Number 5 (Army Co-operation) Squadron (although His Majesty the King awarded No. V (Army Cooperation) Squadron) was a

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

. It most recently operated the Raytheon Sentinel R1 Airborne STand-Off Radar (ASTOR) aircraft from

RAF Waddington Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England. The station is the RAF's Intelligence Surveillance Target A ...

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...

, between April 2004 until March 2021. First formed in July 1913, the squadron served throughout the First World War, holding the distinction of gaining the first loss and kill for the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

. No. V Squadron relocated to

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

in 1920 where it remained during the Second World War. During the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

, No. 5 (Fighter) Squadron flew the

English Electric Lightning The English Electric Lightning is a British fighter aircraft that served as an interceptor during the 1960s, the 1970s and into the late 1980s. It was capable of a top speed of above Mach 2. The Lightning was designed, developed, and manufa ...

and

Panavia Tornado F3 The Panavia Tornado Air Defence Variant (ADV) was a long-range, twin-engine interceptor version of the swing-wing Panavia Tornado. The aircraft's first flight was on 27 October 1979, and it entered service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1986 ...

History

Formation to First World War

No. 5 Squadron of the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

(RFC) was formed at

Farnborough Farnborough may refer to: Australia * Farnborough, Queensland, a locality in the Shire of Livingstone United Kingdom * Farnborough, Hampshire, a town in the Rushmoor district of Hampshire, England ** Farnborough (Main) railway station, a railw ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

, on 26 July 1913,Lewis 1959, p.14. from members of No. 3 Squadron. Following the outbreak of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, No. V Squadron deployed to France on 15 August 1914, equipped with a variety of aircraft types to implement

reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...

for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). It flew its first missions on 21 August and on the next day, an

Avro 504 The Avro 504 was a First World War biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the war totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind tha ...

of No. 5 Squadron was the first British aircraft to be shot down, its crew of pilot

Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

Vincent Waterfall and navigator

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

Charles George Gordon Bayly being killed over Belgium.Jackson 1990 p.56 On 24 August, No. V Squadron became the first unit in the RFC to shoot down an enemy aircraft with gunfire when Lt. Wilson and Lt. Rabagliati shot down a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

Etrich Taube The Etrich ''Taube'', also known by the names of the various later manufacturers who built versions of the type, such as the Rumpler ''Taube'', was a pre-World War I monoplane aircraft. It was the first military aeroplane to be mass-produced in ...

near

Le Cateau-Cambrésis Le Cateau-Cambrésis (, before 1977: ''Le Cateau'') is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. The term Cambrésis indicates that it lies in the county of that name which fell to the Prince-Bishop of Cambrai. Le Cateau station has ...

. From 24 March until 7 April 1917 the squadron was based at

La Gorgue La Gorgue is a town in northern France. It is a commune in the Nord department. The population of La Gorgue in 2019 was 5,639.Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine tractor two-seat biplane designed and developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. Most of the roughly 3,500 built were constructed under contract by private companies, including establish ...

, specialising as observers for

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

, re-equipping with the

Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was a British two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber aircraft of the First World War designed and produced at the Royal Aircraft Factory. It was also built under contract by Austin Motors, Daimler, Standar ...

in May 1917, and working closely with the

Canadian Corps The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December ...

, through to the end of the war and into 1919, when it moved into Germany as part of the Army of Occupation.Ashworth 1989, pp. 34–35. (Its association with the Canadian Corps led to the incorporation of a

maple leaf The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada. History of use in Canada By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by the French Canadians along the ...

in the squadron's badge when it was approved in June 1937).Ashworth 1989, p.34.

Interwar years

No. V Squadron returned to the UK in September 1919 before disbanding on 20 January 1920. The squadron was reformed at

Quetta Quetta (; ur, ; ; ps, کوټه‎) is the tenth List of cities in Pakistan by population, most populous city in Pakistan with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in Geography of Pakistan, south-west of the country close to the ...

(now part of

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

) on 1 April 1920, when No. 48 Squadron was renumbered. There it continued working in Army Air Cooperation for operations on the North West Frontier. Upon reformation the unit was equipped with the

Bristol F.2B The Bristol F.2 Fighter is a British First World War two-seat biplane Fighter aircraft, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Frank Barnwell at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter, ''"Brisfit ...

which were flown up until 1931. In May 1931, No. 5 Squadron began to convert to the Westland Wapiti Mk.IIa.

Second World War

At the outbreak of war in September 1939, No. 5 Squadron were based at

Fort Sandeman Zhob (; ) or Zhobak (), formerly known as Appozai or Fort Sandeman, is a city and district capital of Zhob District in Balochistan (Pakistan), Balochistan province of Pakistan. Zhob is located on the banks of Zhob River 337 km from Quetta, the ca ...

, still equipped with the Westland Wapiti biplane. The squadron became a light bomber unit when it converted to the

Hawker Hart The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircraf ...

in June 1940. No. 5 Squadron further converted to the

Hawker Audax The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircra ...

in February 1941, using it as a fighter. In December 1941, the squadron relocated to RAF Dum Dum,

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

, and began to receive their first monoplane – the American-built Curtiss Mohawk Mk.IV. Posted to RAF Dinjan,

Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...

, in May 1942, No. V Squadron became tasked with escorting

Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...

bombers over north west

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

. The Mohawks were replaced by

Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...

s and Mk.IIds in June 1943 while the squadron was based at RAF Kharagpur. In September 1944, No. 5 Squadron converted to the Republic Thunderbolt Mk.I and Mk.II. In May 1945, No. V Squadron was withdrawn from the front line in preparation for the liberation of

Malaya Malaya refers to a number of historical and current political entities related to what is currently Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia: Political entities * British Malaya (1826–1957), a loose collection of the British colony of the Straits ...

from Japanese occupation, however this was never carried out due to the Japanese Empire surrendering on 15 August 1945.

Cold War

Remaining in India, No. 5 Squadron converted to Hawker Tempest F.2 in February 1946, but disbanded on 1 August 1947 due to the

Partition of India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...

.Ashworth 1989, p.356. On 11 February 1949, the squadron reformed at

RAF Pembrey Pembrey Sands Air Weapons Range is a Ministry of Defence air weapons range located near the village of Pembrey, Carmarthenshire, northwest of Burry Port and south of Carmarthen, Wales. Adjacent to the weapons range site was a Royal Air Force ...

in Wales for target-towing duties when No. 595 Squadron was renumbered, however the squadron was shortly disbanded on 25 September 1951. The squadron was reformed at RAF Wunsdorf,

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...

, on 1 March 1952, and were equipped with the de Havilland Vampire F.5. No. V Squadron converted over to the de Havilland Venom FB.1 in December 1952. The

1957 Defence White Paper The 1957 White Paper on Defence (Cmnd. 124) was a British white paper issued in March 1957 setting forth the perceived future of the British military. It had profound effects on all aspects of the defence industry but probably the most affected wa ...

saw the disbandment of No. 5 Squadron on 12 October 1957 while operating the Venom FB.5. On 20 January 1959, the squadron was reformed as a night fighter unit at

RAF Laarbruch Royal Air Force , more commonly known as RAF ICAO EDUL (from 1 January 1995 ETUL) was a Royal Air Force station, a military airfield, located in Germany on its border with the Netherlands. The Station's motto was (). The site now operates a ...

, West Germany, flying the Gloster Meteor NF.11. No. 5 Squadron began converting to the delta winged Gloster Javelin FAW.5 in January 1960. When No. 33 Squadron was disbanded on 17 December 1962, No. V Squadron was allocated the former unit's Javelin FAW.9, along with crew members. No. 5 Squadron itself was disbanded on 7 October 1965 at

RAF Geilenkirchen Royal Air Force Geilenkirchen, more commonly known as RAF Geilenkirchen, was a Royal Air Force station in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany, built by the British who used the facility mainly as an airfield for RAF fighter squadrons ...

Lightning and Tornado (1965–2003)

The squadron reformed as No V (AC) Squadron at

RAF Binbrook Royal Air Force Binbrook or RAF Binbrook was a Royal Air Force station, now closed, located near Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England. The old domestic site (married quarters) has been renamed to become the village of Brookenby. RAF Binbrook was pri ...

, on 8 October 1965 with the

interceptor. However, upon reformation the unit did not initially operate a Lightning, with the squadron first flying Hawker Hunter T.7A ''WV318'' fitted with Lightning instruments. No V (AC) Squadron's first Lightning arrived on 19 November, when Lightning T.5 ''XS451'' was delivered to RAF Binbrook. The squadron's first single seat Lightnings arrived on 10 December 1965, when Lightning F.3s ''XR755'' and ''XR756'' were delivered. No. V (AC) Squadron received their first production Lightning F.6 on 3 January 1967, with the arrival of ''XS694''. Between 6 and 25 October 1967, the squadron deployed to

RAF Luqa Royal Air Force Luqa was a Royal Air Force station located on the island of Malta, now developed into the Malta International Airport. It hosted aircraft of Air Headquarters Malta (AHQ Malta) during the Second World War. Particularly during ...

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

, with nine Lightning F.6s and a single Lighting T.5 for an Air Defence Exercise (ADEX) against

Avro Vulcan B.2 The Avro Vulcan (later Hawker Siddeley Vulcan from July 1963) is a jet-powered, tailless, delta-wing, high-altitude, strategic bomber, which was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A.V. Roe an ...

s of No. 50 Squadron. No 5 (AC) Squadron deployed to RAF Luqa once again between 1 and 8 August 1968 for Exercise Nimble. Notably, over Christmas 1969, V(AC) Squadron deployed on reinforcement Exercise Ultimacy to RAF Tengah, Singapore using in flight refuelling and stopping only once en route at RAF Masirah in Oman. Long-distance route proving with the new overwing tanks had taken place previously in 1968 with a limited non stop deployment to RAF Muharraq in Bahrain. In 1970, the squadron received a pair of Lightning F.1As (''XM181'' and ''XM183''), which were used as targets for the Lightning F.6s due to them being lighter and more nimble (these were later replaced with Lightning F.3s). On 8 September 1970, the squadron lost Lightning F.6 ''XS894'' when it crashed near

Flamborough Head Flamborough Head () is a promontory, long on the Yorkshire coast of England, between the Filey and Bridlington bays of the North Sea. It is a chalk headland, with sheer white cliffs. The cliff top has two standing lighthouse towers, the olde ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, killing the pilot

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...

Capt. William Schaffner. No. V (F) Squadron deployed two Lighting F.3s, seven Lightning F.6s and a single two-seat T.5 to RAF Luqa between 18 November and 13 December 1974, as part of Exercise Sunfinder alongside Avro Shackleton AEW.2s of No. 8 Squadron and English Electric Canberra B.2s of No. 85 Squadron. Between 5 April and 7 May 1976, the squadron deployed to RAF Luqa with ten Lightning F.6s for an APC. No V (AC) Squadron's last APC deployment to RAF Luqa was between 31 March and 5 May 1977. In November 1987, No. V (AC) Squadron put up a nine-ship of Lightning F.6s to mark the type's impending withdrawal after 22 years of service. The last Lightnings were withdrawn by December 1987, with the squadron relocating to

RAF Coningsby Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and hom ...

in preparation for the Panavia Tornado F.3. No V (AC) Squadron received their first Tornado F.3 in January 1988. In August 1990, V (AC) Squadron was the first RAF squadron (accompanied by No. 29 (F) Squadron) to be deployed as part the UK's contribution to the

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

, with the first six Tornado F.3s arriving on 11 August at

Dhahran Airfield King Abdulaziz Air Base () , also known as Dhahran Air Base and formerly Dhahran International Airport, Dhahran Airport and Dhahran Airfield, is a Royal Saudi Air Force base located in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Located west ...

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

. Between 1993 and 1995, the squadron helped enforce the

no-fly zone A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in an enemy power's te ...

over

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

as part of

Operation Deny Flight Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operation that began on 12 April 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations (UN) no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United Nations and NATO later expanded the mis ...

. No V (AC) Squadron disbanded on 30 September 2002, with personnel being reassigned to other units.

Sentinel R1 (2004–2021)

RAF Sentinel R1 aircraft at RAF Akrotiri MOD 45165218

The squadron reformed on 1 April 2004 as No. 5 (Army Co-operation) Squadron at

. The first production Raytheon Sentinel R1 made its maiden flight on 26 May 2004. The ASTOR system officially entered service with the No. 5 (AC) Squadron on 1 December 2008. The fifth and last Sentinel to be delivered to the squadron was ''ZJ694'' in February 2009. Full Operating Capability was achieved at the end of 2010. The new radar-equipped aircraft provides battlefield and ground surveillance for the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

in a similar role to the American

Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS The Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) is a United States Air Force airborne ground surveillance, battle management and command and control aircraft. It tracks ground vehicles and some aircraft, col ...

aircraft. August 2013. In 2011, Sentinels from No. V (AC) Squadron participated in operations over

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...

as part of

Operation Ellamy Operation Ellamy was the codename for the United Kingdom participation in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The operation was part of an international coalition aimed at enforcing a Libyan no-fly zone in accordance with the United Nation ...

, which were later described as pivotal by RAF

Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer originating from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. An air chief marshal is equivalent to an Admir ...

Sir Stephen Dalton Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Gary George Dalton, (born 23 April 1954)'' Who's Who 2010'', A & C Black, 2010, is a retired Royal Air Force commander and former Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. As commanding officer of XIII Squadron, Dalton ...

. Between 2009 and 2011, No. V (AC) Squadron also briefly operated four Hawker Beechcraft Shadow R.1, based on the Beechcraft King Air 350. The first Shadow R.1 (''ZZ416'') was delivered to the squadron in May 2009. These were transferred over to the newly reformed No. 14 Squadron in October 2011. On 25 January 2013, a Sentinel R1 deployed to Dakar-Ouakam Air Base,

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 � ...

, to assist with France's

Operation Serval Operation Serval (french: Opération Serval) was a French military operation in Mali. The aim of the operation was to oust Islamic militants from the north of Mali, who had begun a push into the center of Mali. Operation Serval followed the ...

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...

. Over the course of a four-month long detachment, Sentinels flew a total of 697 hours across 66 sorties. On 18 May 2014, the squadron deployed a Sentinel to

Kotoka International Airport Kotoka International Airport is an international airport in Accra, the capital of Ghana. The airport is operated by Ghana Airports Company Limited, Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), which has its offices on the airport property. It is the ...

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

, in order to assist with searching for 223 schoolgirls who had been kidnapped by

Boko Haram Boko Haram, officially known as ''Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād'' ( ar, جماعة أهل السنة للدعوة والجهاد, lit=Group of the People of Sunnah for Dawah and Jihad), is an Islamic terrorist organization ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. In September 2014, the squadron temporarily relocated to

RAF Cranwell Royal Air Force Cranwell or more simply RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England, close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. Among other functions, it is home to the Royal Air Force College (RAFC), which trai ...

along with No. 14 Squadron due to the resurfacing of RAF Waddington's runway which took over a year to complete. No. 5 (AC) Squadron sent a single Sentinel R.1 to

Exercise Red Flag Exercise Red Flag (also Red Flag – Nellis) is a two-week advanced aerial combat training exercise held several times a year by the United States Air Force. It aims to offer realistic air-combat training for military pilots and other flight ...

15–1 at

Nellis AFB Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military Oper ...

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

, between 26 January and 13 February 2015. On 26 March 2015, No. 5 (AC) Squadron deployed two Sentinel R1s to

RAF Akrotiri RAF Akrotiri ( el, Βασιλική Πολεμική Αεροπορία Ακρωτηρίου) is a large Royal Air Force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which compr ...

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

, in support of

Operation Shader Operation Shader is the operational code name given to the contribution of the United Kingdom in the ongoing military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The operation involves the British Army providing ground s ...

. In July 2017, Sentinel R.1 ''ZJ693'' was withdrawn from use, with the remaining four Sentinels being given an out of service date (OSD) of 2021. In February 2020, the OSD was confirmed by the

Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

as March 2021. On 25 February 2021, ''ZJ694'' carried out No. V (AC) Squadron's last Sentinel R.1 operational sortie. Across the Sentinel's 14 years of service, the squadron flew 32,000 hours across 4,870 sorties. The squadron was subsequently disbanded on 31 March 2021.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 5 Squadron include: * Avro Type E (July 1913–July 1914) *

Farman MF.7 Longhorn The Maurice Farman MF.7 ''Longhorn'' is a French biplane developed before World War I which was used for reconnaissance by both the French and British air services in the early stages of the war before being relegated to service as a trainer. D ...

(July 1913–July 1914) *

Farman HF.20 The Farman HF.20 and its derivatives were a family of reconnaissance aircraft produced in France shortly before and during the First World War. It was a refined version of the Farman MF.11 "Shorthorn" that did away with the type's distinctive ...

(July 1913–July 1914) *

(July 1913–Mar 1915) *

Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.2 The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.2 (Scout Experimental) was an early British single-seat scout aircraft. Designed and built at the Royal Aircraft Factory in 1912–13 as the B.S.1, the prototype was rebuilt several times before serving with the R ...

a (Jan 1914–Mar 1914) *

Sopwith Three-seater The Sopwith Three-seater was a British aircraft designed and built prior to the start of the First World War. One of the first aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company, it was operated by both the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the Ro ...

(Feb 1914–Aug 1914) *

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.1 The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine tractor two-seat biplane designed and developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. Most of the roughly 3,500 built were constructed under contract by private companies, including establi ...

(1914–Aug 1914) *

Sopwith Tabloid The Sopwith Tabloid and Sopwith Schneider (floatplane) were British biplanes, originally designed as sports aircraft and later adapted for military use. They were among the first successful types to be built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. The ...

(June 1914–Aug 1914) *

(July 1914–Aug 1915) *

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8 The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8 was a British two-seat single-engined general purpose biplane of the First World War, designed by John Kenworthy at the Royal Aircraft Factory in 1913.Hare 1990, p. 171. Small numbers were used by the Royal Fly ...

(Aug 1914–Sep 1914) * Farman HF.27 (Sep 1914–Sep 1914) *

Bristol Scout The Bristol Scout was a single-seat rotary-engined biplane originally designed as a racing aircraft. Like similar fast, light aircraft of the period it was used by the RNAS and the RFC as a "scout", or fast reconnaissance type. It was one of t ...

(Sep 1914–Oct 1914; 1915–Mar 1915) *

Martinsyde S.1 The Martin-Handasyde Scout 1 was a British biplane aircraft of the early part of the First World War built by Martin-Handasyde Limited. Design and development It was a single-seat biplane with a Gnome engine in tractor configuration. Operatio ...

(Jan 1915–Aug 1915) * Voisin LA (Feb 1915–Mar 1915) *

Blériot Parasol Blériot may refer to: * Louis Blériot, a French aviation pioneer * Blériot Aéronautique, an aircraft manufacturer founded by Louis Blériot * Blériot-Whippet The Blériot-Whippet was a British 4 wheeled cyclecar made from 1920 to 1927 by t ...

(Mar 1915–May 1915) *

Vickers F.B.5 The Vickers F.B.5 (Fighting Biplane 5) (known as the "Gunbus") was a British two-seat pusher military biplane of the First World War. Armed with a single .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun operated by the observer in the front of the ...

(Mar 1915–Jan 1916) *

Caudron G.3 The Caudron G.3 was a single-engined French sesquiplane built by Caudron, widely used in World War I as a reconnaissance aircraft and trainer. Development The Caudron G.3 was designed by René and Gaston Caudron as a development of their earli ...

(Apr 1915–May 1915) *

Airco DH.2 The Airco DH.2 was a single-seat pusher biplane fighter aircraft which operated during the First World War. It was the second pusher design by aeronautical engineer Geoffrey de Havilland for Airco, based on his earlier DH.1 two-seater. The d ...

(July 1915–Aug 1915; Jan 1916–May 1916) *

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine tractor two-seat biplane designed and developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. Most of the roughly 3,500 built were constructed under contract by private companies, including establish ...

c (Aug 1915–Apr 1917) *

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8 The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8 was a British single-seat fighter of the First World War designed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. It could not escape the drag penalty imposed by its tail structure and was no match for the Albatros fighters of ...

(Dec 1915–May 1916) * Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2d (June 1916–June 1917) * Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e (Jan 1917–June 1917) * Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2f (Jan 1917–June 1917) * Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2g (Jan 1917–June 1917) *

(May 1917–Mar 1918) *

(Mar 1919–Sep 1919; Apr 1920–May 1931) * Westland Wapiti Mk.IIa (May 1931–June 1940) *

(June 1940–Feb 1941) *

(Feb 1941–Sep 1942) * Curtiss Mohawk Mk.IV (Dec 1941–June 1943) *

(June 1943–Sep 1944) * Hawker Hurricane Mk.IId (June 1943–Sep 1944) * Republic Thunderbolt Mk.I (Sep 1944–Feb 1946) * Republic Thunderbolt Mk.II (Sep 1944–Feb 1946) * Hawker Tempest F.2 (Mar 1946–Aug 1947) * Supermarine Spitfire LF.16e (Feb 1949–Feb 1951) * Miles Martinet TT.1 (Feb 1949–Feb 1951) * Airspeed Oxford T.1 (Feb 1949–Feb 1951) * Bristol Beaufighter TT.10 (Feb 1949–Feb 1951) *

de Havilland Vampire F.3 The de Havilland Vampire is a British jet fighter which was developed and manufactured by the de Havilland, de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was the second jet fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force, RAF, after the Gloster Meteor, and ...

(Aug 1950–Sep 1951) * de Havilland Vampire FB.5 (Mar 1952–Dec 1952) * de Havilland Venom FB.1 (Dec 1952–July 1955) * de Havilland Venom FB.4 (July 1955–Oct 1957) * Gloster Meteor NF.11 (Jan 1959–Aug 1960) * Gloster Javelin FAW.5 (Jan 1960–Nov 1962) * Gloster Javelin FAW.9 (Nov 1962–Oct 1965) * Hawker Hunter T.7A (Oct 1965–196?) * English Electric Lightning T.5 (Nov 1965–1987) * English Electric Lightning F.3 (Dec 1965–Jan 1967; Oct 1972–Sep 1987) * English Electric Lightning F.6 (Dec 1966–Dec 1987) * English Electric Lightning F.1A (June 1970–Sep 1972) *

(Jan 1988–Sep 2002) * Raytheon Sentinel R1 (2006–March 2021) * Hawker Beechcraft Shadow R1 (May 2009–Oct 2011)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Ashworth, Chris. ''Encyclopedia of Modern Royal Air Force Squadrons''. Wellingborough, UK:PSL, 1989. . * Bartlett, S/Ldr C.P.O.,

DSC DSC may refer to: Academia * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dalton State Col ...

. ''Bomber Pilot, 1916–18''. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan, 1974. . * Bartlett, S/Ldr C.P.O.,

. ''In the Teeth of the Wind (The Story of a Naval Pilot on the Western Front, 1916–1918)''. London: Leo Cooper, 1994. . * Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. . * Jackson, A. J. ''Avro Aircraft since 1908''. London:Putnam, Second edition, 1990. . * Jefford, C.G. ''RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912''. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 2001. . * Lewis, Peter. ''Squadron Histories: R.F.C, R.N.A.S and R.A.F., 1912–59''. London: Putnam, 1959. * Moxon, Oliver. ''Bitter Monsoon: The Memoirs of a Fighter Pilot''. London: Robert Hale, 1955. (Being the Memoirs of Stephan James, Burma 1944). * Rawlings, John D.R. ''Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. . * Rawlings, John D.R. ''Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). . * Strange, L.A. ''Recollections of an Airman''. London: Greenhill Books, 1989. . (Reprint of the original edition of 1933, with new material added). * Yoxall, John
"No. 5 Squadron: A History of the "Fighting Fifth": Part 1"
''

Flight Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...

'', Vol. 72, No. 2543, 18 October 1957. pp. 618–623. * Yoxall, John
"No. 5 Squadron: A History of the "Fighting Fifth": Part 2"
''

'', Vol. 72, No. 2544, 25 October 1957. pp. 642–646. * Yoxall, John
"No. 5 Squadron: A History of the "Fighting Fifth": Part 3"
''

'', Vol. 72, No. 2546, 8 November 1957. pp. 745–746.

External links

RAF – 5 Squadron
{{DEFAULTSORT:No. 5 Squadron Raf Military units and formations established in 1913 005 Squadron 005 Squadron 1913 establishments in the United Kingdom Military units and formations disestablished in 1947 Military units and formations established in 1949 Military units and formations disestablished in 1957 Military units and formations established in 1959 Military units and formations disestablished in 2003 Military units and formations established in 2004