RAF Aldergrove

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=RAF Aldergrove


caption=Station badge
dates=1918 – Present
country=United Kingdom
branch=Royal Air Force
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type=Operational
role=Air support to Army and PSNI activities
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garrison=18 miles north-west of Belfast
garrison_label= Located
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motto=Ours to hold
colors=
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RAF Aldergrove is a Royal Air Force station situated 18 miles north-west of Belfast. It adjoins Belfast International Airport, sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of the surrounding area. The station shares the Aldergrove runways but has its own separate facilities and helipad.

RAF Aldergrove first opened in 1918 but was not designated as an operational RAF station until 1925. Aldergrove’s location made it an important station during the Second World War of RAF Coastal Command in the Battle of the Atlantic. From the base long-range reconnaissance aircraft were able to patrol the Eastern Atlantic for U-Boats. Some of these patrols ranged as far out as the distant islet of Rockall.

Aldergrove was designated as a dispersal airfield for the RAF's V bomber force in the 1950s and was included in a reduced list of 26 airfields in 1962. In 1968 a maintenance unit (No.23 MU) for the F-4 Phantom in RAF service was established at Aldergrove, with 116 aircraft passing through on their way to front line service. Aldergrove was also the main servicing and reconditioning station for Canberra aircraft from their introduction in 1951. In 1976, the station had a staff of 2,500 RAF personnel and 1,500 civilians.Northern Ireland Committee of Irish Congress of Trade Unions, "The Defence Stations in Northern Ireland: The Case for Retention", March 1976]

No. 72 Squadron operated Puma and Wessex helicopters from Aldergrove from 1991 until its disbandment in 2002.

The Army Air Corps also operated Westland Lynx , AH-64 Apache and Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopters as well as de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver aircraft in its joint operations with the RAF's Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (Northern Ireland) which was replaced by the Britten-Norman Islander late in 1988.

No. 18 Squadron also operated detachments of Boeing Chinook (UK variants) during the late 80's in support of the British Army in the province.

Aldergrove is now home to a mixed force of helicopters, which operate across the province in support of the British Army and Police Service of Northern Ireland.

BFBS Northern Ireland broadcasts to RAF Aldergrove on 1287am

RAF aircraft currently based

*No. 230 Squadron - 9 Puma HC.1s
*5 Regiment Army Air Corps
**No. 655 Squadron AAC - Lynx AH.7s
**No. 665 Squadron AAC - Gazelle AH.1s
**No. 1 Flight AAC - Britten-Norman Islanders
**PSNI Air Support Unit - Eurocopter EC 135

Notable military aircraft which have visited Aldergrove

*USAF aircraft operating in support of U.S. Presidential visits to Northern Ireland.
**Air Force One
**C-5s carrying Marine One helicopters
**C-17 Globemasters
**C-32s

*RAF Vickers VC10s and Lockheed Tristars in support of the RAF and Army presence.
*Various NATO aircraft for Squadron celebration, etc.

Footnotes

See also

* List of RAF stations
* RAF Nutts Corner
* [http://www.bfbs.com/ni - **new**BFBS Radio in Aldergrove on 106.5 fm]