48th Fighter Wing

F-15sAs the U.S. Air Forces in Europe's only fourth and fifth-generation fighter wing, RAF Lakenheath brings unique air combat capabilities to the fight, such as the most advanced Joint Direct Attack Munitions used by the F-35A & F-15E. RAF Lakenheath provides all-weather, day or night air superiority and air-to-ground precision combat capability and multi-staged improvement program avionics.

RAF Lakenheath Mission

The 48th Fighter Wing Mission:
Provide worldwide responsive combat airpower and support
.


The 48th Fighter Wing Vision:
America’s premier combat wing.

Economic Impact Statement

Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, is located 70 miles northeast of London and 25 miles northeast of Cambridge. The Liberty Wing consists of more than 4,000 military members, over 1,500 British and U.S. civilians and includes a geographically-separated unit at nearby RAF Feltwell. RAF Lakenheath is the largest U.S. Air Force-operated base in England and the only U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) F-35/F-15 fighter wing.

As the USAFE's only F-35/F-15 fighter wing, we bring unique air combat capabilities to the fight, such as the most advanced Joint Direct Attack Munitions employed by the F-35A & F-15E. We provide all-weather, day-or-night air superiority, air-to-ground precision combat capability and multi-staged improvement program avionics.

Historically, the 48th FW has been the foundation of USAFE's combat capability and remains so today. The Liberty Wing led the El Dorado Canyon raids into Libya in 1986 and was the first F-111 fighter unit to deploy to the Gulf during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The Liberty Wing also anchored NATO forces during Operations Deliberate Force and Allied Force. Since September 11, 2001, the 48th FW has played a key role in antiterrorism operations, flying combat missions and providing combat support in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Up-to-date information about the Economic Impact of the 48th Fighter Wing can be downloaded here.