Warton Aerodrome

Warton Aerodrome

Company type	Aerodrome / Aircraft assembly and testing site
Industry	Aerospace, Defence
Founded	1940
Headquarters	Warton, Lancashire , England, United Kingdom
Area served	Lancashire Enterprise Zone
Products	Military aircraft assembly and testing (e.g. Eurofighter Typhoon)
Owner	BAE Systems

Warton Aerodrome Template:Airport codes is an airfield positioned in the village of Warton on the Fylde coastal plain in Lancashire, England. It lies approximately 7 miles (11 km) to the west of Preston, Lancashire. The eastern boundary of the aerodrome borders the village of Freckleton.

This airfield serves as a key assembly and testing site for BAE Systems Military Air & Information and forms part of the Lancashire Enterprise Zone.

Warton Aerodrome holds a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Ordinary Licence (Number P748), which permits operations involving public passenger transport or flight instruction, subject to authorisation by the license holder, BAE Systems (Operations) Limited.

Origins and military operations

In 1940, new runways were constructed at Warton to function as a satellite airfield supporting the RAF Coastal Command base at Squires Gate airfield in Blackpool.

During the Second World War, the airfield initially operated as a depot for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), processing thousands of aircraft destined for deployment across Britain, North Africa, the Mediterranean, and mainland Europe. It was home to the 402d Air Depot, later known as the 402d Base Air Depot, from 15 April 1943 until 24 November 1945.

On 14 August 1944, Major Glenn Miller performed a concert for an audience of 10,000 servicemen on a stage erected before No. 4 Hangar. However, on 23 August 1944, a tragic accident occurred when a USAAF Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber crashed near Freckleton village. This incident, known as the Freckleton Air Disaster, claimed the lives of 61 individuals, including 38 children and two teenagers.

Following these events, Warton transitioned into a Royal Air Force station.

Aircraft manufacturers

File:BAC TSR.2 XR219 Warton 11.06.66 edited-2.jpg

Prototype BAC TSR2 at Warton in 1966

In 1947, the site was acquired by English Electric, which relocated its principal design office there from the Strand Road location in Preston in 1948.

Following the 1960 consolidation of English Electric Aviation with other major British aircraft divisions, the facility became part of the newly formed British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). BAC was subsequently nationalised and merged with Hawker Siddeley and Scottish Aviation in 1977 to create British Aerospace (BAe). British Aerospace underwent privatisation in 1981 and was rebranded as BAE Systems in 1999. Throughout this period, the airfield served as the flight test hub for numerous key military aircraft, including the English Electric Canberra, English Electric Lightning, BAC TSR-2, Sepecat Jaguar, Panavia Tornado, BAE Hawk (originally Hawker Siddeley Hawk), and most recently, the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Eurofighter Typhoon

File:RAF Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon F2 Lofting-1.jpg

An RAF Typhoon F2 maneuvering through the Mach Loop

Warton functioned as the headquarters for all British development aircraft (DA) and Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) within the Eurofighter programme. It has housed the RAF's initial Typhoon squadrons, specifically No. 17 Squadron and No. 29 Squadron. This arrangement falls under the "Case White" initiative, wherein BAE assumes greater responsibility for training and support of the aircraft compared to earlier RAF introductions, which were managed more internally. According to BAE, this approach enables rapid resolution of any issues arising with new aircraft models by having dedicated personnel on-site. BAE also intends to extend this comprehensive on-site support to international customers.

Nimrod

Warton was utilized for developmental flight testing of the Nimrod MRA4 Maritime Reconnaissance and Attack aircraft until its cancellation during the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Tornado

The last Tornado built at Warton was delivered in 1998—a GR.1 variant destined for Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, the main assembly hangar was converted to serve as the final assembly facility for the Eurofighter Typhoon. BAE projects that advancements in manufacturing will reduce assembly time from approximately 30 weeks per Tornado to just 16 weeks for a Typhoon.

Private airfield

File:Rth Warton Airfield 14.09.06.jpg

Overview of runways and facilities facing WSW in 2006

File:Confluence of the river Ribble and River Douglas - geograph.org.uk - 128848.jpg

View from the River Ribble

Warton operates as the base for BAE Systems' Corporate Air Travel division, which manages scheduled flights for employees and affiliates to destinations such as Farnborough, Munich, Cambridge, RAF Coningsby, and RAF Marham. The Farnborough and Munich routes are serviced by Corporate Air Travel's own Embraer 145 jets, while other routes are outsourced to external carriers. Numerous additional VIP charter flights also occur regularly.

The airfield remains closed to public access. Historically, limited sections were opened during periodic open days held every four years on a rotating basis with Samlesbury, intended for employees’ families, friends, and local community members. These complimentary "Families' Days" featured interactive demonstrations, tours of simulation facilities, and captivating aerial displays. The final event took place in 2006.

Police helicopter

Beginning in November 1994, the Lancashire Constabulary operated a Eurocopter AS355 helicopter based at Warton. This was subsequently upgraded to a more advanced EC135 model.

As of January 2018, this service was discontinued and aerial support is now provided by the National Police Air Service, operating out of Barton.

Lightning XS928

A permanently exhibited static display of the English Electric Lightning F.6 XS928 is present at the airfield.

Protests

Main article: Seeds of hope

In January 1996, a group of four women known as the Ploughshare Four inflicted damage exceeding £1.5 million on a Hawk warplane located at the facility. At Liverpool Crown Court, they were acquitted of criminal damage charges after the jury concluded their actions were justified under the Genocide Act 1969. The targeted Hawk was intended for export to Indonesia, where the activists contended it would likely be deployed against civilians in East Timor.

On 29 January 2017, Rev Dan Woodhouse, a Methodist minister from Leeds, along with Sam Walton, a Quaker, were detained at the location following allegations of attempting to disable warplanes destined for Saudi Arabia. The Lancashire Constabulary stated they were held on suspicion of causing criminal damage. Woodhouse expressed that halting these aircraft "would save lives". Walton revealed that they carried one of the hammers originally used by the Ploughshare Four, which had been seized by authorities. In October 2017, both Walton and Woodhouse appeared before Burnley Magistrates Court charged with criminal damage; they were ultimately acquitted after successfully arguing their actions served a greater moral purpose.

Enterprise zone

Since 2012, this aerodrome has been one of two locations comprising the Lancashire Enterprise Zone, with the second site situated at BAE Systems' Samlesbury Aerodrome. The Warton site spans approximately 72 hectares (180 acres). Development efforts are jointly managed by BAE Systems, Lancashire County Council, and Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

See also

• List of aerospace flight test centres

External links

• BAE Systems Typhoon
• 967 ATC Squadron

Video clips

• British Aerospace promotional video from the 1980s
• Eurofighter assembly at Warton featuring an apprentice, March 2010