The UK's largest RAF station is set to undergo a £180 million overhaul as work begins on replacing the runway and upgrading key infrastructure at RAF Brize Norton.
The refurbishment, announced by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), is expected to improve the resilience of the airfield, which serves as the hub of the UK's military air transport operations.
The project includes replacing the station's three-kilometre runway, refurbishing taxiways, upgrading airfield lighting, improving drainage systems and renewing supporting infrastructure. Construction is expected to continue until 2027.
The work forms part of the government's newly announced Defence Investment Plan, which includes funding for runway upgrades and wider infrastructure improvements across the defence estate. It also falls under Project Trenchard, the RAF's 10-year programme to modernise military bases.
The £180 million contract has been awarded to VolkerFitzpatrick, with AECOM providing technical services. Around 350,000 tonnes of construction material will be used during the programme.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard said RAF Brize Norton was "the backbone of UK air mobility" and that the investment would help secure the station's long-term role while supporting jobs in the surrounding area.
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), which is overseeing the project alongside the RAF, said the work would be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to military operations.
A planned runway closure later this year will temporarily affect activity at the base, although the MoD said operations would continue from other locations across the UK during the closure.
John Crennell, Deputy Head of Air Infrastructure Major Programmes, said the refurbishment would provide a "safer, more resilient platform" to support defence operations in the UK and overseas once completed.
The MoD said the programme is also expected to benefit the local economy, creating around 20 full-time jobs, including five apprenticeships, and providing 30 weeks of work experience for local candidates. VolkerFitzpatrick said it would prioritise suppliers based within a 50-mile radius of the station where possible.
Separate investment is also continuing at RAF Brize Norton, where construction has begun on 265 new military family homes as part of the government's Defence Housing Strategy. Photo: Paul Crouch/MOD, Wikimedia commons.
