No. 27 Squadron RAF Regiment

No. 27 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment
Squadron badge
Active	September 3, 1951 - Present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Force Protection
Garrison/HQ	RAF Honington
Motto	Defensores Defendo

No. 27 Squadron RAF Regiment is a field squadron of the RAF Regiment in the Royal Air Force. Its mission is protection of RAF bases from ground attack. The squadron's current HQ is at RAF Honington. The motto of 27 Squadron is Defensores Defendo (I defend the defender). ^[1]

History

No. 27 Squadron RAF Regiment was formed on September 3, 1951, at RAF Yatesbury. The squadron was first deployed to Abu Suer in Egypt. On November 28, 1951, the Squadron saw its first action against the Egyptians. Four enemy were killed in this action. The Squadron remained in Egypt predominately as an Internal Security force until it redeployed to Cyprus in January 1956. ^[2]

In August 1977 the Queen, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, approved the awarding of a Standard to the squadron in recognition of 25 years service. ^[3]

During the 1980s, 27 Squadron was based at RAF Leuchars, in Scotland. Its role was anti-aircraft defence and was equipped with the Rapier Field Standard A anti-aircraft missile system. Detachments from 27 Squadron, would regularly be sent to Belize in Central America, to provide airfield defence. ^[2]

Present

In 1995, the Squadron moved to RAF Scampton as part of the RAuxAF Regiment. On April 1, 1999, No 27 Squadron and 1st Royal Tank Regiment merged to form the Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Regiment (Jt NBC Regt). No 27 Squadron now runs the Biological Detection Capability of the Jt NBC Regt. ^[2][3] In 2005, following the addition of radiological weapons to its remit, the Jt NBC Regt changed to the Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear Regiment (Joint CBRN Regiment). ^[4] In 2008 27 Sqn RAF Regt, still based at RAF Honington temporarily re-roled to full Field Sqn status. Following an intensive period of training and kitting it deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2009 for its turn of duty in the Force Protection role. 27 Sqn RAF Regiment is due to return to its Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Regiment role in the near future.

References

1. ^ "Regt Badge Gallery: 27 Sqn RAF Regt". raf.mod.uk. 19 February 2007. http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafregiment/gallery/regt_badges.cfm?viewmedia=6. Retrieved 2009-05-11. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "27 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment". raf.mod.uk. http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafregiment/rafregimentsquadrons/27_sqn_history.cfm. Retrieved 2009-05-11. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "RAF Regiment Association: 27 Squadron RAF Regiment". rafregt.org.uk. http://www.rafregt.org.uk/RAFRegimentToday/RegularRAFRegiment/27SquadronRAFRegiment/tabid/84/language/en-GB/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2009-05-11. 
4. ^ "JOINT CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR REGIMENT". armedforces.co.uk. http://www.armedforces.co.uk/mod/listings/l0031.html. Retrieved 2009-05-14. 

External links

• Squadron page on raf.mod.uk