THE SQUADRON

VIII Squadron was relocated to RAF Lossiemouth, from RAF Waddington after the retirement of the E-3D Sentry AEW Mk1 in 2021. The Squadron will be taking delivery of the E-7 Wedgetail AEW Mk1 in 2024.

Aircraft flown have included the Vincent, Liberator, Hunter FGA9, Shackleton AEW MK 2 and the E-3D Sentry AEW MK 1.

Everywhere unbounded

BASED AT

RAF Lossiemouth

WHAT WE DO

The Squadron fall under the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Component and work alongside NATO’s E-3A Sentry AEW. Since 2014 and the annexation of Crimea in Ukraine the Squadron has conducted continuous NATO Assurance Missions in Norway, Poland, the Baltics and Romania. Flying from the UK, Cyprus and NATO Forward Operating Bases.

What we fly

Wedgetail AEW Mk1

ISTAR, Future

History

1915   Formed at Brooklands.

1956   Took part in the Suez crisis.

1991   E-3D entered RAF service.

2003   Took part in Operation TELIC in Iraq.

2021   E-3D Sentry AEW1 retired.

BATTLE HONOURS

1915 - 1918   Western Front

1915 - 1918   Loos

1915 - 1918   Somme

1915 - 1918   Arras

1917   Cambrai

1918   Somme

1918   Amiens

1918   Hindenburg Line

1922 - 1924   Kurdistan

1928   Aden

1929   Aden

1934   Aden

1940 - 1941   East Africa

1942 - 1945   Eastern Waters

1945   Burma

2003   Kosovo, Iraq

2011   Libya

*Honours marked with an asterisk, may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard