Her main purpose was to meet with Royal Air Force personnel and their families to understand the welfare support provided to them and to tour the 'Wellness Area,' which features allotments, chicken coops, and beehives.
Upon arrival, Her Majesty was introduced to instructors who train pilots from the 11 Squadron QEAF and was briefed on the advanced Counter Uncrewed Air Systems by members of the No.
2 CUAS division.
The 11 Squadron conducts Advanced Flying and Tactical Weapons Training on Hawk jets for the RAF and the Qatari Emiri Air Force.
The No.
2 CUAS unit plays a critical role in providing a defensive capability in support of UK Defence, NATO, and other Allies.
During her visit, The Queen also interacted with the members of 90 Signals Unit, who lead in defensive cyber capabilities for the Royal Air Force and Ministry of Defence.
These personnel work globally to ensure operations are safeguarded against adversarial interference.
Exploring the 'Wellness Area' at the station, The Queen learned about how it benefits the mental wellbeing of aviators and their families.
The 'Project WELLNESS' initiative emphasizes the importance of preventive mental health strategies for military personnel and focuses on improving recovery rates for those experiencing mental health challenges.
Her Majesty also met with children from the 'RAFA Kidz' nursery located at the base and individuals responsible for caring for the rare-breed chickens and beehives on-site.
Following the tour of the 'Wellness Area,' The Queen joined base members for a reception and observed a flypast of Hawk jets flown by both British and Qatari pilots from the 11 Squadron QEAF, whom she had met earlier.
Notably, in August 2023, The Queen met with Leeming aviators at the RAF Club during the unveiling of a portrait of Second World War Agent, Noor Inayat Khan.