2020 Squadron & Unit Review

[Habu Hunter]

Dear Members,

Ahead of publishing the 2020 edition of UK Military Airfields Guide soon.. I would really appreciate some help with double checking my units for 2020.
If you have any updates post them here or DM me. Many thanks in advance

Peregrine

Royal Air Force

1 FTS T-6 Texan II RAF Valley
1 (F) Squadron Typhoon FGR4/T3 RAF Lossiemouth
II (AC) Squadron Typhoon FGR4/T3 RAF Lossiemouth
3 (F) Squadron Typhoon FGR4/T3 RAF Coningsby
IV Squadron Hawk T2 RAF Valley
V (AC) Squadron Sentinel R1 RAF Waddington
6 Squadron Typhoon FGR4/T3 RAF Lossiemouth
7 Squadron Chinook HC6 RAF Odiham
8 Squadron Sentry AEW1 RAF Waddington
IX (B) Squadron (2) Typhoon (Tranche 1) RAF Lossiemouth
10 Squadron Voyager KC2/KC3 RAF Brize Norton
XI (F) Squadron Typhoon FGR4/T3 RAF Coningsby
12 Squadron Typhoon FGR4/T3 RAF Coningsby
13 Squadron Reaper MQ-9 (UAV) RAF Waddington
14 Squadron Shadow R1 RAF Waddington
16 Squadron Tutor T1 RAF Wittering
17 (R) Test & Evaluation Squadron F-35B Lightning II (RAF Marham)
18 (B) Squadron Chinook HC2 RAF Odiham
XXIV Squadron Hercules C4/C5, Atlas C1, C-17A Globemaster III RAF Brize Norton
25 Squadron Hawk T2 RAF Valley
27 Squadron Chinook HC2 RAF Odiham
28 (AC) Squadron Chinook HC4, Puma HC2 RAF Benson
29 (R) Squadron Typhoon FGR4/T3 RAF Coningsby
31 Squadron (2) Protector RG1 (GA MQ-9B) RAF Waddington
32 (The Royal) Squadron AW109SP GrandNew, BAe 146 CC2/CC3 RAF Northolt
33 Squadron Puma HC2 RAF Benson
39 Squadron Reaper MQ-9 (UAV) RAF Waddington
41 Squadron Typhoon FGR4 RAF Coningsby
45 Squadron Kingair B200 / Phenom 100 RAF Cranwell
47 Squadron Hercules C4/C5 RAF Brize Norton
51 Squadron RC-135W Joint Rivet RAF Waddington
54 Squadron Sentinel R1, Sentry AEW1, Shadow R1, RC-135W Joint Rivet RAF Waddington
LVII Squadron 120TP Prefect RAF Cranwell
60 Squadron Jupiter HT1 RAF Shawbury
LXX Squadron Atlas C1 RAF Brize Norton
72 Squadron Texan II RAF Valley
99 Squadron C-17A Globemaster III RAF Brize Norton
100 Squadron Hawk T1/T1A RAF Leeming
101 Squadron Voyager KC2/KC3 RAF Brize Norton
115 Squadron Tutor T1 RAF Wittering
120 Squadron P-8A Poseidon RAF Lossiemouth
201 Squadron P-8A Poseidon RAF Lossiemouth
202 Squadron Jupiter HT1 RAF Valley
206 Squadron ‘B’ Flight Hercules C4/C5, Atlas C1 RAF Brize Norton
207 Squadron F-35B Lightning II RAF Marham
230 Squadron Puma HC2 RAF Benson
617 Squadron F-35B Lightning II RAF Marham
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight various RAF Coningsby
Central Flying (Helicopter) School Juno HT1 RAF Shawbury
Central Flying School Tucano T1 RAF Linton-on-Ouse
RAF Aerobatics Team (RAFAT) Red Arrows Hawk T1/1A RAF Scampton

British Army

1 Flight (5 Regiment) Islander AL1 Aldergrove
651 Squadron (5 Regiment) Defender AL1/AL2 Aldergrove
652 (Wildcat) Squadron (1 Regiment) Wildcat AH1 RNAS Yeovilton
653 Squadron (3 Regiment) Apache AH1 Wattisham
656 Squadron (4 Regiment) Apache AH1 Wattisham
658 Squadron (JSFAW) Gazelle AH1, Dauphin II Credenhill Barracks
659 Squadron (1 Regiment) Wildcat AH1 RNAS Yeovilton
660 Squadron Juno HT1 RAF Shawbury
661 Squadron Wildcat AH1 RNAS Yeovilton
662 Squadron (3 Regiment) Apache AH1 Wattisham
663 Squadron (3 Regiment) Apache AH1 Wattisham
664 Squadron (4 Regiment) Apache AH1 Wattisham
665 Squadron (5 Regiment) Gazelle AH1 Aldergrove
668 Squadron (2 (Training) Regiment) various rotary Middle Wallop
669 Squadron (1 Regiment) Wildcat AH1 RNAS Yeovilton
670 Squadron (7 (Training) Regiment) Squirrel HT1 Middle Wallop
671 Squadron (7 (Training) Regiment) Lynx AH7, Bell 212 AH1 Middle Wallop
672 Squadron (1 Regiment) Wildcat AH1 RNAS Yeovilton
673 Squadron (7 (Training) Regiment) Apache AH1 Middle Wallop
674 Squadron Tutor T1 RAF Barkston Heath
676 Squadron (2 (Training) Regiment) various Middle Wallop
Blue Eagles/Apache Display Flight Apache AH1 Wattisham

Royal Navy / Fleet Air Arm

700X Naval Air Squadron Scan Eagle RM1 RNAS Culdrose
703 Naval Air Squadron Tutor T1 RAF Barkston Heath
705 Naval Air Squadron Juno HT1 RAF Shawbury
727 Naval Air Squadron Tutor T1 RNAS Yeovilton
736 Naval Air Squadron Hawk T1/T1A RNAS Culdrose
750 Naval Air Squadron Avenger T1 RNAS Culdrose
809 Naval Air Squadron F-35B Lightning II RAF Marham
814 Naval Air Squadron Merlin HM2 RNAS Culdrose
815 Naval Air Squadron Wildcat HMA2 RNAS Yeovilton
820 Naval Air Squadron Merlin HM2 RNAS Culdrose
824 Naval Air Squadron Merlin HM2 RNAS Culdrose
825 Naval Air Squadron Wildcat HMA2 RNAS Yeovilton
845 Naval Air Squadron Merlin HC3/3A RNAS Yeovilton
846 Naval Air Squadron Merlin HC3/3A RNAS Yeovilton
847 Naval Air Squadron Wildcat AH1 RNAS Yeovilton
849 Naval Air Squadron Merlin HM2 Crowsnest RNAS Culdrose
Royal Navy Historic Flight Various RNAS Yeovilton

MoD / Qinetiq

Empire Test Pilots’ School various Boscombe Down
Rotary Wing Test Squadron various Boscombe Down
RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine (1) Hawk T1 Boscombe Down

USAFE

7 SOS (352 SOW) CV-22B Osprey RAF Mildenhall
67 SOS (352 SOW) MC-130J Commando II RAF Mildenhall
95 RS (55 Wing) RC-135 RAF Mildenhall
351 ARS (100 ARW) KC-135R RAF Mildenhall
492 FS (48 FW) F-15E RAF Lakenheath
493 FS (48 FW) F-15C/D RAF Lakenheath
494 FS (48 FW) F-15E RAF Lakenheath

Air Experience Flight

1 AEF Tutor T1 MoD St Athan
2 AEF Tutor T1 Boscombe Down
3 AEF Tutor T1 Colerne
4 AEF Tutor T1 Glasgow Airport
5 AEF Tutor T1 RAF Wittering
6 AEF Tutor T1 RAF Benson
7 AEF Tutor T1 RAF Cranwell
8 AEF Tutor T1 RAF Cosford
9 AEF Tutor T1 RAF Linton-on-Ouse
10 AEF Tutor T1 RAF Woodvale
11 AEF Tutor T1 RAF Leeming
12 AEF Tutor T1 Leuchars Station
13 AEF Tutor T1 To be announced
14 AEF Tutor T1 Aldergrove

University Air Squadron

University of Birmingham Air Squadron Tutor T1 RAF Cosford
Bristol UAS Tutor T1 MoD Boscombe Down
Cambridge UAS Tutor T1 RAF Wittering
East Midlands UAS Tutor T1 RAF Cranwell
East of Scotland UAS Tutor T1 Leuchars Station
Glasgow & Strathclyde UAS Tutor T1 Glasgow International
Liverpool UAS Tutor T1 RAF Woodvale
University of London Air Squadron Tutor T1 RAF Wittering
Manchester & Salford UAS Tutor T1 RAF Woodvale
Northumbrian UAS Tutor T1 RAF Leeming
Oxford UAS Tutor T1 RAF Benson
Southampton UAS Tutor T1 MoD Boscombe Down
Wales UAS Tutor T1 MoD St Athan
Yorkshire UAS Tutor T1 RAF Linton-on-Ouse

[Arthur Tee]

I thought Colerne had closed?

Arthur

[MRTT]

AFAIK, Bristol UAS have relocated to Boscombe Down, yes.

[Vulcanone]

The AAC Islanders and Defenders are RAF owned now, and 17 Sqn the F-35 TES isn't based at Marham

[Fighterfoto]

Some comments, am sure i'll be corrected if any of the below is wrong.:

Royal Air Force

8 Squadron Sentry AEW1 RAF Waddington - use 'VIII Sqn' I believe
12 Squadron Typhoon FGR4 RAF Coningsby - add
13 Squadron Reaper MQ-9 (UAV) RAF Waddington - use 'XIII Sqn' I believe
14 Squadron Shadow R1 RAF Waddington - Now have Shadow R1+ also
17 (R) Test & Evaluation Squadron F-35B Lightning II (RAF Marham) - delete (R), still based at Edwards AFB, RAF does not use the 'II' designation
18 (B) Squadron Chinook HC2 RAF Odiham - No more HC2 Chinooks I believe.
25 Squadron Hawk T2 RAF Valley - use 'XXV Sqn'
27 Squadron Chinook HC2 RAF Odiham - No more HC2 Chinooks I believe.
29 (R) Squadron Typhoon FGR4/T3 RAF Coningsby - delete (R)
31 Squadron (2) Protector RG1 (GA MQ-9B) RAF Waddington - Sqn has not yet stood up on MQ-9B
39 Squadron Reaper MQ-9 (UAV) RAF Waddington - based at Creech AFB
41 Squadron Typhoon FGR4 RAF Coningsby - Test & Evaluation Squadron
45 Squadron Kingair B200 / Phenom 100 RAF Cranwell - No more King Airs
51 Squadron RC-135W Joint Rivet RAF Waddington - Rivet Joint
54 Squadron Sentinel R1, Sentry AEW1, Shadow R1, RC-135W Joint Rivet RAF Waddington - Rivet Joint
72 Squadron Texan II RAF Valley - Texan T1
99 Squadron C-17A Globemaster III RAF Brize Norton - RAF doesn't use the 'III' designation
201 Squadron P-8A Poseidon RAF Lossiemouth - don't believe 201 has stood up yet
207 Squadron F-35B Lightning II RAF Marham - RAF does not use the 'II' designation
617 Squadron F-35B Lightning II RAF Marham- RAF does not use the 'II' designation

British Army - All AAC fixed Wing aircraft have been transferred to the RAF.

1 Flight (5 Regiment) Islander AL1 Aldergrove
651 Squadron (5 Regiment) Defender AL1/AL2 Aldergrove

Do I win a prize?

[TonyO]

Agreed with Fighterfoto, all Chinook squadrons are pooled so it should be HC5/6/6A.

Also is it worth adding 216 Sqn - Secretive Drone Swarm Unit - I presume Waddington, but Fighterfoto will know.

845 Naval Air Squadron Merlin HC3/3A RNAS Yeovilton - Should be Merlin HC3/3A/4
846 Naval Air Squadron Merlin HC3/3A RNAS Yeovilton - Should be Merlin HC3/3A/4

Looks like there is at least one or two too many Apache squadrons, I was sure they were down to 3/4 front line units.

[gary1701]

Tony,

653 have gone from 3 Regiment, both 3 and 4 are now both two squadron regiments.

Gary

[Motley]

With the Chinooks, 18 and 27 fly mk5, 6 and 6a while 28 sqn at benson only fly the 6a

[jakdaw]

Cannot see mentioned so far the Firebirds (56 squadron) live on at Waddington as the (and I had to Wikipedia the abbreviation) AIR C2ISR OEU.

[Cessna954]

The Royal Navy Historic Flight at Yeovilton stood down in April 2019 and is now a civil operation.

Neil

[POL]

Not sure why you list 1 FTS but not 2, 3 or 4 FTS?

[tommc]

Looks like there is at least one or two too many Apache squadrons, I was sure they were down to 3/4 front line units.

653 Sqn are still an active Apache unit at Wattisham, but no longer part of the front-line 3 Rgt

[Yammer]

""British Army - All AAC fixed Wing aircraft have been transferred to the RAF.""


This forum gets excellent daily reports from Aldergrove. Islanders/Defenders continue to operate using ARMY AIR callsigns and recent photos show these aircraft still marked ARMY.

I've followed a few of them on the radio in recent weeks as and when they cross to the mainland and hear them calling as ARMY AIR.......

Maybe it's a subterfuge but at the moment no obvious sign of any change - ie basing, callsign, external markings.

Perhaps we should add to the MOD listing the "sensitive Islanders" that do operate from RAF Waddington with G registrations.


The 658 listing needs amending too - Gazelles are detached for a few days at a time periodically using their 7 Regt callsigns whilst local - before returning to Wallop.

[POL]

This forum gets excellent daily reports from Aldergrove. Islanders/Defenders continue to operate using ARMY AIR callsigns and recent photos show these aircraft still marked ARMY.

I've followed a few of them on the radio in recent weeks as and when they cross to the mainland and hear them calling as ARMY AIR.......

Maybe it's a subterfuge but at the moment no obvious sign of any change - ie basing, callsign, external markings.

Yes but they've still moved to the RAF https://www.janes.com/article/87600/uk- ... aac-to-raf

[Vulcanone]

Just like F-35 pilots at Marham don't say I'm a Navy pilot even if I am on 207 or 617

[Vulcanone]

Spotted on a Facebook page,

The first RAF pilot has qualified on the Defender and was shown in a photo alongside the OC 651 AAC Squadron

[Bluetail]

There are currently no Typhoon T.3s based at RAF Lossiemouth and haven't been for some time so you can amend Nos 1, 2, 6 & 9 Sqns to remove the T3. Currently if a T3 is required by Lossiemouth one is sent from Coningsby.
45 Sqn no longer operate the Beech 200
51 Sqn operate the Rivet Joint not Joint Rivet
201 Sqn have not yet formed and are only designated to form in 2021

[mustang5861]

Poseidon MRA.1 according to the 'P-8 Delivery Schedule' thread in Fighter Mess.

Shouldn't the alphanumeric designation all have a full point, e.g. 'MRA.1', or is that just a matter of style of presentation?

[Bluetail]

Poseidon MRA.1 according to the 'P-8 Delivery Schedule' thread in Fighter Mess.

Shouldn't the alphanumeric designation all have a full point, e.g. 'MRA.1', or is that just a matter of style of presentation?

MRA.1 is the correct designation

[tommc]

Poseidon MRA.1 according to the 'P-8 Delivery Schedule' thread in Fighter Mess.

Shouldn't the alphanumeric designation all have a full point, e.g. 'MRA.1', or is that just a matter of style of presentation?

MRA.1 is the correct designation

Full Designation would be
Poseidon Maritime Reconnaissance Attack Mark 1

However, that is a bit of a mouthful.
So, abbreviating the role designator would leave
Poseidon MRA Mark 1

If you also abbreviate the word Mark you would get
Poseidon MRA Mk.1

But, in fact, the word Mark is completely removed, leaving it correctly as
Poseidon MRA1

The only reason there was ever a full stop was the abbreviation of the word Mark to Mk.