The Station
Ascension Island Base sits under the UK STRATCOM Chain of Command and is in the South Atlantic Ocean, near the equator, strategically positioned approximately 4,000 miles from both the UK and the Falkland Islands.
The role of the Station is to deter military aggression against the UK’s South Atlantic Overseas Territories in order to maintain UK sovereignty.
It serves as a staging post for flights between the UK and the Falklands with an approximate flight time of 8 hours.
With a runway length of 10,019ft the airfield has the capability to support all types of aircraft. The airfield (called Wideawake Auxiliary Airfield by the US) is jointly operated and managed by US and UK authorities.
The Station also supports regular flights between America and Africa.