Network Infrastructure Installation – Building 442
United States Air Force | RAF Mildenhall
Project Overview
Warehouse Eighty Eight delivered a large-scale structured cabling and fibre infrastructure installation within Building 442 at RAF Mildenhall, a key UK installation operated by the United States Air Force.
The objective was to deploy a high-capacity, future-ready network infrastructure capable of supporting modern communications systems, operational technology, and high-bandwidth requirements across the facility.
Due to the secure nature of the site, all works were carried out under strict military access, safety, and operational procedures, requiring careful coordination and planning throughout the project.
Scope of Works
The project involved the installation of a comprehensive structured cabling infrastructure throughout the building, designed to deliver reliable connectivity, scalable network capacity, and organised cable management.
Network Cabinets
A total of 41 data cabinets were installed across the facility to support a distributed network architecture and provide organised termination points for the building’s network infrastructure.
These cabinets form the backbone of the structured cabling system, enabling:
Efficient cable management
Simplified maintenance and troubleshooting
Future network expansion capability
Fibre Optic Backbone
To provide high-speed connectivity between network distribution points, 24 × 24-core fibre optic backbone links were installed and terminated throughout the building.
The fibre infrastructure incorporated a mixture of single-mode and multimode fibre, allowing the network to support both long-distance backbone connectivity and high-bandwidth links between distribution areas.
The fibre infrastructure was carefully routed and integrated with the cabinet network to ensure reliable, high-bandwidth communication between key areas of the building, supporting the performance demands of modern operational systems.
Copper Data Infrastructure
To support end-user connectivity and networked equipment across the facility, a large number of copper data outlets were installed.
Category 6 data outlets
394 Cat6 data points
Installed within dado trunking systems
Providing structured connectivity throughout office and workspace environments
This approach ensured a clean, organised installation while maintaining accessibility for future expansion or modification.
In addition to the Cat6 installation, 430 Category 6A data points were installed using surface-mounted cable tray systems.
This installation method was intentionally selected to ensure that all cabling remained fully visible and accessible for inspection, allowing authorised personnel to easily verify cable routing and infrastructure integrity.
Maintaining visible cable pathways supports:
Ongoing inspection processes
Security verification of network infrastructure
Simplified maintenance and fault identification
Straightforward future upgrades
This approach ensured full compliance with the operational and security requirements of a defence facility.
Project Outcome
The completed installation delivered a robust and scalable network infrastructure capable of supporting the facility’s operational communications and future technological requirements.
Key project highlights:
41 network cabinets installed
24 fibre optic backbone links deployed
394 Cat6 data points installed
430 Cat6A data points installed
Fully structured and organised network environment
Infrastructure designed to support future expansion and high-bandwidth demands
All works were completed in accordance with military site procedures, safety protocols, and infrastructure standards, ensuring a reliable and future-ready network environment for the facility.