Glasgow Prestwick Airport, bought by the Scottish government for £1 in 2013 to avert closure, has developed into a fixture in UK and allied military logistics more than a decade later. It was a good bet.
Audit Scotland said the purchase prevented immediate shutdown after private buyers withdrew. The airport has since posted six straight operating profits, driven by cargo growth and maintenance work by airlines including Ryanair. Defence-linked activity has shifted from incidental to routine.
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US and Canadian transports and aircraft from Middle Eastern partners have used the site for refuelling and layovers. Commanders say the airfield’s location and capacity make it useful for transatlantic arrivals and training. Indeed, Prestwick will take on a larger role from 2026 when the RAF relocates its Voyager fleet during runway work at Brize Norton. A direct award notice from London cites secure communications, apron space and the ability to host seven aircraft at once.
As mentioned, Canada has established a semi-permanent detachment known as Air Task Force Prestwick. It supports Ukraine supply lines and NATO deployments. By late 2023 Canadian aircraft had moved more than 20 million pounds of cargo to Europe for onward transit to Kyiv, according to defence officials.
New start defence firm Aeralis has even proposed building modular light jets at Prestwick if the UK pursues a domestically assembled trainer to replace ageing fleets and the Red Arrows’ Hawks. Unions say this could restore full aircraft production in Scotland. The plan depends on government orders and remains at proposal stage.
Performance figures show the turnaround has widened beyond military users as Prestwick reported an operating profit of £3.5 million in the year to March 2025, up £300,000 on the prior period, and hit its full-year target by September. Management says cargo volumes are rising sharply, with two Chinese carriers launching daily services in 2025 and freighter movements now supporting 150 new jobs.
The Scottish government says it intends to return the airport to private ownership when viable. Ministers will have to consider defence contracts already in place, including agreements with US military agencies and Canada’s year-round presence.
Around £10 million has been reinvested into airfield infrastructure and ground equipment over 18 months, according to management. Lower traffic compared with major hubs has given planners scope to schedule upgrades around allied movements. Executives say the West Coast location and weather record continue to draw interest from logistics operators.
The Scottish government has said the airport was bought to protect jobs and connectivity, not to host military operations. A decade later, ministers face a different landscape. Without the intervention, the RAF would be seeking alternatives during Brize Norton works and Canada would need a new European hub. The military value emerged after the fact.
It rests on the simple point that Prestwick stayed open.