Overview

Then & Now

• St Athan was the RAF’s largest site in UK, formerly known as Royal Air Force St Athan, or more simply RAF St Athan, it was a large Ministry of Defence unit near the village of St Athan.

• The Station provided deep maintenance for many years with a variety of aircraft over the years, such as; Canberra, Buccaneer, F4 – Phantom, Victor, Vulcan, Jaguar, Tornado in all its forms, VC10, Hawk and Harrier all being amongst them.

• The base was home to the RAF No. 4 School of Technical Training throughout its life,  as well as being a major aircraft maintenance unit. St Athan has also been used to house British Army units, including the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards.

• At one time it was home to a large collection of historical aircraft.

• A large collection of historical aircraft can now be found at the South Wales Aviation Museum (SWAM) at Picketston, https://www.swam.online/ adjacent to St Athan Airfield, which a visit to the museum is included within our schools and local community programme at  St Athan Aerodrome.

• The only remaining squadron to operate out of St Athan on a regular basis is the University of Wales Air Squadron (UWAS) (one of fourteen RAF University Air Squadrons), flying Grob Tutors.

• Between May 1947 and August 1973, St Athan was also home for the Administrative Apprentice Training School, which provided a 20-month training programme for entrants who enlisted to become clerks or work in accounting, supply, and administration, prior to posting to other RAF units for a 12-year term of service.

• St Athan was the designated site for the United Kingdom's new defence training academy, but the programme was cancelled in 2010. The airfield part of the site was transferred from military to civilian licencing on 1 April 2019. It is wholly owned by the Welsh Government, operated by Cardiff Wales Airport and known as St Athan Aerodrome, situated within the Bro Tathan Business Park.

• MOD St Athan continues to exist, comprising the barracks area which is separated from St Athan Airfield and is located West of the airfield.

• Current businesses operating at St Athan Airfield include University of Wales Air Squadron (UWAS), Horizon Aircraft Services for General Aviation maintenance and repair and Horizon flying school, NPAS (Police Helicopter) Bristow (Coastguard helicopter), Swissport Fuel, NATS Air Traffic control, eCube a large aircraft dismantling and maintenance repair and overhaul company and Caerdav a large aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul company, plus Cardiff Wales Airport, Fire Service, Security, Airfield Ground Lighting and Airfield operations.

• There are still some hangars, pill boxes and historical buildings left standing at the airfield from its military period.

Key information