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The Station

RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire is a UK Strategic Command Station and home to the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence (NCGI), which provides intelligence support to UK Armed Forces on operations globally.

RAF Wyton opened in 1916 as a training establishment for the Royal Flying Corps.  During the Second World War it was primarily a bomber base.  In 1942, it became home to the Pathfinder Force under the Command of Group Captain (later Air Vice-Marshal) Don Bennett.

In addition to NCGI and other Defence Intelligence functions, RAF Wyton is home to the Ministry of Defence Police Headquarters, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation Regional Headquarters, as well as several other UK and Allied capabilities, authorities, and departments.

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Commander

Wing Commander John Grenville RAF

Wing Commander John Grenville is a Royal Air Force Intelligence Officer who commissioned in 2009.

His early roles included work at 1 ISR Wing and the Joint Services Signals Unit. Promoted to Squadron Leader in 2017, he served as Senior Intelligence Officer at the Aerospace Data Facility Colorado.

After commanding a Strategic Command sub-unit in 2020, he became Personal Staff Officer to the RAF’s Director Capability. Promoted to Wing Commander in 2023, assuming command of RAF Wyton in September 2024

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History

RAF Wyton, established in 1916 as a Royal Flying Corps training base, played a key role in aviation history. When the RAF was formed in 1918, Wyton continued its mission, training units for overseas operations well into the 1930s. During WWII, it made a significant impact: within 90 minutes of the declaration of war, RAF Wyton launched its first sortie, and its aircraft participated in the final Bomber Command raid on Germany in 1945. Wyton was also the birthplace of the Pathfinder Force in 1942 and became the Headquarters for No 8 Group, a key unit in the air campaign.

In 1953, Wyton welcomed the Photographic Reconnaissance Units, marking the beginning of its long association with the Canberra Force, along with Victor V-bombers and later tanker aircraft. They remained until their relocation to RAF Marham in 1994. That same year, RAF Wyton merged with Brampton and Henlow, losing its independent status.

In 2012, Wyton regained independence under the newly established Joint Forces Intelligence Group (JFIG), later transitioning into the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence after JFIG’s disbandment in 2016. While no longer an operational airfield, RAF Wyton remains central to UK military operations, with a century of proud service.

Key dates

1916   Airfield opened as a training airfield for the Royal Flying Corps.

1939   Aircraft from RAF Wyton took part in some of the first bombing raids of the Second World War.

1942   The Pathfinder Force was formed here under Group Captain Don Bennett.

1956   Joint School of Aerial Photographic Interpretation was founded.

2013   Pathfinder building opened to house the Joint Force Intelligence Group.

2016  National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence established