath. Firstly it was painted as '55-4048', latterly as '56-3319'.

Protests

Demonstrators outside RAF Lakenheath following its use in the 1986 bombing of Libya

Since the base's founding, RAF Lakenheath has been targeted for numerous peace protests from groups such as Stop the war coalition and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Pershing

Lakenheath was one of the proposed sites of the NATO Pershing II Missile System. The deployment of the Missile system sparked protests all over Western Europe, and RAF Lakenheath was one of the most prominent military sites. A semi-permanent 'peace camp' was set up outside RAF Lakenheath. In 1985, the future Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams was arrested for singing psalms at a CND protest at Lakenheath.

Libya

Over 1,000 people demonstrated outside RAF Lakenheath in protest at the 1986 United States bombing of Libya.

Protestors including Jeremy Corbyn, outside RAF Lakenheath in 2006.

Iraq war and later

The 2003 invasion of Iraq sparked a new wave of peace protests. In one incident, 9 protestors gained access to the base by cutting through its perimeter fence. The protestors rode bicycles along the main runway, before chaining themselves together.

Activists later established a 'peace camp' outside RAF Lakenheath to draw attention to the base.

In 2006, a group of 200 people protested against the alleged nuclear weapons stored at RAF Lakenheath. Addressing the crowd was Jeremy Corbyn, who cycled to RAF Lakenheath from the railway station in Ely. There were further protests on this issue in 2008.

Gallery