RAF Leeming

RAF Leeming
Near Leeming, North Yorkshire in England
An RAF C-17 above the runway at RAF Leeming
Straight and True
Site information
TypeAir combat support station
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byNo. 1 Group (Air Combat)
ConditionOperational
WebsiteOfficial website
Location
RAF Leeming
Shown within North Yorkshire
Coordinates54°17′33″N 001°32′08″W / 54.29250°N 1.53556°W / 54.29250; -1.53556
Grid referenceSE305890
Area508 hectares (1,260 acres)
Site history
Built1939 (1939)
In useJune 1940 – present
Garrison information
Current
commander
Group Captain P. T. Hamilton
Occupants See Based units section for full list.
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA: QXL, ICAO: EGXE, WMO: 03257
Elevation40.5 metres (133 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
16/34 2,291 metres (7,516 ft) Asphalt
Source: UK MIL AIP Leeming

Royal Air Force Leeming or more simply RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station located near Leeming, North Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1940 and was jointly used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Between 1950 and 1991, it operated mostly as a training base with Quick Reaction Force (QRF) Panavia Tornado F3 fighters based there in the latter stages of the Cold War and into the early 21st century. Since 2006, it has become the home of the deployable RAF communications cadre (No. 90 Signals Unit RAF) and the home of No. 135 Expeditionary Air Wing.