RAF Linton-on-Ouse

The closure was a strategic decision by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) as part of its 'A Better Defence Estate' review. The primary reason was the consolidation of military flying training. The Short Tucano T1 aircraft, used for Basic Fast Jet Training at Linton-on-Ouse, was retired in 2019. Its replacement, the Beechcraft Texan T-6C (known as the Texan T1 in RAF service), was co-located with advanced jet training at RAF Valley in Wales, making the Linton-on-Ouse base redundant for its main purpose.

After the MoD declared the site surplus to requirements, it was earmarked by the UK Home Office in April 2022 to be converted into a large accommodation and processing centre for up to 1,500 male asylum seekers. This proposal was met with intense and widespread opposition from local residents, the local council, and politicians due to concerns about the site's rural location, lack of infrastructure, and the potential impact on the small village. In August 2022, the UK government officially scrapped the plan. As of early 2024, the site remains largely empty and is under the management of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, which is exploring options for its future disposal and redevelopment.

Opened on May 13, 1937, RAF Linton-on-Ouse has a long and distinguished history. During World War II, it was a major bomber base within No. 4 Group, RAF Bomber Command. It was home to squadrons flying Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and Handley Page Halifax bombers, playing a crucial role in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. The station hosted many Commonwealth aircrews, particularly from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and operated Canadian-built Lancaster Mk.X bombers towards the end of the war. Post-war, it briefly served as a fighter station before becoming a key training base. For over 60 years, it was home to No. 1 Flying Training School (1 FTS), responsible for the basic training of most of the RAF's fast-jet pilots on aircraft like the Jet Provost and, most recently, the Short Tucano.

There are no known or credible plans to reopen RAF Linton-on-Ouse as an active military or civilian airport. The MoD's focus is on the disposal of the property. Future use is more likely to involve housing, commercial, or industrial redevelopment rather than a return to aviation operations. The significant infrastructure, including runways and hangars, remains, but its reactivation as an airfield is considered highly unlikely.