Units Stationed
| RAF Units | Aircraft |
|---|---|
| No. 48 Squadron | Lockheed Hudson |
| No. 179 Squadron | Vickers Wellington |
| No. 202 Squadron | Consolidated Catalina |
| No. 210 Squadron | Catalina |
| No. 233 Squadron | Hudson |
| No. 248 Squadron Detachment | Bristol Beaufighter |
| No. 544 Squadron Detachment | Supermarine Spitfire |
| No. 813 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm | Fairey Swordfish |
| No. 1403 (Meteorological) Flight | Handley Page Hampden, Gloster Gladiator |
Anti-submarine warfare was a major priority of RAF Gibraltar during WWII and some of their aircraft were equipped with special detectors to locate German U-boats in the relatively shallow waters around Gibraltar. United States Navy Fleet Air Wing 15 based at Port Lyautey coordinated its antisubmarine warfare operations with RAF Gibraltar and assigned a ZP-14 Squadron blimp pilot/liaison officer to Gibraltar.
On July 18, 1944, the Commander of RAF Gibraltar, Air Vice-Marshal Alick Stevens, was introduced to the antisubmarine technology of a USN K-ship when ZP-14 Commander Emmett J. Sullivan took him for a short blimp ride. The Goodyear K-112 was the first K-ship to land in Europe earlier the same day.
The airfield, which today is used mainly for civil flights, is unusual in that the main access road from Gibraltar to Spain crosses the airfield, necessitating the road to be closed whenever aircraft movements are in progress. When the RAF holds an exercise, this causes significant disruption to traffic flow. RAF Gibraltar used to have an Avro Vulcan K2 as a gate guard, but this was later scrapped.
On February 4, 2011, The new RAF headquarters in Gibraltar was officially opened by The Chief of Joint Operations, Air Marshal Sir Stuart Peach.
'The Jaguar Building' is the result of several years of planning and follows the enhancement of transport links with Spain, which will include a tunnel under the runway.
The old RAF site was needed for a new air terminal, so the Gibraltar Government agreed to pay for the new Headquarters and it was the perfect opportunity to put all sections under one roof.
Read more about this topic: RAF Gibraltar
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