RAF Brize Norton
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Missing image RAF_VC10.JPG RAF VC-10 |
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RAF Brize Norton is a Royal Air Force station in Oxfordshire about 50 miles west of London, England, United Kingdom. It is home to the Royal Air Force's heavy transport aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster III, and its Tristar and Vickers VC10 tankers.
With the arrival of the Globemaster (C-17 in USAF service) and the future Airbus A400M the base has an assured future. With the closure of the home of the C-130 Hercules, RAF Lyneham the RAF's transport fleet will be further consolidated at Brize Norton.
The RAF's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft, currently envisaged to be a fleet of Airbus A330 MRTTs, will be based at Brize Norton.
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Units
Squadrons
- No. 10 Squadron RAF - VC10 C1(K)
- No. 99 Squadron RAF - Globemaster C1
- No. 101 Squadron RAF - VC10 K3 & K4
- No. 216 Squadron RAF - Tristar K1, KC1 & C2
Lodger Units
- Tactical Communications Wing RAF - A formed Support unit suppling Rearlink Satellite Communications, mobile telephone networks and mobile Tactical radios
Peace Camp and Protest
Unlike many UK military bases (eg. Fairford, Faslane Naval Base, RAF Lakenheath, Menwith Hill) RAF Brize Norton has not been subject to many peace demonstrations despite its pivotol role in conflicts that Britain has been involved in.
During the second Iraq war four anti-war protesters did prevent British planes carrying troops to Iraq from taking off for several hours.
More recently (21-25 April 2005) a peace camp took place as well as the first ever demonstration in Carterton where the base is situated.
See also
- List of RAF stations
- BBC News: Jobs to go at principal RAF base (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/4337729.stm)