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RAF Valley
Refuge in adversity
The RAF Valley Station Badge depicts a Dragon Rampant holding a Portcullis. For many years RAF Valley took pride in being a Master Diversion Airfield and remained open 24 hours a day to receive aircraft either in difficulty or diverted from other bases because of bad weather. The Station adopted the heraldic devices on the badge as an indication of both its location in Wales and its task of holding the entrance to the airfield open.
THE STATION
RAF Valley on Anglesey is home to No 4 Flying Training School, responsible for training the UK's next generation of world-class fighter pilots.
Aircrew are also trained at RAF Valley for mountain and maritime operations throughout the world.
RAF Valley is also home to the Mountain Rescue Service, the military's only high readiness, all weather search and rescue, aircraft post-crash management asset.
1,500 Service personnel, civil servants and contractors work at RAF Valley.
Commander
Group Captain Chris Moon ADC MA BEng RAF
Group Captain Chris Moon took command of RAF Valley in December 2018. Prior to this he held a post in the Directorate of Strategic Programmes in the Ministry of Defence.
Group Captain Moon was introduced to the RAF through Air Cadets and University Air Squadron and started his flying career on the Harrier GR7.
He has spent most of the last ten years flying and supporting multi-role Typhoon operations, including deployments to the Middle East and Exercise RED FLAG in command of the oldest fixed wing unit in the RAF, No 3(Fighter) Squadron.
Group Captain Moon has previously served as a Hawk T1 flying instructor at RAF Valley and is now responsible for all RAF and Royal Navy fighter pilot training on the Hawk T2 advanced jet trainer.
ADDRESS
RAF Valley, Holyhead, Anglesey, LL65 3NY.
What we fly
KEY DATES
- 1941 - The Station opened as RAF Rhosneigr.
- 1941-1945 - During World War Two the Station operated as a fighter station.
- 1948 - The RAF Mountain Rescue Service was formed.
- 1960 - No 4 Flying Training School arrived at RAF Valley.
- 1962 - Search and Rescue Training commenced at RAF Valley.
- 2009 - The Hawk TMk2 flew its first flight at RAF Valley.
HISTORY
Since the Station was opened in February 1941 it has been the home of many different aircraft in a variety of roles. Initially, RAF Valley was part of 9 Group, Fighter Command, and was known as RAF Rhosneigr. After two months, it was re-named RAF Valley.
During World War Two the Station operated as a fighter station to defend Merseyside and the Irish Sea from enemy air and sea activity. From 1943, it became a major staging post for USAAF aircraft arriving from the United States to help the war effort.
Post-war, the Station became a flying training station for the RAF and Royal Navy. Today, it is the home of No 4 Flying Training School, operating the BAE Hawk TMk2. This advanced jet trainer, with its modern cockpit design and avionics, provides the ideal lead-in trainer for pilots graduating on to front line aircraft such as the Typhoon and F-35.
From late 2019, RAF Valley will be the home of Basic Flying Training; the second phase of Fast Jet training for the RAF and Royal Navy. Following on from Elementary Flying Training, Basic Flying Training using the Texan T1 advanced turbo-prop trainer will prepare students for Advanced Flying Training on the Hawk T2 jet trainer.
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