Leuchars Station

Not to be confused with Leuchars railway station.

Leuchars Station
Near Leuchars, Fife in Scotland
Aerial view looking east over Leuchars.
Leuchars Station is located in Fife
Leuchars Station
Leuchars Station
Location in Fife
Coordinates56°22′23″N 002°52′07″W / 56.37306°N 2.86861°W / 56.37306; -2.86861
TypeArmy barracks and airfield
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorBritish Army
Site history
Built1916 (1916)
In use1916–2015 (Royal Air Force)
2015 – present (British Army)
Garrison information
Current
commander		Lieutenant Colonel Ben Parkyn
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA: ADX, ICAO: EGQL, WMO: 03171
Elevation12 metres (39 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
04/22 747 metres (2,451 ft) Asphalt
09/27 2,589 metres (8,494 ft) Asphalt

Leuchars Station (IATA: ADX, ICAO: EGQL) is a British Army installation located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the historic town of St Andrews.

Formerly RAF Leuchars, it was the second most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom (the most northerly being RAF Lossiemouth). The station ceased to be an RAF station in April 2015 when control of the site was transferred to the Army.

History

RAF Leuchars

Main article: RAF Leuchars

The Royal Air Force station at Leuchars opened on 16 March 1920, although its association with the military can be traced back to 1911 when military balloons were operated at the site. During its history the site was used as a RNAS fleet fighter station and later as a RAF Coastal Command airfield. Throughout the Cold War and beyond, the station was home to fighter aircraft which policed northern UK airspace. The station also hosted an annual International Airshow.

Transfer to the Army

On 18 July 2011, Defence Secretary Liam Fox announced that RAF Leuchars would close as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010, with the station being transferred to British Army control in 2015 and the Typhoon aircraft based at Leuchars moving to RAF Lossiemouth in Moray.[1]

In preparation for the closure, RAF Leuchars Mountain Rescue Team disbanded in November 2013 whilst No. 58 Squadron of the RAF Regiment and No. 6 Force Protection Wing disbanded on 10 May 2014.[2] No. 6 Squadron was the first Typhoon unit to depart Leuchars, heading for its new home at Lossiemouth in June 2014.[3][4] No. 1 Squadron followed on 8 September 2014, at which point responsibility for Quick Reaction Alert (North) was transferred from Leuchars to Lossiemouth.[5]

Control of Leuchars was transferred to the British Army on 31 March 2015, when it was renamed Leuchars Station.[6] The term 'station' was used as the size of the installation is smaller than a garrison but larger than a barracks and to reflect the range of army and RAF occupants.[7] The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards gradually relocated from Germany in the spring and summer of 2015 along with 2 Close Support Battalion of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and 110 Provost Company, Royal Military Police.[8] The transition from RAF to Army control was considered to have gone smoothly by Fife Council in terms of its impact on the local community.[9]

In February 2018, local councillors suggested that the name of the installation be changed as it could be confused with Leuchars Railway Station.[9]

RAF Typhoon FGR4 aircraft and the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) North capability operated from Leuchars between 10 August and the week commencing 16 October 2020 whilst the intersection of RAF Lossiemouth's two runways was resurfaced.[10][11]

Role and operations

In December 2018, there were approximately 750 members of the UK regular armed forces, 30 members of the full time reserve service personnel and 100 civil servants based at Leuchars.[12]

British Army

A Jackal 2 armoured wheeled vehicle as used by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards based at Leuchars

The primary Army unit based at Leuchars is the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. It is a cavalry regiment which specialises in the reconnaissance role. It is equipped with the Jackal 2 armoured fighting vehicle and the Coyote tactical support vehicle.[13]

Other army units included 2 Close Support Battalion of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and 110 Provost Company of the Royal Military Police.[14]

Royal Air Force

The station continues to be home to several RAF units, including No. 612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron RAuxAF, the East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron incorporating No. 12 Air Experience Flight, and the headquarters of Scotland and Northern Ireland Region and Central Scotland Wing of the Air Training Corps.

The airfield is maintained by the RAF as a diversion airfield for military aircraft.[15]

Based units

The following notable units are based at Leuchars Station.[16][17][18][19][14][20]

Future

Airfield use

In late October 2020, it was confirmed by the Ministry of Defence that they were looking into increasing both civilian and military usage of the airfield at Leuchars with the re-installation of F34 fuel facilities, however there would be no aircraft based permanently.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ "RAF to pull out of Leuchars as RAF Lossiemouth stays". BBC News. 18 July 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  2. ^ "Disbandment Parade of 6 RAF Force Protection Wing and 58 Sqn RAF Regiment". rafregt.org.uk. 10 May 2014. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  3. ^ "First Typhoons land at Lossiemouth". Press and Journal. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  4. ^ Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. April 2013. p. 8.
  5. ^ "Typhoon aircraft relocate to RAF Lossiemouth". Government of the United Kingdom. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Army now in charge at Leuchars". Fife Today. 31 March 2015. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  7. ^ Robertson, Aileen (17 February 2018). "Call for 'confusing' Leuchars Station army base to be given new name – The Courier". The Courier. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  8. ^ "Leuchars residents welcome rebasing news". British Forces News (British Forces Broadcasting Service). Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  9. ^ a b "58. Presentation by the Army on Leuchars Station" (PDF). Fife Council. 14 February 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  10. ^ "RAF Lossiemouth crews in temporary move back to Fife". BBC News. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Milestone For Runway Works at RAF Lossiemouth As Aircraft Return". Royal Air Force. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  12. ^ Ellwood MP, Tobias (3 December 2018). "Leuchars Station – Question for Ministry of Defence (UIN 195118)". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Royal Scots Dragoon Guards". British Army. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Units at Leuchars". Leuchars Station Open Day – 3 June 2017. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  15. ^ "Leuchars Station – HL4058". Hansard. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  16. ^ "71 Engineer Regiment". British Army. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  17. ^ "2 Close Support Battalion". British Army. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  18. ^ "The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards". British Army. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  19. ^ "Army battalion to leave Leuchars base". Evening Telegraph. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  20. ^ "Army Reserve units in Scotland – British Army". Army – Be The Best. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  21. ^ Alexander, Michael (29 October 2020). "'Appetite' to increase use of Leuchars airfield – but no permanent return of RAF jets, confirms Ministry of Defence". The Courier. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
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