RAF Waddington

No 8 RAF FP Wing is a multirole Wing aligned to the RAF ISTAR Force. The Wing is prepared for operations overseas protecting RAF assets as well as providing 24-hour security to 6 RAF stations at home in the UK. The Wing consists of a headquarters and 3 squadrons (2 Regular and 1 Reserve).  Each squadron has a unique role, but they mutually support each other in the delivery of defence and security of the RAF, at home and overseas.  The Wing HQ consists of 12 RAF Police and RAF Regiment personnel and is commanded by a Wing Commander.

Using an integrated blend of RAF Police, Military Provost Guard Service, and Civil Servants, from its HQ at RAF Waddington, part of 8 Force Protection Wing, 5 RAF Police & Security Squadron is responsible for the Policing, Security and Guarding of all RAF units in the East Midlands and Northern Wales.  This includes:

RAF Coningsby (which holds Quick Reaction Alert (South))

RAF Cranwell (which delivers Initial Officer Training and Flying Training)

RAF Scampton (home to the RAF Acrobatics Team and 1ACC)

RAF Valley (a Fast Jet flying training unit)

RAF Waddington (the primary ISTAR force unit)

RAF Wittering (home of the A4 Force HQ)

The Squadron is split into two flights: Apollo Flight and Crossbow Flight.  Apollo Flight comprises intelligence analysts who conduct analysis of current intelligence, providing direct mission support to processing and exploitation of data across 1 ISR Wing’s operational flights.  Crossbow employs imagery analysts to provide dedicated full motion video processing and exploitation, directly supporting MQ-9 Reaper and US Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft and, in the future, the UK’s Protector RG Mk1.

The Squadron consists of imagery analysts that are the UK’s specialists in exploitation of tactical reconnaissance imagery, synthetic aperture RADAR and ground moving target indicator imagery.  The imagery analysts conduct PED of data collected from UK air breathing platforms such as the Sentinel R1, MQ-9 Reaper and the Tornado GR4.

3 ISR Squadron (Regional Intelligence Geographic Centre-Northern Ireland) provides imagery and geospatial intelligence in support of security operations in Northern Ireland.  It is divided into three sections; Camera Bay, Imagery Production Section (IPS), and Operations.  Avionic Technicians within the Camera Bay are responsible for camera maintenance as well as fitting to aircraft.  Photographers within IPS develop films and provide imagery to Operations.  RAF imagery analysts and Army Royal Engineer geographic technicians within Operations provide analytical support packs to customers.

54 Signals Unit conducts analysis of air-derived electronic surveillance data, including the provision of support to the RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft.

ISR Support Squadron is tasked to provide organic engineering and logistics support to 1 ISR Wing. The Squadron consists mostly of communications engineers and logistics specialists to enable the rapid deployment of 1 ISR Wing personnel and bespoke IT equipment on operations in the UK and overseas.  It also provides engineering advice and expertise on new and future ISR capabilities and exploitation systems. 

The Squadron comprises 2 Flights: 54 Signals Unit Engineering Flight and ISR Engineering Flight.  54 Signals Unit Engineering Flight operates from two sites (RAF Waddington and RAF Digby) and broadly supports both 51 Squadron and 54 Signals Unit pre and post-missions.  Support includes the maintenance of equipment and data links to enable time critical data PED.  ISR Engineering Flight is based at RAF Waddington and RAF Marham in support of 2 ISR Squadron and has personnel routinely detached to provide engineering support on operations.