RAF Ballykelly (abandoned/closed)

The closure was a result of UK defence cuts and a strategic military reorganisation following the decision to withdraw forces from 'East of Suez'. The long-range maritime patrol role performed by the Avro Shackleton aircraft based at Ballykelly was consolidated at other RAF bases, primarily RAF Kinloss in Scotland. The site was not abandoned but was immediately transferred to the British Army.

Immediately upon the RAF's departure in 1971, the site was taken over by the British Army and renamed Shackleton Barracks. It has served as an army base since, notably as a helicopter base during The Troubles. In 2016, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that Shackleton Barracks would close by 2027 as part of a wider estate consolidation. The Northern Ireland Executive has acquired a large portion of the site for a major mixed-use redevelopment project, which includes plans for over 1,000 new homes, business spaces, and community facilities. While the original runways and layout are still visible, the site is no longer an active airfield and is undergoing transformation for civilian use.

RAF Ballykelly was a strategically vital airfield with significant historical importance, particularly during World War II and the Cold War. Opened in 1941, it served as a major base for RAF Coastal Command. Its primary role was anti-submarine warfare in the Battle of the Atlantic, protecting Allied convoys. Squadrons flying very-long-range aircraft like the B-24 Liberator operated from Ballykelly, playing a crucial part in closing the 'Mid-Atlantic gap' where German U-boats had previously operated with impunity. Post-war, it continued as a key maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine base during the Cold War, housing Avro Shackleton aircraft to monitor Soviet naval activity. It was also home to the Joint Anti-Submarine School (JASS), training NATO forces in anti-submarine warfare techniques.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Ballykelly as an airport. The site's future is firmly committed to civilian redevelopment following the planned closure of the Shackleton Barracks army base. The proximity of the operational City of Derry Airport (itself a former RAF base, RAF Eglinton) and the advanced redevelopment plans make a return to aviation use highly improbable.