RAuxAF 100 Anniversary Booklet | Page 37

ROYAL AUXILIARY AIR FORCE I 100 th ANNIVERSARY
With the introduction of females into the Regular and Reserve RAF Regt in 2019 , 2503 Sqn again began to recruit them . On 1 April 1985 the Sqn took up residence at RAF Waddington where it has become an integral part of station life , providing support for station events .
From 1996 onwards , 2503 Sqn personnel have been deployed in support of Op CHEVALIER , Op PALATINE , op BOLTON , Op RESINATE , Op RESOLUTE , Op AGRICOLA , Op TELIC , Op HERRICK and Op TIMBERN . During the COVID-19 pandemic , 26 Sqn members were mobilised under Op RESCRIPT to provide support to the Government and regular military . In September 2022 , 24 Sqn members deployed in support of Op BALLAM for Her Majesty ’ s funeral . In May 2023 , 14 Sqn members were assigned to Op GOLDEN ORB / BALETE for His majesty ’ s coronation .
In 2021 , 2503 Sqn was augmented with the addition of a RAF Police flight . It was filled with both ex-regular and direct entrant troops and has been utilised already in Law Enforcement backfill across the RAF .
2620 ( County of Norfolk ) Squadron RAuxAF Regt
With its history linked to 620 Sqn , Royal Air Force , a World War 2 bomber Sqn , 2620 ( County of Norfolk ) Sqn RAuxAF Regt was formed , as an auxiliary RAF Regt Field Sqn at RAF Marham on 1 March 1983 , to defend its parent station against ground attack by Warsaw Pact Forces . The Sqn was re-rolled to an Operations Support Sqn in April 2000 , tasked with providing specialist Survive To Operate teams on RAF Deployed Operations . The Sqn , one of a force of 5 similar units , was the first Operations Support Sqn to be declared fully operational in April 2002 . In February 2003 , during the Coalition invasion of Iraq , fifty-eight squadron personnel were mobilised and deployed to Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait where they provided the specialist Survive To Operate component for that Deployed Operating Base . Post the war-fighting phase , the Sqn formed the main element of 1 Composite Regt Field Sqn taking over the ground defence of Basra airport from 51 Sqn RAF Regt .
On 1 April 2004 the Sqn reverted to its former role as an auxiliary RAF Regt Field Sqn , initially as a sub-unit of No 1 RAF Force Protection Wg and currently under No 3 RAF FP Wg , at RAF Marham . The Sqn was presented with
a Standard by HM Queen Elizabeth II at RAF Marham on the 18 July 2010 .
In 2020 the Squadron became one of the first combined model squadrons incorporating a new capability of an RAF Police flight alongside two Regt rifle flights . Since the formation of the Sqn , personnel have deployed to support air operations across the globe ,
Oman Sierra Leone Kenya Bosnia ( Op LODESTAR ) Kosovo ( Op AGRICOLA ) Kuwait ( Op TELIC ) Iraq ( Op TELIC ) Afghanistan ( Op HERRICK ) United Arab Emirates ( Op KIPION ) USA ( Exercise RED FLAG ) Iceland ( Op MASTERER ) Israel ( Ex BLUE FLAG ) Falkland Islands
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