RAF Force Protection Force Headquarters

RAF Force Protection Force Headquarters
Active	2004–present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Headquarters
Role	Force Protection
Garrison/HQ	RAF Honington

The RAF Force Protection Force Headquarters was created in 2004 as the successor to the Tactical Survive to Operate Headquarters (Tac STO HQ). It controls the Force Protection Wings which are tasked with protection of RAF stations in the UK and overseas. Each Wing is based around an RAF Regiment squadron, with additional RAF Police, RAF Intelligence, and other support staff.^[1][2]

Force Protection

No. 1 Force Protection Wing RAF

No. 1 Force Protection Wing is based at RAF Wittering, and has a number of different units under its control:^[3]

• No. 3 Squadron RAF Regiment.

It is due to be disbanded in early 2015 with personnel reassigned to other units.^[4][5]

No. 2 Force Protection Wing RAF

No. 2 Force Protection Wing is based at RAF Leeming, and has a number of different units under its control:^[6]

• No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 609 (West Riding) Royal Auxiliary RAF Regiment Squadron.

No. 3 Force Protection Wing RAF

No. 3 Force Protection Wing is based at RAF Marham, where it was formed in April 2004, and has a number of different units under its control.^[7]

• No. II Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 2620 (County of Norfolk) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment

Its motto is Parare Et Protegrere ("Prepare & Protect"). The Officer Commanding is Wing Commander Jonathan Derbyshire.

No. 4 Force Protection Wing RAF

No. 4 RAF Force Protection Wing was based at RAF Lyneham, until the base was closed at the end of 2012.^[8]

No. 5 Force Protection Wing RAF

No. 5 Force Protection Wing is based at RAF Lossiemouth, and has a number of different units under its control:^[9]

• Wing Headquarters.^[10]
• No. 51 Squadron RAF Regiment^[10]
• No. 2622 (Highland) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment^[10]

No. 6 Force Protection Wing RAF

No. 6 Force Protection Wing RAF was based at RAF Leuchars, where it was formed in January 2006, and had a number of different units under its control:^[11]

• No. 63 Squadron RAF Regiment (The Queen’s Colour Squadron)^[11]
• No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment^[11]
• Force Protection Operational Support Squadron^[11]
• Expeditionary Air Wing Force Protection Training Flight at RAF Leuchars^[11]

Their motto was Viribus Protege ("Defend the forces"). The wing was disbanded on 10 May 2014.^[12]

No. 7 Force Protection Wing RAF

No. 7 Force Protection Wing is based at RAF Coningsby, where it was formed in 2008, and has a number of different units under its control.^[13]

• No. 15 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 2503 (County of Lincoln) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment

No. 8 Force Protection Wing RAF

No. 8 Force Protection Wing is based at RAF Henlow and has a number of different units under its control:

• Tactical Provost Wing
• No. 3 (Royal Auxiliary Air Force) Police Squadron

See also

• Airfield Defence Guards (Australia)
• RNZAF Force Protection (New Zealand)

References

1. "RAF Regiment & RAF Reserves". armedforces.co.uk. 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
2. "RAF Regiment - Force Protection". Royal Air Force. 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
3. "RAF Wittering - No 1 Force Protection Wing Headquarters (1FP Wg HQ)". Royal Air Force. 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
4. "More than 180 jobs to go in RAF Wittering cutbacks". Rutland and Stamford Mercury. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
5. Dunlop, Alex (29 May 2014). "BBC News - RAF Wittering to disband 183 personnel". BBC Look East. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
6. "RAF Leeming - 2FP Homepage". Royal Air Force. 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
7. "3 (RAF) Force Protection Wing Headquarters". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
8. "RAF Lyneham farewell parade for departure of squadrons". BBC News. 31 May 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
9. "RAF Lossiemouth - Other Units". Royal Air Force. 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
10. "RAF protecting Camp Bastion". Ministry of Defence. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
11. "RAF Leuchars - 6 Force Protection Wing". Royal Air Force. 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
12. "Disbandment Parade of 6 RAF FP Wing and 58 Sqn RAF Regiment". rafregt.org.uk. 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
13. "RAF Coningsby - No 7 Force Protection (FP) Wing Headquarters". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 17 September 2012.

External links

• Taylor, Jeremy (28 September 2009). "Who watches the watchers? The RAF's new force". Mail Online. Retrieved 10 September 2014.