During the Second World War, Prestwick was used an eastern terminus for the North Atlantic air ferry route, one of a series of routes over which military aircraft were ferried from the United States and Canada to Great Britain, to support the war in Europe. A large number of heavy bombers, fighter aircraft and aircraft carrying diplomatic and VIP passengers transited through the airfield. RAF Ferry Command was formed on 20 July 1941 to take control of North Atlantic ferry flights but became part RAF Transport Command on 25 March 1943, with the role becoming the responsibility of No. 45 Group. Ferry flights were initially controlled by the Overseas Movement Control Centre, operating from a location in Gloucestershire. As the number of flights increased, Trans-Atlantic Air Control was relocated in November 1941 to Redbrae House, a mock Tudor home located near Prestwick Airport. A large United States military presence was established at Prestwick to support the ferry flights from North America. In late 1944, a Flying Control Centre was established in Redbrae House, providing an area control service for the region. The centre was operated by a combination of British, Canadian and American military personnel until the end of the Second World War in 1945. After the war, responsibility for TAC came under the control of RAF Transport Command after the United States Army Air Forces presence dramatically reduced. The centre at Redbrae House, previously operated by an international alliance of military personnel, was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Oceanic Area Control Centre was created.
Post war
In November 1947, the RAF regional control centre was re-designated Scottish Traffic Control Centre to control military aircraft flying within the airspace above Scotland. Around the same time, a civilian air traffic control service began to meet the demand from the expanding civil aviation market. The unit was staffed by RAF Air Traffic Control Officers and Air Traffic Control Assistants. Both military and civilian aircraft were controlled by RAF controllers who provided a variety of air traffic services predominantly outside controlled airspace or within airspace designated as Military Training Areas. A Distress and Diversion cell was co-located with ScATCC, tasked with assisting aircraft in distress and/or encountering emergency situations. In April 1977, the D&D cell and the Air Defence Notification Centre moved into new premises at Atlantic House, followed by ScATCC on 2 November 1978. ADNC closed on 31 March 1997, with approximately 65 RAF staff remaining at Prestwick. The Freedom of the South Ayrshire was awarded to RAF Prestwick on 17 July 2009. In November of that year, the unit moved to the new NATS Prestwick Centre, built adjacent to Atlantic House, which accommodates the NATS civilian controllers providing oceanic and Scottish area control services. The Prestwick Distress & Diversion Cell closed in December 2012 when D&D operations moved to RAF Swanwick in Hampshire.
Role and operations
Prior to its closure, RAF Prestwick's mission statement was "To contribute effectively to the delivery of airpower by assisting with the protection of the integrity of the UK’s airspace and being at the forefront of excellence in the provision of the air traffic control, airspace management and support services." The main responsibilities of RAF Prestwick was to provide air traffic control services to military aircraft carrying out the following activities.
On transit flights operating below 25,000 ft outside controlled airspace
On operations
The Distress and Diversion Cell was one of two D&D Cells established to provide assistance to both military and civil aircraft experiencing an emergency. The cell maintained a continuous listening watch on both guard frequencies, 121.5 MHz for civilian aircraft and 243.0 MHz for military aircraft and was responsible for co-ordinating responses within UK airspace north of Newcastle and contacting the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which at the time was based at RAF Kinloss in Moray. The unit at RAF Prestwick was parented by RAF Leuchars in Fife.
Heritage
The station badge showed a Lion,, holding a shepherd's crook,, within a turret,. The station motto, Faire Agus Gliocas, is Scottish Gaelic for "Watchfulness and Wisdom".
Closure
The Minister for Armed Forces announced on 31 March 2013 that RAF Prestwick would close by the end of 2013. Due to technological advances, there was no longer a requirement for two military area radar control centres in the United Kingdom.The unit subsequently closed on 6 December 2013, when the RAF Ensign was lowered for the final time, representing the end of a 77-year association between Ayrshire and the RAF. Prestwick's operations and thirty personnel were transferred to the RAF unit based in the NATS London Air Traffic Control Centre in Swanwick, Hampshire, forming a single military area radar unit. A small number of RAF personnel remained at Prestwick until January 2014 to complete the transfer.
