Flying Squadron 1

Vigilance

 

 

 

Callsign :

 

Nato Tiger Association status : full member
 

In the early 1970’s, studies directed by NATO’s major military commanders showed that an airborne early warning (AEW) radar system would significantly enhance the air defense capabilities of the alliance.  In December 1978, the defense planning committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding to buy and operate a NATO-funded AEW system.  By this decision, the member nations embarked on NATO’s largest commonly funded acquisition program.  NATO’s defense planning committee established the NATO Airborne Early Warning Force (NAEWF) in January 1980 and granted full NATO command headquarters status on October 17th the same year.
 

E-3A Component flying operations began in February 1982 after delivery of the first E-3A aircraft.  Germany formally handed over the main operating base to NATO on 31 March 1982.  The Component was officially activated on 28 June 1982 and reached full operational capability by the end of 1988.

They recevied a total of eighteen E-3A's, but one was lost in a crash (The aircraft was completing a flight from Preveza-Aktion Airport, Greece to Geilenkirchen.  During the takeoff roll at, after V1 speed (Takeoff Decision Speed), the pilot-in-command heard a loud noise.  Thinking this was the consequence of a bird strike, he decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and started an emergency braking manoeuvre.  Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, struck a dyke and came to rest partially submerged in the sea.  All 16 occupants escaped uninjured) and three were retired from service in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
 
The Component's multinational, fully integrated workforce consists of more than 3,000 military and civilian personnel from 17 NATO member states.
 

The NAEW&C Force Headquarters is located at NAB Geilenkirchen and exercises operational control over the Force, consisting of two operational units:
 

- the E-3A Component based at NAB Geilenkirchen, which operates the fourteen NATO-owned NATO E-3A aircraft (the squadrons are manned by integrated international crews from 19 countries); These 14 aircraft of the NATO E-3A Component are all registered in Luxembourg as part of that country's contribution to the NATO AWACS programme.  It origniaslly consisted of 3 Squadrons, but Squadron 3 was deactivated in 2015 due to staff reductions.  The aircraft are registered in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
 

- the E-3D Component based at Royal Air Force (RAF) Waddington, United Kingdom, which operates its three Boeing E-3D aircraft (the Component is manned by RAF personnel only).  The RAF is currently in the process of retiring its fleet of E-3Ds and will replace them with the more modern E-7 AEW&C aircraft.
 
The E-3A's also operate from a 'Forward-Operating Location' in  Ørland (Norway) and from 3 'Forward-Operating Bases':  Aktion (Greece), Konya (Turkey) and Trapani (Italy).
 
From 1985 the E-3A Component also operated three Trainer Cargo Aircraft (TCAs), a modified version of the Boeing 707-320C, for transporting cargo and passengers.  The last TCA was taken out of service at the Component in December 2011.
 

In the late 1990s, Flying Squadron 1 decided that they wanted to join the NATO Tiger Association, as they were already participating in the exercise.  Therefore they changed their squadron badge to the current Tiger badge.
 
 

(all aircraft are to scale)

Aircraft

   

Boeing 707 E-3A Sentry

Boeing 707 E-3D Sentry

Boeing 707 Trainer Cargo Aircraft
 
Insignia

Flying Squadron 1 (1st version)

Flying Squadron 1 (current version)

Flying Squadron 2
 

Flying Squadron 3 (1st version)

Flying Squadron 3 (2nd version)

No. VIII Squadron RAF
 

NAEW&CF   E-3A Component

NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force

RAF Station Waddington
 

FOB Aktion

FOB Konya

FOB Trapani
 

FOL Ørland

    
 
 

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text & picture sources : own collection & the world wide web / No copyright infringement intended : drawings, photos, etc.   belong to the rightful owners.