The Royal Naval Air Station has its origins in the early Second World War when in 1941 RAF Eglinton was established as the home to No.

133 Squadron RAF which flew Hawker Hurricane fighters in defence of Londonderry.

The air station's main function was to work up fighter squadrons' pilots before joining the attacks on Japan.

In 1989 the married quarter estate comprising 78 houses located in Fraser Avenue and Mill Path in the nearby village of Eglinton were sold to a Roger Byron-Collins company who also acquired the officers married quarters in nearby RAF Ballykelly in 2009.

A number of units were here at some point:[3][4] A number of RAF squadrons were here at some point:[5] A number of units were here at some point:[3] The current RNAS Eglinton site is now used by the City of Derry Airport in County Londonderry with HMS Gannet a Fleet Air Arm base established in 1971 at RNAS Prestwick in Ayrshire.