RAF Lyneham

Infobox Airport
name = RAF Lyneham
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =


image-width =
caption =
IATA = LYE
ICAO = EGDL
type = Military
owner =
operator = Royal Air Force
city-served =
location = Wiltshire
elevation-f = 513
elevation-m = 156
coordinates = Coord|51|30|19|N|001|59|36|W|type:airport
website =
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 06/24
r1-length-f = 7,828
r1-length-m = 2,386
r1-surface = Asphalt
r2-number = 18/36
r2-length-f = 5,991
r2-length-m = 1,826
r2-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
stat2-header =
stat2-data =
footnotes =

RAF Lyneham Airport codes|LYE|EGDL is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It is the home of all the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force. The station is also home to No. 38 Expeditionary Air Wing.

Originally constructed in 1939, RAF Lyneham is scheduled for closure by 2012 with functions and aircraft relocating to RAF Brize Norton. The base will remain open until the last of the C-130K fleet is retired. At this point the 25 new generation C-130Js will move to Brize Norton where they will join the A400M, the C-17 Globemaster and the aerial refueling fleet.

There are four Royal Air Force Squadrons at Lyneham. They are:
*24 Sqn and 30 Sqn which operate Lockheed C-130Js.
*47 Sqn and 70 Sqn operate the ageing, but very adaptable Lockheed C-130Ks.

There are also two Royal Air Force Reserve Units based at Lyneham:
*No. 4626 (Aeromedical Evacuation) Squadron RAuxAF
*No. 1359 (Hercules Reservist Aircrew) Flt

The base is also home to No. 1 Air Mobility Wing, formerly known as the United Kingdom Mobilie Air Movements Squadron. They operate as tactical air movements specialists, providing world wide movements teams to handle RAF Transport Fleet aircraft whenever or where ever required. [http://www.ukmams.co.uk] .

47 Air Despatch Sqn RLC [http://www.army.mod.uk/rlc/units/47_air_despatch/index.htm] , which operates here is an army unit,part of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment RLC but formerly under 29 Regiment RLC at RAF South Cerney.

No. 38 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) was formed at Lyneham on 1 April 2006 encompassing most of the non-formed unit personnel on station. The EAW does not include the flying units at the station or the other formed units ie Tactical Medical Wing. The station commander,currently Group Captain Mike Neville, is dual-hatted as the commander of the wing.

The nearby village Lyneham (from which the RAF station takes its name) is home to 2491 (Lyneham) Squadron, an Air Training Corps squadron, part of the [http://www.dorsetwilts-aircadets.com Dorset and Wiltshire Wing] . The station is often used for ATC annual camps.

ee also

*List of RAF stationsNo 1 Air Mobility Wing (formerly the United Kingdom Mobile Air Movements Squadron (UKMAMS) operates here. Divided into three squadrons, 44 MAMS, 45 MAMS and HQ Squadron. With an average of 300+ RAF Movements personnel (TG18b). Collectively they cover most operational posts, from telic to herrick. This is done using the Force Rotation Cycle (FRC), 4 flights on 44 MAMS and 4 flights on 45 MAMS.

External links

* [http://www.raf.mod.uk/raflyneham/ The Official RAF Lyneham Website]
*BBC News: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/3042522.stm Lyneham to close]
*WAD|EGDL

Clubs and Associations

* RAF Lyneham Theatre Club