No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing

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

903 Expeditionary Air Wing
Active	1 December 1944 – 31 October 1945 2003 – 2014 2015-present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Expeditionary Air Wing
Garrison/HQ	RAF Akrotiri
Website	Official website

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] It consisted of:

• Westland Sea Kings operated by 845,[2] 846,[3] 854[4] & 857 Naval Air Squadrons.[5]
• An RAF Force Protection Wing
• Thales Watchkeeper WK450's operated by 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery[6] & 47th Regiment Royal Artillery.[7]

It also supported the following:

• Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) that consisted of:
  • AgustaWestland Apache's operated by 3[8] and 4 Regiments Army Air Corps.[9]
  • Chinooks operated by No. 1310 Flight RAF.[10]
  • Merlin HC2s operated by 28(AC) and 78 Squadrons RAF.
  • Elements of Tactical Supply Wing.
• Visiting Air Mobility aircraft including:
  • Airbus Voyager KC2 and KC3s operated by No. 10 Squadron RAF[11] and 101 Squadron RAF.[12]
  • Lockhead Tristar aircraft operated by 216 Squadron RAF.[13]
  • Boeing C-17A Globemaster III's operated by No. 99 Squadron RAF.[14]
  • Hercules C-130J's operated by 24,[15] 30,[16] 47[17] & 70 Squadrons RAF.[18]

Camp Bastion was handed over to the ANSF as the United Kingdom withdraws from Afghanistan and 903 EAW was stood down in November 2014.[19]

Operation Shader

In December 2015 the Wing reformed at RAF Akrotiri to replace No 140 EAW as part of Operation Shader.[20] It consists of:

• Elements of the RAF Tornado Force (10 x Tornado GR4 strike aircraft)
• Elements of the RAF Typhoon Force (9 x Typhoon FGR.4 multirole fighter aircraft (6 active, 3 reserve))
• Elements of the RAF Air Mobility Force:
  • 2 x Hercules C5 transport aircraft (1 withdrawn during 2014)
  • 2 x Voyager KC3 tanker aircraft
• Elements of the RAF ISTAR Force:
  • 2 x Sentinel R1 ISTAR aircraft from No. V(AC) Squadron
  • 2 x Sentry AEW1 AEW&C aircraft from No. 8 Squadron

Aircraft have been using RAF Akrotiri as their home base whilst carrying out these operations.[21] In February 2019, the Tornado force returned to RAF Marham for retirement. Their role in theatre is being undertaken by the Typhoon detachment.[22]

Commanders

• Group Captain Paul Burt (Op TELIC 9/10 May-Nov 2007)
• Group Captain Mike Wigston (Nov 2007 - Apr 2008)
• Group Captain Andrew (during 2008).
• Wing Commander Ian Richardson (during 2009).[23]
• Wing Commander Mark Flewin (2014).
• Group Captain Charles Dickens (2019).[24]
• Group Captain Jonathon Moreton (Apr 19 - Oct 19).
• Group Captain Ian Townsend (Oct 19 - Feb 20).
• Wing Commander Calvin Bailey (Feb 20 - Jul 20).

See also

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

References

1. "903 Expeditionary Air Wing". Royal Air Force (RAF). Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. 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. "The Wessex Gunners". British Army – Royal Artillery (RA). Retrieved 21 October 2014.
7. "The Hampshire & Sussex Gunners". British Army – RA. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
8. "3 Regiment Army Air Corps". British Army – Army Air Corps (AAC). Retrieved 21 October 2014.
9. "4 Regiment Army Air Corps". British Army – AAC. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
10. "1310 Flight RAF Chinooks deliver on operations". RAF. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
11. "RAF - Number 10 Squadron". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
12. "101 Squadron". RAF. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
13. "Tristar K1 | 1266 | Squadron Prints". www.squadronprints.com. Retrieved 29 December 2016. ... it operated the Afghanistan airbridge continuously from February 2006 until December 2013, flying first into Kabul, then Kandahar and finally Camp Bastion.
14. "99 Squadron". RAF. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
15. "24 Squadron". RAF. Archived from the original on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
16. "30 Squadron". RAF. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
17. "47 Squadron". RAF. Archived from the original on 7 March 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
18. "70 Squadron". RAF. Archived from the original on 9 September 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
19. "How to Close Camp Bastion". Forces TV. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
20. "RAF - 903 EAW". www.raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
21. "Penny Mordaunt visits troops in Cyprus who are fighting against ISIL". Portsmouth News. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
22. "Tornado jets return home after final flight". BBC News. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
23. "RAF ending 19-year Iraq mission". BBC News Online. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
24. "Inside Operation Shader". Eurofighter World. Retrieved 19 January 2019.