| Wattisham Airfield | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: none – ICAO: EGUW | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | Army Air Corps | ||
| Location | Stowmarket | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 284 ft / 87 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Map | |||
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EGUW
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| m | ft | ||
| 05/23 | 2,424 | 7,953 | Asphalt |
| Sources: World Aero Data[1] | |||
Wattisham Airfield (ICAO: EGUW) is the biggest centralised operational Army Airfield in the UK, located next to the small village of Wattisham in Suffolk, England. It is home to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps and 4 Regiment Army Air Corps. They are part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, whose headquarters is at Colchester. They fly one of the most advanced military helicopters in the world, the Westland WAH-64 Apache as well as the Westland Lynx.
Also based at Wattisham is 7 Air Assault Battalion REME with a helicopter repair facility with worldwide capability, 132 Aviation Supply Unit and the Royal Logistics Corps. The RAF maintains a presence at the base with B Flight 22 Squadron, flying the Sea King, with a search and rescue responsibility for the whole of the eastern coast, and Brigade Parachute Squadron RAF. Apart from the military, the police helicopter unit for Suffolk Constabulary also operates from Wattisham as well as the Anglia Gliding Club[2] (which, in fact, is the oldest serving member of Wattisham, having been there as a RAFGSA club when the RAF occupied). Also resident is 1287 Sqn, Air Training Corps.
The airfield covers a site of 1,072 acres (4.34 km2). There are 2,000 troops stationed on site with 600 houses for married personnel between Wattisham, Hadleigh and Ipswich. There are 300 HGVs, 200 Land Rovers, over 40 helicopters including 2 Sea King helicopters (125 and 126) and the Suffolk Police Eurocopter as well as casual access for 2 Air Ambulances.
There is a museum[3] on site which tells the history of the airfield and this is open on Sundays during April to October.
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Wattisham Airfield has had a long and distinguished history. First opening in April 1939 the base was used by the RAF before being lent to the United States Army Air Forces in 1942. After the Second World War Wattisham became one of the UK's front-line air force fighter bases during the Cold War with aircraft on Quick Reaction Alert at all times.
For more detailed information about the base from 1939 to 1992, when the Army Air Corps began operating the base, see RAF Wattisham.