Forces RAF Waddington Community Information Portal

About RAF Waddington

RAF Waddington is the Main Operating Base for the Sentry Airborne Early Warning (AEW) Mkl.

8 and 23 Squadrons (as well as SMS - Sentry Maintenance Squadron) were amalgamated into the single unit of 8 Squadron, with 23 officially disbanding 2 Oct 2009. The Squadron provides the United Kingdom’s contribution in kind to the NATO AEW Force, as well as a national AEW capability. 54(R) Squadron, a training squadron based at RAF Waddington, stood up 5 Sep 2005.

Waddington is also home to No 51 Squadron, operating the Nimrod R1, 5 (AC) Squadron, 39 Squadron and 2503 Squadron. In addition, a very wide range of aircraft types, from several nations, use the airfield for training and diversions.

The airfield at Royal Air Force Waddington opened as a flying training station in November 1916 teaching hundreds of pilots, including many from the US Army, to fly on a wide variety of aircraft until the station was put into care and maintenance in 1920. After that RAF Waddington was enlarged, particularly after 1934, when major RAF expansion began, with many buildings constructed, including some of the hangars which remain in use today.

Waddington is within the DEOps Housing Northern Region, with allocations made by York. RAF Waddington has 395 Service Families Accommodation (SFA) which are mainly located behind the wire. SFA can also be allocated at RAF Digby (266 SFA) around 11 miles from Waddington, RAF Scampton (188 SFA) around 12 miles away from Waddington and RAF Cranwell (391 SFA) around 15 miles from Waddington. Accommodation is available for all ranks. Please note if you are allocated a SFA at either Digby or Cranwell, there is no transport provided to Waddington from these bases.

The Station has a recently built gym complex, a swimming pool, squash courts, tennis courts, 9-hole golf course and football pitches. There is an all ranks bar, which has a family room and an indoor play area. A Station hairdresser is available and a hair salon is located within the SFA area. The Integrated Welfare Facility (IWF) is the home to the HIVE, Coffee Shop, SSAFA Personal Family and Support Worker, Community Development Worker, Kidz Club (before and after school care for primary aged children) and Thrift Shop. Waddington has a C of E Church located on the SFA site. There are various groups that meet on a regular basis including parent and toddlers, a youth club and scouting groups etc.




The information on this site has been compiled from various sources accessible on the internet:  acknowledgements are due to MOD Website,  RAF Website,  HIVE website, & Wikipedia. 
The site is intended to be an impartial and useful source of information about the Forces Base and surrounding area for members of HM Armed Forces, their families and civilians working on the Base. There should be nothing of a sensitive nature as everything here is readily available on the internet.  If you spot anything that is out of date or just plain wrong, please contact us.