RAF Oakhanger

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RAF Oakhanger was a Royal Air Force station in Hampshire split over two sites. The living quarters were in Bordon and the operations centre was near the village of Oakhanger two miles away. Its parent station for administrative purposes was RAF Odiham.

It is the focal point of military satellite communications in the United Kingdom. Two satellite communications units were based at RAF Oakhanger: No. 1001 Signals Unit and a NATO Satellite Ground Terminal operated by the RAF. The RAF handed over operation of the base to Paradigm services in 2003.

RAF Oakhanger was the only satellite communications command and control facility operated by the Royal Air Force. The constellation comprised 4 geostationary satellites, providing Earth coverage and higher power European Coverage. The importance of the RAF Oakhanger and the Skynet satellites was highlighted during the Gulf War when they provided an essential communications backbone for UK forces.

The Skynet constellation was commanded by a junior officer known as a Space Operations Officer and three sergeants known as space operations assistants. Four shifts rotating through 2-days, 2-nights (14 hours) and four days off, ensured that each satellites health was maintained and when necessary conducted station-keeping operations. The Ministry of Defence took the decision to sell off command and control of the constellation to Paradigm services as a cost savings and efficiencies measure.