RAF Catfoss

The closure was a result of strategic military changes. The initial rundown after 1945 was part of the general post-WWII demobilization and reduction of the Royal Air Force. The final closure in 1963 was due to the obsolescence of the PGM-17 Thor missile system. The Thor missile program, a key part of the UK's early nuclear deterrent, was deactivated following the Cuban Missile Crisis and the advent of more advanced, less vulnerable systems like the Royal Navy's Polaris submarines. With the missiles removed, the base was surplus to RAF requirements.

The site is now completely civilian and unrecognizable as an airfield. It has been extensively redeveloped into the **Catfoss Industrial Estate**, a large commercial and industrial park. Many of the original runways and taxiways have been removed or built over. Some original hangars and military buildings remain, repurposed for various businesses including manufacturing, storage, and vehicle maintenance. A significant portion of the former airfield is also occupied by a large-scale solar farm. The three concrete launch pads for the Thor missiles, along with their blast walls, are still visible on satellite imagery, serving as a distinct reminder of the site's Cold War past, although they are now overgrown and on private land.

RAF Catfoss has a significant two-part history.

**World War II - Coastal Command Training:** Opened initially in 1932 as a bombing and gunnery range, it was developed into a full airfield at the start of World War II. Its primary role was as a major training base for RAF Coastal Command. It was home to No. 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit (OTU), which was responsible for training crews on torpedo bombers and strike aircraft. Crews were trained on aircraft such as the Bristol Beaufort, Bristol Beaufighter, and later the de Havilland Mosquito. These crews went on to play a vital role in anti-shipping warfare, particularly in the North Sea, contributing significantly to the Allied war effort. The airfield was a hive of activity, preparing thousands of airmen for dangerous frontline missions.

**Cold War - Nuclear Deterrent:** After being dormant for over a decade, the airfield was reactivated in 1959 and gained a new, critical role in the Cold War. It became one of twenty sites in the UK to host PGM-17 Thor Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs). Operated by No. 150 Squadron RAF, the three nuclear-tipped missiles at Catfoss were part of 'Project Emily,' a joint US-UK program to place nuclear missiles in Britain aimed at the Soviet Union. This made the base a high-priority target and a key component of the West's nuclear deterrent until the system was stood down in 1963.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Catfoss as an airport. The extensive industrial development, the presence of the solar farm, and the removal of most of the original aviation infrastructure make a return to aviation use highly improbable and economically unfeasible. The site's future is firmly established in industrial, commercial, and renewable energy use.

*Note on ICAO Code: The provided ICAO code 'US-0218' is not an official ICAO designation. It is an identifier used in some non-governmental airport databases for closed or historical airfields. As a decommissioned military base, RAF Catfoss does not have an official ICAO or IATA code.*