RAF Ascension Island#Target Tracking Radar Station

File:Landing Fields - Ascension Island - Ascension Island - NARA - 68159096 (cropped).jpg

File:RAF Ascension Nov 83.jpg

In 1939 Ascension became important as a high-frequency direction finding radio station covering trade routes.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UDXnCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA248|title=The Invisible Weapon: Telecommunications and International Politics, 1851-1945|first=Daniel R. |last= Headrick|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2012|isbn=978-0199930333}} Wideawake Airfield (named after a noisy colony of sooty terns nearby) was built by the US military in 1942 by arrangement with the British government. The work was done by a US task force{{Cite web|url=http://www.les-smith.com/Ascension-Island/WideAwakeNews.htm|title=Ascension Island - The Wide-Awake News|website=www.les-smith.com}} of the USAAF 38th Engineer Combat Regiment and the airfield opened on 10 July 1942.{{Cite web|url=https://fsgfort.com/fortfinder/poi/wideawake-airfield/|title=Wideawake Airfield, Ascension Island; Fortfinder}} The first aircraft to land on Ascension Island was a Fairey Swordfish from HMS Archer in June, 1942 and it went on to be used by more than 25,000 aircraft as a staging point during the Second World War.{{cite web|url=http://www.mysterra.org/webmag/ascension-island/history.html|title=Ascension History|website=mysterra.org|publisher=Mysterra Magazine|access-date=3 January 2011|archive-date=27 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027190438/http://www.mysterra.org/webmag/ascension-island/history.html|url-status=dead}} An unusual visitor was a captured German Junkers Ju 88 bomber, which landed there in October 1943 as it was being flown from the Middle East to the United States in stages.{{Cite web |last=Newdick |first=Thomas |date=2020-11-12 |title=The Amazing Story Of How This Nazi Recon Plane Ended Up Being Tested In The U.S. During WWII |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/37574/how-this-nazi-recon-plane-ended-up-being-tested-in-the-united-states-during-world-war-ii |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=The Drive |language=en}}

A U.S. Air Force tracking station (now administered by the U.S. Space Force) was officially activated as a satellite of Patrick Air Force Base (now Patrick Space Force Base) in Florida on 25 June 1956.{{Cite report|url=https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330255/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-026.pdf|title=Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982|last=Mueller|first=Robert|publisher=Office of Air Force History|volume=I|page=464|isbn=0-912799-53-6|access-date=15 May 2018|year=1989}}

The airfield's runway was extended in the latter part of 1980. The base was re-garrisoned by the RAF in 1982 and used extensively as a staging airfield, for the Avro Vulcan bombers and the Handley Page Victor tankers, during the Falklands War. A series of long-range bombing raids was carried out from there under the name Operation Black Buck.{{cite book |last=White |first=Rowland |author-link=Rowland White (British writer) |year=2012 |title=Vulcan 607 |location=London |publisher=Bantam Press |isbn=978-0-593-07126-7 |oclc=941503520 |page=35 }} The first mission was on 30 April 1982.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spelproducts.co.uk/ascension-islands-wideawake-airfield/|title=Ascension Island's Wideawake Airfield|first=Matt|last=Kent|date=2 August 2016}} At one stage during that conflict, Wideawake became the busiest airport in the world for the number of aircraft movements.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/recent/falklands/falklands_gallery_04.shtml|title=Falklands Conflict Gallery|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}

In 2017 a parliamentary answer disclosed the runway needed a 'full depth resurfacing'.{{Cite web|url=https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2017-06-21/HL103|title=Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament|website=questions-statements.parliament.uk}} In June 2020 the U.S. Department of Defense announced the runway would be repaired, with a completion date in 2022 after eighteen months work; until then commercial flights were suspended.{{Cite web|url=https://en.mercopress.com/2020/02/14/ascension-island-airport-to-reopen-to-wide-body-traffic-by-2022|title=Ascension Island airport to reopen to wide-body traffic by 2022|website=MercoPress}} Normal flights were able to resume in August/September 2022 when repairs to the eastern side of the runway were completed (see further discussion below).{{Cite web |last=Cisneros |first=Mila |date=2022-09-08 |title=Atlantic runway reopens, increases U.S., British military capabilities |url=https://www.wpafb.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3153481/atlantic-runway-reopens-increases-us-british-military-capabilities/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=Wright-Patterson Air Force Base |language=en-US}}

The USAF relies upon contractors to maintain the airfield facilities and the satellite station. An update is underway, with a completion date in 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/chugach-wins-119m-usaf-contract-to-support-raf-ascension-island/|title=Chugach wins 9m USAF contract to support RAF Ascension Island|first=George|last=Allison|date=7 July 2020}}

File:ASCENSION ISLAND - CAT HILL.jpg tracking station at Cat Hill]]

The Target Tracking Radar Station was a Nike Zeus test facility for tracking reentry vehicles from Cape Canaveral missile launches. Built from 1960-1961 for anti-ballistic missile measurement, the "Golf Ball" radar antenna was on Cat Hill, and a collimation tower for radar calibration was towards English Bay.{{r|Avis}} The facility is home to the Detachment 2 of the 45th Mission Support Group, part of the U.S. Space Force's Delta 45. It operates a ground tracking station in support of the Eastern Range and rocket launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.{{Cite web|url=http://www.patrick.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/329842/45th-mission-support-group/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117145958/http://www.patrick.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Article/329842/45th-mission-support-group|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 November 2016|title=45th Mission Support Group – Fact Sheet|date=July 2017|website=45th Space Wing|access-date=15 May 2018}}

The NASA Tracking Station at Devil's Ashpit and the Cable & Wireless Earth Station at Donkey Plain were built in the mid-1960s for space operations and communications, including the latter's use for transmitting "microwave borne data via the Early Bird Satellite back to the NASA facility at Andover, Maine".{{cite web|url=https://heritage.org.ac/avis19.htm|title=Avis Part Nineteen - A Time For Change|publisher=Ascension Island Heritage Society|access-date=10 May 2020|archive-date=9 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509194308/http://heritage.org.ac/avis19.htm|url-status=dead}}

The station comes under the overall jurisdiction of the Commander British Forces South Atlantic Islands, an officer of one-star rank.{{cite web |url=http://www.bfbs.com/news/troops-south-atlantic-long-term-64980.html |title=Troops in South Atlantic 'for long term' | British Forces News |access-date=2013-12-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203012525/http://www.bfbs.com/news/troops-south-atlantic-long-term-64980.html |archive-date=3 December 2013 |df=dmy-all }} {{As of|December 2018}}, the incumbent is Commodore Jonathan Lett.{{Cite web|title=Royal Navy commodore new Commander of BFSAI at MPC in Falklands|url=https://en.mercopress.com/2020/11/20/royal-navy-commodore-new-commander-of-bfsai-at-mpc-in-falklands|access-date=2021-09-18|website=MercoPress|language=en}}

The RAF airfield on Ascension Island is run on a day-to-day basis by around 19 RAF personnel, headed by a wing commander.

RAF Ascension Island is normally 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.{{cite journal|last1=Eklund|first1=Dylan|title=A rock and a hard place|journal=The Official Royal Air Force Review 2015|date=2015|page=118|issn=1758-9681}}

Beginning in November 2017, the Ascension Island Government has contracted South African air carrier Airlink to conduct regularly scheduled charter flights between Saint Helena Airport and Ascension Island on a monthly basis. Flights are currently scheduled on the second week of every month, arriving at Ascension on Saturday afternoon and returning to Saint Helena on Sunday morning. The first of these flights were scheduled for 18 and 19 November 2017.{{cite web|title=Airlink-Ascension Island Government|url=http://www.ascension-island.gov.ac/government/travel-shipping/flights/airlink/|website=Ascension Island Government|access-date=15 October 2017|date=5 October 2017|archive-date=14 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014183603/http://www.ascension-island.gov.ac/government/travel-shipping/flights/airlink/|url-status=dead}} Additionally civilian passengers had been permitted on flights to and from RAF Brize Norton with reservations handled by AW Ship Management, with some customers doing package deals combined with the RMS Saint Helena, which travelled between Saint Helena and Cape Town, South Africa until the opening of St Helena Airport to passenger flights.{{cite web|url=https://rms-st-helena.com/manage/wp-content/uploads/RMS_St-Helena_Main_Brochure_MAR2015_web.pdf|title=RMS St Helena Brochure|publisher=AW Ship Management|page=18|access-date=2020-01-06|archive-date=13 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113105249/http://rms-st-helena.com/manage/wp-content/uploads/RMS_St-Helena_Main_Brochure_MAR2015_web.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://rms-st-helena.com/raf-flights/|title=RAF Flights Fly with the RAF and meet the RMS en route|publisher=AW Ship Management|access-date=2020-01-06|archive-date=26 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226091228/http://rms-st-helena.com/raf-flights/|url-status=dead}}

Ascension serves as a diversion airport for ETOPS aircraft crossing the Atlantic. In January 2013, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-200LR en route from Johannesburg to Atlanta diverted to Ascension as a result of engine problems.{{cite web|url=http://avherald.com/h?article=45bee9df&opt=0|title=Incident: Delta B772 over Atlantic on Jan 9th 2013, engine trouble|website=Aviation Herald|first=Simon|last=Hradecky|date=10 January 2013|access-date=11 January 2013}}

The site is home to a high frequency radio station forming part of the Defence High Frequency Communications Service. The station is operated by Babcock International Group on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hfindustry.com/meetings_presentations/presentation_materials/2012_sept_hfia/presentations/Babcock_DHFCS_NCS_Forest_Moor_Visit.pdf|title=Defence High Frequency Communications Service|date=5 September 2012|website=High Frequency Industry Association|publisher=Babcock International Group|access-date=1 October 2017|archive-date=1 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001213609/http://www.hfindustry.com/meetings_presentations/presentation_materials/2012_sept_hfia/presentations/Babcock_DHFCS_NCS_Forest_Moor_Visit.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Potholes on the runway led to the suspension in April 2017 of all Ministry of Defence South Atlantic Air Bridge Flights between RAF Mount Pleasant and RAF Brize Norton until at least 2019/2020. An Airbus A330 aircraft operated by AirTanker Services on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) carried out those flights although a limited number of commercial passenger tickets were available. Those flights traveled via Dakar.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40442318|title=Ascension: The increasingly unreachable island|first=Alastair|last=Leithead|work=BBC News |date=4 July 2017|access-date=19 October 2017}} Planes for emergency medical evacuation flights and the newly established monthly charter flight to Saint Helena Airport were not impacted given the size of aircraft used. Essential personnel and equipment were also exempt from the suspension.{{cite web|url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/55513-south-atlantic-airbridge-ops-at-ascension-island-suspended|title=South Atlantic Airbridge ops at Ascension Island suspended|access-date=19 October 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/02/runway-potholes-halt-regular-ascension-island-flights |title=Runway potholes halt regular Ascension Island flights |first=Patrick |last=Wintour |date=2 May 2017 |work=The Guardian}} In February 2021, an RAF A400M aircraft delivered Covid-19 vaccines to the island.{{Cite web |date=2021-02-19 |title=RAF transport Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/coronavirus/raf-transport-oxford-astrazeneca-vaccine-to-ascension-island-in-the-south-atlantic-ocean/ |access-date=2022-12-26 |publisher=Royal Air Force |language=en-gb}}

While A330s were unable to land at the airport until the repair reached a stage to permit the resumption of full flight operations, the United States military continued to maintain a weekly flight between the island and Patrick Space Force Base in Florida, only for the use of its personnel, while the MV Ascension supply ship regularly services US facilities.{{cite journal | author =Haff, Capt. Dana | title =M.V. Ascension | url =http://www.the-islander.org.ac/oldsite/1414.htm | date =December 17, 1998 | journal =The Islander | issue =1414 | publisher =The Islander Newspaper | location =Ascension Island | access-date =May 5, 2008 | archive-date =20 March 2019 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20190320005711/http://www.the-islander.org.ac/oldsite/1414.htm | url-status =dead }}

File:Ascension Island eastern runway reopens.jpg

A repair project aimed at restoring service to the airport celebrated its halfway point in March 2022.{{Cite web |last=Cisneros |first=Mila |date=2022-03-02 |title=Atlantic runway repair reaches halfway point |url=https://www.afimsc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2949186/atlantic-runway-repair-reaches-halfway-point/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center |language=en-US}} In August 2022, the eastern portion of the runway was completed, allowing full flight operations to resume, with a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III of the 21st Airlift Squadron being the first aircraft of that size to use the improved runway on 31 August 2022. Earlier that month, an RAF A400M aircraft flying from Ascension Island was refueled for the first time by a Voyager KC.2 aircraft flying out of RAF Mount Pleasant.{{cite news|url=https://aviationsourcenews.com/news/raf-atlas-c1-aircraft-refuelled-over-south-atlantic-for-first-time/|work=Aviation Source|date=1 August 2022|title=RAF Atlas C1 aircraft refuelled over South Atlantic for first time|first=Len|last=Varley|access-date=26 February 2023|archive-date=25 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225202602/https://aviationsourcenews.com/news/raf-atlas-c1-aircraft-refuelled-over-south-atlantic-for-first-time/|url-status=dead}} The repairs to the western side of the runway were fully completed in April 2023.{{Cite web |last=Cisneros |first=Mila |date=2023-05-10 |title=AFIMSC completes largest runway construction project in years |url=https://www.eglin.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3391110/afimsc-completes-largest-runway-construction-project-in-years/ |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=Eglin Air Force Base |language=en-US}}

Units based at Ascension Island:{{Cite web|date=18 December 2019|title=Director of Overseas Bases|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permanent-joint-operating-bases-pjobs/fd|access-date=8 May 2021|website=GOV.UK|publisher=Ministry of Defence|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Williams|first=Airman 1st Class Dalton|date=6 February 2019|title=Small island, big mission – Ascension Island supports 45 SW|url=https://www.patrick.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1749916/small-island-big-mission-ascension-island-supports-45-sw/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803135240/https://www.patrick.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1749916/small-island-big-mission-ascension-island-supports-45-sw/|archive-date=3 August 2020|access-date=15 January 2020|website=45th Space Wing|publisher=US Air Force|language=en-US}}

Director of Overseas Bases

• British Forces South Atlantic Islands
• RAF Ascension Island

Space Operations Command (SpOC)

• Space Launch Delta 45
• 45th Mission Support Group
• Detachment 2

{{Airport-dest-list

| Airlink | Charter: Johannesburg-O.R. Tambo, Saint Helena

|Titan Airways | Charter: Saint Helena, London–Stansted{{cite web |url=https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/2020/news/charter-flight-update/ |title=Charter Flight Update |author= |date=2 December 2020 |publisher=St Helena Government |access-date=2020-12-05 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/2021/news/titan-airways-charter-flights-august-2021-to-march-2022/|title=Titan Airways Charter Flights - August 2021 To March 2022|date=17 June 2021}}

}}

On 18 November 2017, SA Airlink started a scheduled weekly charter from Longwood, Saint Helena to the island.{{Cite web|url=https://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do?airportCode=HLE&airportQueryType=0|title=(HLE Departures) Saint Helena Airport Departures|website=FlightStats|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-21}}

• Saint Helena Airport
• List of Royal Air Force stations

{{Reflist |refs=

{{Citation |format=personal anecdote |last=Avis |first=Graham |date=9 February 2002 |chapter=Avis Part Eighteen - Curry or Stew! |chapter-url=http://www.heritage.org.ac/avis18.htm |title=An Introduction to the History of Ascension Island |url=http://www.heritage.org.ac/HS1frameset.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803170646/http://www.heritage.org.ac/HS1frameset.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 August 2012 |access-date=2014-04-13 |quote=By the end of 1956, 181 St Helenian men were employed in a temporary capacity on Ascension Island constructing the US Base. … The Base operations were eventually expanded by the addition of a Target Tracking Radar Station, which was built from 1960 - 1961. This facility, known as the Golf Ball, was built on a site overlooking the Archer Cemetery at Comfortless Cove. It meant the construction of a separate road, the Nike Zeus Road, to the area, replacing the old dirt road from the back of Long Beach. A collimation tower, complete with its own access track cutting across the old Victorian path to the sand blowhole was constructed part of the way towards English Bay, to calibrate the radar. … mid-sixties of the NASA Tracking Station at Devil's Ashpit, and the Cable & Wireless Earth Station at Donkey Plain. This station was built by Cable & Wireless and Marconi at the request of NASA }}

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{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://www.ascension.gov.ac/travel-and-shipping/travel-by-air/ Ascension Island Government – Travel to Ascension by Air]
• [https://adip.faa.gov/agis/public/#/airportData/FHAW FAA Airport Data and Information Portal – (FHAW) Ascension Aux AF]
• [https://www.aidu.mod.uk/aip/pdf/ad/FHAW-Ascension-Wideawake-Combined.pdf UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Ascension / Wideawake (FHAW)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029153538/https://www.aidu.mod.uk/aip/pdf/ad/FHAW-Ascension-Wideawake-Combined.pdf |date=29 October 2020 }}

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