Operations Wing is responsible for the management of the airfield and its supporting services.

Air Traffic Control Squadron

The role of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Squadron at RAF Valley is to provide both terminal ATC services and a Lower Airspace Radar Service in a varied and highly intensive flying environment.

RAF Valley is open as a diversion facility for both military and civilian aircraft on Monday to Friday from 0800 until 1800 hrs. Additionally, one controller and one assistant are always on call outside normal opening hours to provide ATC services to C Flight 22 Squadron in the event of a Search and Rescue scramble in bad weather. To provide these services the Squadron is currently established for 16 controllers and 16 assistants.

The ATC task at RAF Valley is not made any easier by the surrounding airspace and terrain, and whilst there are few other airfields in close proximity, there are many restrictions including controlled airspace, Aberporth and Llanbedr danger areas, and the mountains of Snowdonia (restricting radar cover to the south-east). The ATC services are provided using a Watchman Radar and a Cossor Secondary Surveillance Radar (located at RAF Mona). Ground controlled and Tactical Air Navigation Aid approaches are provided to 4 of the 6 runways, and Instrument Landing System approaches are available to Runway 14. Ground controlled approaches can also be provided to the 2 runways at RAF Mona. The Squadron is also responsible for providing ATC services at the Relief Landing Ground at RAF Mona which is operational whenever there is 4FTS flying and is manned with one controller, one assistant and one caravan controller.

RAF Valley is one of the busiest flying stations in the Royal Air Force handling, on average, 65,000 movements per year. RAF Mona routinely handles about half that amount making it busier than some front-line stations.

Operations Support Squadron

Operations Squadron at RAF Valley is commanded by a Squadron Leader and comprises Operations Flight, Station Flight Safety and the Communications and Information Systems Operations Flight.

The primary function of Operations Squadron is to provide for and ensure a smooth flow of vital aeronautical information around the Unit, in particular the flying squadrons and Air Traffic Control and ensuring flight safety is maintained to the highest standard.

Commanded by a Flight Lieutenant and supervised by an Sergeant, Operations Flight maintains shifts of personnel responsible for co-ordinating all flying at RAF Valley. Each shift is headed up by a Corporal Duty Operations Controller and consists of an additional 2 airmen or civil servants. The primary function of Operations Flight is to liaise with the airfield service providers on site as well as external agencies to facilitate and deconflict the activities of the fixed wing and rotary units based on station. In addition, Operations Flight are responsible for hosting detachments of aircraft visiting from other stations, armed aircraft using local weapons ranges and the handling of civilian visitors. Local airspace utilised for frontline training, such as the UK Mountain Flying Training Area in the hills of Snowdonia, is managed by Operations Flight.

Within Operations Flight is the Station Flight Planning section, responsible for keeping all aeronautical information and holdings up-to-date. This section inputs airspace restrictions and notifications on to a central computer aided flight planning tool, the product of which is used by flying units across the Royal Air Force. The Flight Planning section also distributes aeronautical publications to all flying units at RAF Valley. The section is responsible for all aspects of overseas flight planning from dealing with diplomatic clearence, obtaining foreign aeronautical documentation, to planning and submitting flight notification signals.

The Station Flight Safety Officer is responsible for flight safety at RAF Valley under the supervision and direction of the 22 Group and the RAF Valley Station Commander. The Station Flight Safety Officer post is commonly occupied by a Flight Lieutenant of aircrew background or a member or the Flight Operations Specialisation. It is the responsibility of the Station Flight Safety Officer to identify, manage and mitigate flight safety risks to all flying units at RAF Valley. Each military and civilian unit at RAF Valley has a flight safety representative, these Unit Flight Safety Officers have been appropriately trained to ensure that all factors and risks concerning flight safety are highlighted and appropriate action taken to mitigate the risk. The primary themes for flight safety at RAF Valley are:

Maintain a open and honest reporting culture

Risk identification and analysis

Risk reporting and distribution to all interested parties

Flight Safety publications and education

Foreign Object Debris Prevention

Human Factors Awareness

The role of CIS Operations Flight is to provide communication mediums for voice and data, both internal and external to Unit as well as maintaining the Electronic Ways of Working. The Flight is broken down into 3 main elements;

Flight Headquarters element is responsible for the hardware and software maintenance and the procurement of Station IT assets that are not in scope DII(F). The administration of all requests for additional IT assets and/or their relocation/removal from the Valley Network. It also has pastoral responsibilities for all Flight personnel, both civilian and military including ATLAS staff.

Information Hub - Ensuring the effective receipt, storage, distribution, archiving and disposal of information. They also cover the administration of User Accounts and updating the RAF Valley Internet and Intranet as well as providing advice, guidance and promoting Information Management Policy.

DATO - Managing the DFTS telephony services in accordance with JSP 451, including Military extensions, direct exchange lines, private wires, mobile and satellite phones, EGS and RLIRA accounts.