RAF Ascension Island

RAF Ascension Wideawake Airbase/Field
IATA: ASI – ICAO: FHAW ASI Location within the South Atlantic Ocean
Summary
Airport type		Military
Owner		Ministry of Defence
Operator		Royal Air Force / Serco Group[1]
Location		Georgetown, Ascension Island
Elevation AMSL		278 ft / 85 m
Coordinates		7°58′10″S 14°23′38″W / 7.96944°S 14.39389°W / -7.96944; -14.39389Coordinates: 7°58′10″S 14°23′38″W / 7.96944°S 14.39389°W / -7.96944; -14.39389
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
13/31	10,019	3,054	Asphalt
No Instrument landing system (ILS)

RAF Ascension, more commonly known as RAF Ascension Island, and sometimes known as Wideawake Airfield or Ascension Island Base, is a British Royal Air Force station on Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean, near the Equator.

History

View of part of the station in November 1983

In 1939 Ascension became important as a HF/DF radio station covering trade routes. After the United States entered World War II, an airstrip was built using a US task force^[2] to supply and augment extensive amphibious aircraft antisubmarine patrol operations ongoing from the early days of the war, it was known as "Wideawake",^[3] after a nearby colony of Sooty Terns (locally called 'Wideawake' birds because of their loud, distinctive call, which would wake people early in the morning).

The first aircraft to land on Ascension Island was a Fairey Swordfish from HMS Archer in 1942. In 1943 the United States Army Air Force set up Wideawake Airfield, by arrangement with the British government. The airfield was abandoned at the end of the war, and fell into disuse. The Americans returned in 1956, and reopened the airfield in 1957. The runway was lengthened and widened in the mid 1960s to allow for larger aircraft. USAF then, and later NASA established missile tracking facilities based at Cat Hill. Although NASA usage ended in 1967, USAF continues its usage with several hundred personnel, mostly contractors.

RAF Ascension Island was re-garrisoned by the RAF in 1982 and used extensively as a staging base during the Falklands War. Operation Black Buck, the long range bombing raids, were carried out from there. The base continues this staging post role for the Falkland Islands, for both the RAF and the United States Air Force.

Current organisation

RAF TriStar refuelling at Ascension during a stop en route to the Falkland Islands

This is under the overall jurisdiction of the Commander British Forces South Atlantic Islands, an officer of one-star rank. Since 2011, this has been Brigadier William Aldridge CBE.^[4] The RAF base on Ascension Island is run on a day-to-day basis by around seventeen RAF personnel. The flight, including the Ops Officer, consists of five officers and around twelve non-commissioned service personnel.

The RAF presence on Ascension is backed up by United States Air Force personnel, who contribute a similar number of servicemen to ensure the effective running of the station, under the command of Captain Eduard Rodriguez, who is responsible to the RAF Station Commander.

RAF Ascension Island is also the refuelling point for the Ministry of Defence's South Atlantic Air Bridge flights to RAF Mount Pleasant, on the Falkland Islands, from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, in the UK.

See also

	Royal Air Force portal
	United States Air Force portal
	World War II portal

• Saint Helena Airport
• List of Royal Air Force stations
• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wideawake Field

• RAF Ascension Island
• James Rogers and Luis Simón. The Status and Location of the Military Installations of the Member States of the European Union and Their Potential Role for the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). Brussels: European Parliament, 2009. 25 pp.

v t e British overseas territory of  Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha  Saint Helena Ascension Island  Tristan da Cunha Jamestown (capital) Half Tree Hollow Saint Paul's Longwood Georgetown (chief settlement) Two Boats Village RAF Ascension Island Edinburgh of the Seven Seas Gough Island

v t e Royal Air Force Royal Air Force portal Formations and units Commands Groups Stations Wings Aircraft squadrons Aircraft flights Conversion units Regiment squadrons Branches and components RAF Regiment RAF Chaplains Branch RAF Intelligence RAF Legal Branch Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service RAF Police Search and Rescue Force Mountain Rescue Service Reserve forces Royal Auxiliary Air Force RAF Volunteer Reserve Associated civil organizations Air Training Corps RAF Association RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine RAF Football Association Equipment List of RAF aircraft List of RAF missiles Personnel Officer ranks Other ranks List of members Symbols and uniform Ensign Badge Roundels Uniform History Timeline Future