RAF Lakenheath

RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force station located near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Established in 1940 as a decoy airfield, it became operational in 1941 for the Royal Air Force, hosting bomber units like No. 149 Squadron and No. 199 Squadron, operating Short Stirling bombers during World War II. The airfield was upgraded for Very Heavy Bombers and closed to aircraft until 1947. Since 1948, it has primarily hosted United States Air Force (USAF) units, initially Strategic Air Command (SAC) B-29 Superfortress bombers. The 48th Fighter Wing, known as the Liberty Wing, arrived in 1960 from France, operating F-100 Super Sabres, then F-4D Phantom IIs, and later General Dynamics F-111s. In 1992, the base transitioned to the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. From 2021, RAF Lakenheath began receiving Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II multi-role fighters, with the 495th Fighter Squadron reactivated as the first F-35 unit. The base is currently home to the 48th Fighter Wing, which operates F-15E Strike Eagles and F-35A Lightning IIs through its 492nd, 493rd, 494th, and 495th Fighter Squadrons. Significant infrastructure development has occurred to accommodate the F-35s, including new hangars, operations buildings, and expanded aprons. The base has been the site of various protests, particularly against nuclear weapons deployment and military actions. It has a single runway, 05/23, with a concrete/asphalt surface measuring 2,742 meters.