The squadrons and units associated with RAF Waddington form a changing record of the station’s operational purpose across different eras. Some were long-term residents, others were temporary or transitional occupants, and many brought with them distinct aircraft, roles and responsibilities that shaped how Waddington functioned at the time.

During the bomber era, resident squadrons were organised around heavy aircraft operations, crew training and sustained offensive flying. In the Cold War, the emphasis shifted toward strategic deterrence and V-Force readiness, with units structured around the demands of maintaining and operating the Avro Vulcan. More recently, Waddington’s unit structure has become increasingly specialised, reflecting intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, command-and-control and remotely piloted aircraft roles.

Seen together, these squadrons and units provide a useful way to understand Waddington as an operational community rather than simply as an airfield. Each unit adds its own layer to the record: its period of residence, aircraft, role, deployments, traditions and wider connections to other RAF stations.