MOD Woodbridge

Last updated

MOD Woodbridge
Flag of the British Army.svg
Near Woodbridge, Suffolk in England
RAF Woodbridge from the air - geograph.org.uk - 2962720.jpg
MOD Woodbridge from the air.
Suffolk UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
MOD Woodbridge
Location in Suffolk
Coordinates 52°05′16.08″N001°24′02.97″E / 52.0878000°N 1.4008250°E / 52.0878000; 1.4008250
TypeBarracks and training airfield
Area369 hectares
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator British Army
Controlled by Royal Engineers
Site history
Built1943 (1943)
In use Royal Air Force (1943–1948)
United States Air Force (1952–1993)
British Army (2006–present)

Ministry of Defence Woodbridge or MOD Woodbridge is a military installation located near the town of Woodbridge, in Suffolk, England. The site opened in 2006 and is operated by the British Army and incorporates both Rock Barracks and Woodbridge Airfield. The barracks are home to two Royal Engineers regiments. The airfield is used periodically by helicopters of the Army Air Corps for training exercises.

Contents

The site was previously known as RAF Woodbridge and had periods where it was operated by the Royal Air Force and United States Air Force. The RAF station closed in August 1993.

History

RAF Woodbridge

Constructed in 1943 as a Royal Air Force (RAF) airfield during the Second World War to assist damaged aircraft to land on their return from raids over Germany, it was later used by the United States Air Force during the Cold War, being the primary home for the 79th Tactical Fighter Squadron and the 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron and squadrons of the 81st Fighter Wing under various designations until 1993. For many years, the 81st Fighter Wing also operated from nearby RAF Bentwaters, with Bentwaters and Woodbridge being known as the "Twin Bases". The RAF station closed in August 1993. [1]

Reactivation

In 2001, the Ministry of Defence announced that £100 million would be invested in the Woodbridge site in order to accommodate British Army personnel. Due to budgetary constraints and commitments to Operation Telic (the UK's contribution to the Iraq War), the start of work at Woodbridge was delayed until January 2004. [2]

On 1 September 2006, the former Woodbridge site was split up and the two parts renamed as Woodbridge Airfield and Rock Barracks. [3]

Airfield

Woodbridge Airfield is used by Army Air Corps helicopters for training exercises. During August 2016, the airfield was used for testing the Airbus A400M Atlas. [4]

Cancelled closure

In November 2016, the Ministry of Defence announced that MOD Woodbridge would close by 2027. [5] [6] However, in February 2019, following detailed assessment work, the Ministry of Defence concluded the retention of MOD Woodbridge supports the military requirement of the Army, and its closure was cancelled. [7]

Based units

The following units are based at Rock Barracks. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)</span> Aviation arm of the British Army

The Army Air Corps (AAC) is the aviation arm of the British Army, first formed in 1942 during the Second World War by grouping the various airborne units of the British Army. Today, there are eight regiments of the AAC, as well as two independent flights and two independent squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations around the world. Regiments and flights are located in the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Canada. Some AAC squadrons provide the air assault elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, through Joint Aviation Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MOD Lyneham</span>

Ministry of Defence Lyneham or MOD Lyneham is a Ministry of Defence site in Wiltshire, England, about 7 miles (11 km) north-east of Chippenham and 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Swindon. The site houses the Defence School of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering. Also here is Prince Philip Barracks, housing the regimental headquarters of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), 8 Training Battalion REME and the REME Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Regiment</span> Force security element of Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force Regiment is part of the Royal Air Force and functions as a specialist corps. Founded by Royal Warrant in 1942, the Corps carries out basic soldiering and security tasks relating to the [protection of] delivery of air power. Examples of such tasks are non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO), recovery of downed aircrew, defence of airfields by way of aggressively patrolling and actively seeking out infiltrators in a large area surrounding airfields. The key tenant of the RAF Regiments role is based around defensive security operations, rather than the Army’s more traditional offensive infantry role, which is to close with and kill the enemy; notwithstanding, this does require active patrolling outside the Airfield perimeter. In addition the RAF Regiment provides Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) to the British Army in the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) role, and provides a small commitment to the Special Forces Support Group as Tactical air controllers and some CBRN specialists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Honington</span> Royal Air Force air combat support station in Suffolk, England

Royal Air Force Honington or more simply RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located 6 mi (9.7 km) south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. It was used as a bomber station during the Second World War and through the Cold War, hosting Handley Page Victors and Hawker Siddeley (Blackburn) Buccaneers. RAF Honington has been the RAF Regiment depot since 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment</span> Military unit

The Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment was a specialist expeditionary unit of the British armed forces. Personnel of the Joint CBRN Regiment were trained in the detection, identification and monitoring of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team</span> Active British Army formation

16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, known simply as 16 Air Assault Brigade from 1999 – 2021, is a formation of the British Army predominantly based in Colchester, Essex. It makes up the Air Assault Task Force, a battlegroup held at high readiness, and is the only brigade in the British Army focused on operating via parachute, helicopter and air-landing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Bentwaters</span> Former RAF station in Suffolk, England

Royal Air Force Bentwaters or more simply RAF Bentwaters, now known as Bentwaters Parks, is a former Royal Air Force station about 80 miles (130 km) northeast of London and 10 miles (16 km) east-northeast of Ipswich, near Woodbridge, Suffolk in England. Its name was taken from two cottages that had stood on the site of the main runway during its construction in 1943.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Woodbridge</span> Former Royal Air Force station in Suffolk, England

Royal Air Force Woodbridge, or more simply RAF Woodbridge, is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MDP Wethersfield</span> Airport in Essex, England

MDP Wethersfield is a Ministry of Defence facility in Essex, England, located north of the village of Wethersfield, about 6 mi (9.7 km) north-west of the town of Braintree. Originally an RAF station, the site was later used as the headquarters and training centre of the Ministry of Defence Police until 2022. It now houses asylum seekers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Martlesham Heath</span> Former RAF station 1917–1963

Royal Air Force Martlesham Heath or more simply RAF Martlesham Heath is a former Royal Air Force station located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southwest of Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. It was active between 1917 and 1963, and played an important role in the development of Airborne Interception radar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Hullavington</span> Former Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England

Royal Air Force Hullavington, or more simply RAF Hullavington, was a Royal Air Force station located at Hullavington, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. The station opened in June 1937 and was primarily used for training. It closed on 31 March 1992 when it was transferred to the British Army and renamed Buckley Barracks. The airfield part of the site, known as Hullavington Airfield, continued to be used for RAF gliding operations until 2016 when it was sold to technology company Dyson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">81st Training Wing</span> Military unit

The 81st Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. The 81st Training Wing has the Air Force's largest Technical Training Group and trains more than 40,000 students annually. Training includes weather, basic electronics, communications electronic systems, communications computer systems, air traffic control, airfield management, command post, air weapons control, precision measurement, education and training, financial management and comptroller, information management, manpower and personnel, radar, ground radio, and network control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 27 Squadron RAF Regiment</span> Disbanded Royal Air Force Regiment Squadron

No. 27 Squadron RAF Regiment was a CBRN squadron of the RAF Regiment in the Royal Air Force with the Defensores Defendo. It disbanded in October 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">23 Parachute Engineer Regiment</span> Military unit

23 Parachute Engineer Regiment is a Royal Engineers regiment in the British Army that was formed in 2003. It provides engineer support to 16 Air Assault Brigade in both the parachute and Air assault role. The regiment is currently based at Rock Barracks in Suffolk and consists of three regular squadrons and one Army Reserve squadron. As part of 16 Air Assault Brigade it can be called upon to deploy on operations across the globe at extremely short notice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinloss Barracks</span> British Army installation and airfield in Moray, Scotland

Kinloss Barracks is a military installation located near the village of Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. Until 2012 it was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station, RAF Kinloss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8th Engineer Brigade (United Kingdom)</span> Military unit

8th Engineer Brigade is an engineering support formation of the British Army, which forms part of 1st Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Structure of the British Army</span> Organisation of the British Army

The page contains the current structure of the British Army. The British Army is currently being reorganised to the Future Soldier structure.

This is a list of units of the British Army's Royal Engineers.

Royal Air Force Shepherds Grove or more simply RAF Shepherds Grove is a former Royal Air Force station located in Suffolk, active from 1943–44 to 1966. Shepherds Grove was host to units of the United States Army Air Forces, Eighth Air Force. During the Cold war it was also one of the 20 Thor IRBM missile bases in the UK, as part of Project Emily.

28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN), Royal Engineers is a regiment of the British Army that focuses on countering chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (C-CBRN) hazards in the environment. Its operational chain of command is 29 Group, under 8th Engineer Brigade as part of 1st (UK) Division.

References

  1. "The skyfields of Suffolk". BBC. 29 August 2002. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  2. "New life for Suffolk RAF base". Ipswich Star. 10 October 2003. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  3. "Gallery: Thousands enjoy Rock Barracks open day". East Anglian Daily Times. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  4. Allison, George (25 August 2016). "A400M in austere runway trials". UK Defence Journal. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  5. Geater, Paul (7 November 2016). "Rock Barracks at Woodbridge, home to 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment, set to close". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  6. "A Better Defence Estate" (PDF). GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. November 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  7. "Defence bases marked for closure will now be kept open". BBC News. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  8. "Airborne engineer squadron returns to the ranks". British Army. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  9. "28 Engineer Regiment" . Retrieved 15 April 2021.