RAF Drops ‘Reserve’ Suffix from its Squadrons
 

Is it me, or did this announcement from 2018 sneak under the radar??!!

A cynical ploy to increase the number of sqns we appear to have..?

(I used the Search function but couldn't find a thread mentioning this.)

RAF Drops 'Reserve' Suffix from its Squadrons - Warnesy's World

A SIGNIFICANT recent change to UK Royal Air Force squadron designations, that has not been publicly announced, is that all those with Reserve status, have now dropped this designation and are simply being referred to just as normal squadrons. The change formally took place on February 1 and means that, for example, 4 (Reserve) Squadron is now simply designated 4 Squadron.

The units which no longer have the Reserve suffix are as follows:

4 Squadron with Hawk T2 at RAF Valley, Anglesey.

16 Squadron with Tutor T1 at RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire.

17 Squadron with F-35B Lightning II at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

28 Squadron with Chinook HC4 and Puma HC 2 at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire.

29 Squadron with Typhoon T3 and FGR4 at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.

41 Squadron with Typhoon T3 and FGR4 at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.

45 Squadron with B200 King Air at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire.

54 Squadron with loaned Sentry AEW1, Sentinel R1 and Shadow R1 at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.

56 Squadron with loaned Sentry AEW1, Sentinel R1 and Shadow R1 at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.

57 Squadron with Tutor T1 at RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire.

60 Squadron with Griffin HT1 at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire.

72 Squadron with Tucano T1 at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire.

115 Squadron with Tutor T1 at RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire.

202 Squadron with Griffin HT1 at RAF Valley, Anglesey.

206 Squadron with loaned C-17A and C-130J at MOD Boscombe Down, Wiltshire.

Surprised they haven't looked at giving the BBMF sqn status as well ;)

Or a slightly less cynical ploy to ensure certain historic squadorn numbers maintian seniority. What's not clear is if this starts from 2018 or is back dated.

Surely the 500 series of Squadron numbers should be used if they are "Reserve" squadrons?

Surely, you can only have reserves when you still have a first team.

I much preferred working for "240 OCU" than when they renamed it "27(R) Sqn". I never did understand why they had to change it.

Is one allowed to ask why 54 and 56 Sqns are both similar mixed fleets. Would segregating them so that each squadron flew one type be more effective for supervision, standards, etc

Ah...so it has been just an internal re-org and not made too public. I agree with you to a point on the front-line nature of many FJ OCUs: on 20(R) Sqn we did some very punchy stuff, including loaning me as Sqinto/Opso to 3(F) Sqn for their Herrick workup. It didn't feel very 'Reserve'.

But to refer to a Tutor EFT outfit as 16 Sqn??!! Anyone remember JEFTS? When I was there, 16 (Reserve) flew Jags! Seems a bit of a fig leaf really. But I could be over-reacting...ho hum.

I have been out for a while now, but the difference is one letter! One is the ISTAR OCU and the other the ISTAR OEU. Seems like they are separated for Conversion to type and Test/Evaluation.

Training Risky,

Yep, it was you who missed it! And yes, you are over reacting. Having a go at a squadron as it is an EFTS unit as opposed to a FJ conversion unit is a bit childish.

And neither 54 or 56 have any aircraft, they may differ in one letter but Wander00 you must realise the massive difference that one letter means in their role and size? They use the Waddington aircraft as a pooled fleet.

Wensleydale,

I think that the whole reason for dropping the Reserve monika is that these squadrons aren't actually reserve at all. They also now can accrue seniority, which as Reserve Squadrons they couldn't.

When the Dominie Sqn of 3FTS Cranwell became 55(R)Sqn (on 6 Jun 1997) it was a bloody nightmare! The Sqn consisted of a mere 12 pilots and an Ops Clerk!