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Royal Air Force Lakenheath

RAF Lakenheath
Air Force Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited States Air Forces in Europe.svg
Part of United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)
Near Eriswell, Suffolk in England
F-15E Strike Eagles launch chaff and flares.jpg
F-15E Strike Eagles of the 48th Fighter, Statue of Liberty Wing
48th Fighter Wing.png
EGUL is located in Suffolk
EGUL
EGUL
Shown within Suffolk
Coordinates 52°24′30″N 000°33′24″E / 52.40833°N 0.55667°E / 52.40833; 0.55667Coordinates: 52°24′30″N 000°33′24″E / 52.40833°N 0.55667°E / 52.40833; 0.55667
Type Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator Royal Air Force (1941–1948)
Strategic Air Command (1951–1959)
United States Air Force (1948–1951, 1959–present)
Website www.lakenheath.af.mil
Site history
Built 1940 (1940)
In use 1941-Present
Airfield information
Identifiers IATA: LKZ, ICAO: EGUL
Elevation 10 metres (33 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
06/24 2,743 metres (8,999 ft) Concrete/Asphalt

Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath (IATA: LKZICAO: EGUL) is a Royal Air Force station near the town of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, 4.7 miles (7.6 km) north-east of Mildenhall and 8.3 miles (13.4 km) west of Thetford.

Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel. The host wing is the 48th Fighter Wing (48 FW), also known as the Liberty Wing, assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA).

The 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath is the Statue of Liberty Wing, the only USAF wing with both a number and a name. Since activation at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France, on 10 July 1952, Liberty Wing has been one of the premier fighter wings of the United States Air Forces in Europe, spending over 50 years as part of USAFE. The 48 FW has nearly 5,700 active-duty military members, 2,000 British and U.S. civilians, and includes a Geographically Separate Unit (GSU) at nearby RAF Feltwell.

Tactical squadrons of the 48th Operations Group are:

Aircraft of the 48th FW carry the tail code "LN".

In addition to supporting three combat-ready squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft, the Liberty Wing houses the 56th Rescue Squadron's HH-60G Combat Search and Rescue helicopters. The 56th and 57th Rescue Squadrons will re-locate to Aviano Air Base starting 2017.


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