No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing (United Kingdom)

903 Expeditionary Air Wing
Active	1 December 1944 - 31 October 1945 2003 - Present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Expeditionary Air Wing
Garrison/HQ	RAF Akrotiri
Website	Official website

No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing is an Expeditionary Air Wing of the Royal Air Force. It is currently based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and is tasked with conducting operations against ISIL in Iraq & Syria

It was activated during 2003 as part of a modernisation package to make the RAF more deployable on an expeditionary basis. It was stationed at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan controlling RAF operations at the air base there between Summer 2009 and November 2014. It used to report to No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group.

History

Second World War

The wing was formed during the Second World War.^[1]

Operation Telic

The wing was re-commissioned into service during 2003 and sent to Contingency Operating Base Basra as part of Operation Telic.^[1]

The wing stayed at Basra until May 2009.^[1]

Operation Herrick

During mid-2009 the wing was moved to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick.^[1]

Fleet Air Arm

• Westland Sea King's operated by 845,^[2] 846,^[3] 854^[4] & 857 Naval Air Squadrons.^[5]

Army Air Corps

• AgustaWestland Apache's operated by 3^[6] and 4 Regiment Army Air Corps.^[7]

Royal Air Force

• Chinook's operated by No. 1310 Flight RAF.^[8]
• Airbus Voyager's operated by 10 and 101 Squadron RAF.^[9]
• Boeing C-17A Globemaster III's operated by No. 99 Squadron RAF.^[10]
• Hercules C-130J's operated by 24,^[11] 30,^[12] 47^[13] & 70 Squadron RAF.^[14]
• Thales Watchkeeper WK450's operated by 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery^[15] & 47th Regiment Royal Artillery.^[16]

Camp Bastion was handed over to the ANSF as the United Kingdom withdraws from Afghanistan.^[17]

Commanders

• Group Captain Andrew (during 2008).
• Wing Commander Ian Richardson (during 2009).^[18]

See also

• International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
• Operation Herrick order of battle

References

1. "903 Expeditionary Air Wing". Royal Air Force (RAF). Retrieved 21 October 2014.
2. "845 Naval Air Squadron". Royal Navy (RN) - Fleet Air Arm (FAA). Retrieved 21 October 2014.
3. "846 Naval Air Squadron". RN - FAA. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
4. "854 Naval Air Squadron". RN - FAA. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
5. "857 Naval Air Squadron". RN - FAA. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
6. "3 Regiment Army Air Corps". British Army - Army Air Corps (AAC). Retrieved 21 October 2014.
7. "4 Regiment Army Air Corps". British Army - AAC. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
8. "1310 Flight RAF Chinooks deliver on operations". RAF. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
9. "101 Squadron". RAF. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
10. "99 Squadron". RAF. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
11. "24 Squadron". RAF. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
12. "30 Squadron". RAF. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
13. "47 Squadron". RAF. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
14. "70 Squadron". RAF. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
15. "The Wessex Gunners". British Army - Royal Artillery (RA). Retrieved 21 October 2014.
16. "The Hampshire & Sussex Gunners". British Army - RA. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
17. "How to Close Camp Bastion". Forces TV. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
18. "RAF ending 19-year Iraq mission". BBC News Online. Retrieved 27 October 2014.