Current Status
The host unit at RAF Alconbury is the 423rd Air Base Group (423 ABG) which supplies host unit services for Alconbury as well as RAF Molesworth and RAF Upwood. The 423 ABG also provides services to the 426th Air Base Squadron at Sola Air Station, Stavanger, Norway.
The group comprises six squadrons—security forces and civil engineer, air base, medical and services—and supports tenant units. It manages the daily activities in the community and maintains all facilities, services, and housing. Its primary mission is support for the U.S. European Command Joint Analysis Center, Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO) and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) at RAF Molesworth. The group also supports the USAF Clinic at RAF Upwood, which serves the immediate medical needs of active duty personnel, their families and retired military that live in the area.
The 423 ABG command section and orderly room are located at Alconbury as are many of the support units and recreational facilities for the Tri-Base Area.
RAF Alconbury is also the home of the 501st Combat Support Wing (501 CSW). The 501 CSW is the command and control authority over geographically separated USAFE units in the United Kingdom.
The 501 CSW ensures United Kingdom-based air base groups are resourced, sustained, trained and equipped to exacting command standards in order to provide mission support that enables United States and NATO war fighters to conduct full spectrum flying operations during expeditionary deployments, theatre munitions movements, global command and control communications to forward deployed locations, support for theatre intelligence operations and joint/combined training.
RAF Alconbury is about 0.308 sq mi (0.798 km²) in area. A replica F-5E aircraft is on display outside the front gate. An A-10 aircraft is on display near the base parade field. The original World War II era control tower is still standing in the old airfield section. A World War II era building in the farm field just east of the current base perimeter, along with several wartime buildings on the old technical site (Site #5) on the west side of the former airfield. Several World War II T-2 hangars are still in use on the airfield section. Several World War II bomber hardstands (both frying pan and loop type) remain on the airfield section.
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