Ministry of Defence Stafford otherwise known as MOD Stafford, Stafford Station or Beacon Barracks is a Ministry of Defence site in Stafford, in England. It was formerly Royal Air Force Stafford or more simply RAF Stafford, a non-flying Royal Air Force station.
History
The station was originally established as the home of No. 16 Maintenance Unit in the 1930s.
It became home to No 2 Mechanical Transport Squadron in 1958.
The RAF Tactical Supply Wing was also formed at RAF Stafford in 1970 and operates still from MOD Stafford. An RAF Mountain Rescue Team was based at RAF Stafford.
RAF Closure
In April 2004 it was announced that units from RAF Stafford would be moved to
RAF Wittering, effectively closing the station. RAF Stafford officially ceased to be an RAF station on 31 March 2006 to become
Beacon Barracks.
However, as of August 2024, the RAF's "gate guardian" aircraft, a Harrier GR3 (pictured), remains in place.
Beacon Barracks was renamed from RAF Stafford in 2006, after the Royal Air Force moved out.
Based units
The following notable units are based at MOD Stafford.
British Army
Royal Corps of Signals
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1st Signal Brigade
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16th Signal Regiment
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230 (Malaya) Signal Squadron
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247 (Gurkha) Signal Squadron
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Support Squadron
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22nd Signal Regiment
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222 Signal Squadron
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242 (Gurkha) Signal Squadron
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248 (Gurkha) Signal Squadron
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Support Squadron
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37th Signal Regiment
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Staffordshire & West Midlands (North Staffordshire) Army Cadet Force
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C Company, Staffordshire & West Midlands (North Staffordshire) ACF
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Corps of Drums Detachment (Grenadier Guards)
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Stafford Detachment (Royal Signals)
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S)
Royal Air Force
Joint Aviation Command
No. 22 Group (Training) RAF
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Royal Air Force Air Cadets
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Staffordshire Wing Headquarters
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No. 395 (Stafford) Squadron ATC
