Expeditionary Air Wing

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On 1 April 2006 Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) were formed at nine of the RAF's Main Operating Bases. Each EAW has its own identity and is led by the Station Commander, supported by their Station management team. The deployable elements of the station structures form the core of each EAW, reinforced by elements of the Air Combat Service Support Units (ACSSUs). Flying and Force Protection force elements are attached to meet the requirements of each operation. EAWs enable the RAF to train as cohesive air power units which are prepared and capable of transitioning quickly from peacetime structures and deploying swiftly on operations in tailored packages.

Contents

UK based wings

Current wings

No. 34 EAW

No. 38 EAW

No. 121 EAW

No. 135 EAW

No. 138 EAW

No. 140 EAW

Former wings

Deployed Wings

Visiting Aircraft Section (VASS) from 901 Expeditionary Air Wing marshalling a No. 32 Squadron RAF BAe 125 aircraft in the Middle East. Marshalling a Royal Air Force BAe 125 Aircraft in the Middle East MOD 45153874.jpg
Visiting Aircraft Section (VASS) from 901 Expeditionary Air Wing marshalling a No. 32 Squadron RAF BAe 125 aircraft in the Middle East.

No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group

No. 901 Expeditionary Air Wing

As of 2017, the wing was located at RAF Al Udeid, [18] providing support to Headquarters 83 EAG and Headquarters Joint Force Communication and Information Systems (Middle East). [19]

Previously as a Middle Eastern EAW it comprised "A" Flight, at a not-publicly known location [likely to be Al Udeid, Qatar], flying Lockheed Hercules C4; [20] "B" Flight (unknown location [likely to be Mussanah, Oman], reformed in 2013 as unknown) [19] flying the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III; and "C" Flight (disbanded March 2015) [19] at Bahrain International Airport [21] flying a mix of BAe125s and BAe146s from No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron.

During the Second World War, No. 901 Wing formed part of No. 224 Group RAF, Third Tactical Air Force. It was formed on 1 October 1944 at Chiringa in British India. At the time of its formation, 901 Wing consisted of two Squadrons: 177 and 211 Squadron, both of which flew Bristol Beaufighter twin-engined fighter-bombers. The Wing was renamed No 901 (Tactical) Wing with effect from 1 December 1944. The Wing continued to operate up to four squadrons equipped with Beaufighters and de Havilland Mosquitoes during 1944-45. [22]

No. 902 EAW

No. 903 EAW

No. 906 EAW

British Forces South Atlantic Islands

No. 905 EAW

Disbanded Wings

No. 904 EAW

No. 907 EAW

See also

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References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Cotter 2008, p. 34.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Cotter 2008, p. 33.
  3. ↑ "RAF Akrotiri History". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "RAF Units Return from Cyprus". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  5. 1 2 AirForces Monthly . Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing. June 2016. p. 13.
  6. ↑ "RAF Typhoons return from Baltic Air Policing mission". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "Core Business for 135 Expeditionary Air Wing". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "RAF Typhoons hand over NATO Romania duties to Canada". Royal Air Force. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "British Typhoon jets arrive in Romania for NATO enhanced Air Policing". NATO Allied Air Command. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  10. ↑ "RAF Typhoon scramble intercepts Russian aircraft over the Romanian Black Sea | Royal Air Force". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  11. ↑ "RAF Typhoons return to Romania to resume NATO Black Sea Mission". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  12. ↑ "Members of Parliament visit RAF personnel on Enhanced Air Policing mission, Operation Biloxi". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  13. ↑ "RAF Typhoons scramble over the Black Sea | Royal Air Force". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  14. ↑ "Royal Air Force". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  15. ↑ "Tornado GR4 | SP196 | Squadron Prints". www.squadronprints.com. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  16. ↑ "RAF - 903 EAW". www.raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "CAS Visits 140 Expeditionary Air Wing Personnel in Estonia". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  18. ↑ "Inside Mission Control: Directing The Air Campaign Against Islamic Statestate". Forces TV. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  19. 1 2 3 "901 EAW". RAF. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Cotter 2008, p. 38.
  21. ↑ "901 EAW C Flight". Royal Air Force (RAF). Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  22. ↑ "83 Expeditionary Air Group - 901 EAW". www.raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  23. ↑ "902 Expeditionary Air Wing". RAF. Archived from the original on 15 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  24. 1 2 3 "903 Expeditionary Air Wing". RAF. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  25. ↑ "UK deploys Reaper to the Middle East". Gov.UK. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  26. ↑ "RAF Rivet Joint on first operational deployment over Iraq". Flight Global. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  27. ↑ "RAF Shadow R1". milavreachout.org. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  28. ↑ "New RAF unit strengthens relationship with United Arab Emirates". MoD. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  29. 1 2 3 "Coalition operations in Libya to continue". Ministry of Defence (MoD). 21 March 2010.
  30. ↑ Judd, Terri (19 March 2011). "Operation Ellamy: Designed to strike from air and sea". The Independent . London. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  31. ↑ "Libya update". MoD. 20 March 2011.
  32. ↑ "Operational Update on Libya – 25 March". MoD. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  33. 1 2 "Falklands Garrison still going strong". MoD. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  34. ↑ "RAF Retires TriStar Tankers As Voyager Fleet Grows". Aviation International News. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  35. ↑ Typhoons arrive in Falklands Archived 23 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  36. ↑ "904 Expeditionary Air Wing". RAF. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  37. ↑ Evans, Michael (6 June 2009). "Harriers ready to take off from Kandahar". The Times. No. 69655. p. 93. ISSN   0140-0460.
  38. ↑ "Coalition Against Gadhafi Growing". Defense News. 20 March 2011. Archived from the original on 21 March 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  39. ↑ "UK military to be stretched by long Libya campaign". Reuters. 19 March 2011. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016.
  40. ↑ Jane's Defence Weekly , 16 March 2011

Bibliography

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