RNoAF Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force 334 Skv Squadron F 104 Starfighter a

RNoAF Norwegian 334 Squadron

RNoAF Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force 334 Skv Squadron F 104 Starfighter 1978 Bodo Main Air Base Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 99mm three and fifteen sixteenth inches diameter.

Badge Polar Bear Head facing right

Name Cola

Motto for fedrelandet Norwegian for the fatherland

History

WWII RAF Mosquito

B Flight 333 Norwegian Squadron RAF formed at RAF Leuchars in 1943 equipped with Mosquito fighter bomber aircraft to carry out shipping reconnaissance operations along the Norwegian coast while 333 Norwegian Squadron RAF Catalina Flight carried out Special Duties tasking of inserting supplies and personnels along the Norwegian coast and anti submarine patrols to the north of Scotland.

B Flight was assigned to the newly activated RAF Banff Strike Wing In September 1944 and acted in the Pathfinder for concentrated Mosquito and Beaufighter attacks on German surface and U Boats operating in the North Sea and Norwegian coast.

With German surrender on 8 May 1945 the Banff Strike Wing was inactivated. B Flight was upgraded to Squadron status and redesignated 334 Norwegian Squadron RAF on 30 May 1945 and relocated to Gardermoen Air Station Oslo Norway on 8 June 1945.

RNoAF Mosquito

334 Norwegian Squadron RAF with its Mosquito FB Mk VI fighter bomber aircraft was handed over to the Royal Norwegian Air Force at Gardermoen Air Station Oslo on 21 November 1945 assigned to Luftkommando Østlandet. To honour its achievements during the War the Royal Norwegian Air Force was permitted to retain its RAF Squadron and Wing numbers and the Squadron was redesignated 334 Skvadron Royal Norwegian Air Force. RNoAF Norwegian 334 Squadron was tasked with reconnaissance and fighter air defence.

334 Skvadron was inactivated on 3 May 1947 before reforming at Gardermoen Airfield under Luftkommando Østlandet on 1 June 1948 again equipped with Mosquito FB Mk VI fighter bomber and several Mosquito T III training aircraft.

The Skvadron relocated to Sola Air Station Stavanger reassigned to Luftkommando Vestlandet in October 1949 with its Mosquito FB Mk VI and Mosquito T III aircraft.

F 84G Thunderjet

334 Squadron reequipped with F 84E Thunderjet fighter bombers in October 1951 at Sola Air Station and upgraded to F 84G Thunderjet aircraft in 1952 continuing reconnaissance and air defence.

334 Skvadron relocated to Bodo Main Air Station Norland with its F 84G Thunderjet fighter bomber aircraft reassigned to Luftkommando Nord Norge on 22 July 1955.

F 86F Sabre F 86K Sabre

334 Skvadron transitioned to F 86F Sabre fighter aircraft in August 1958 at Bodo Main AS upgrading to F 86K Sabre fighters in 1960.

F 5 Freedom Fighter

The Skvadron reequipped with F 5 Freedom Fighter aircraft at Bodo Main AS in June 1967 tasked with fighter bomber maritime strike operations using the Bullpup anti shipping missile system.

CF 104 Starfighter

334 Skv began receiving CF 104 Starfighter aircraft at Bodo Main Air Station in 1973 continuing its fighter bomber maritime strike mission. The Squadron retired its last F 5 Freedom Fighter aircraft in 1974.

F 16A Fighting Falcon

334 Skvadron reequipped with F 16A Fighting Falcon aircraft at Bodo Main AS in 1982 and became the second RNoAF F 16 Squadron to become fully operational maintaining its maritime strike tasking. The Skvadron replaced its Bullpup missiles with the Norwegian designed and made Penguin Mk 3 anti shipping fire and forget missiles in 1987 for attacks on naval targets specific for the defence of the Norwegian coastline.

F 16AM Fighting Falcon MLU

The RNoAF began the rolling F 16 Mid Life Update programme in 1995 with each aircraft undergoing a five month upgrade at the RNoAF Depot in Kjeller before being returned to the Squadrons redesignated as F 16AM MLU and F 16BM MLU. The F 16 MLU upgrade programme added fighter bomber ground attack capability with Pantera targeting pods to 334 Squadrons tasking.

With NATO interventions increasing elements of 334 Skvadron formed part of the RNoAF F 16A deployment for NATO Operation Allied Force at Grazzanise AB Italy in 1999. The Squadron with elements from its sister units at Bodo Main AS 331 Skv and 332 Skv together with 338 Skv from Orland AS undertook RNoAFs first combat missions since WWII with air defence Combat Air Patrol CAP tasking for three months to protect NATO aircraft carrying out air strikes against Serbia. RNoAFs ground attack F 16 AM MLU fighter bomber aircraft were not deployed for Operation Allied Force. The final F 16 aircraft to undergo the Mid Life Update upgrade was completed in December 2001.

As part of a major reorganisation of the RNoAF the Norwegian Government decided to reduce F 16 aircraft numbers to 57 airframes which was not enough to equip the four F 16 Squadrons operational at full strength. 334 Skvadron was inactivated at Bodo Main Air Station on 1 August 2002 at the same time as a new Wing level command structure was introduced with 132 Air Wing Luftving Station Group activated at Bodo Main Air Station.

NH 90 helicopter

334 Skvadron reactivated at Sola Air Station Stavanger in 2003 assigned to 139 Luftving to prepare for the introduction of RNoAFs NH 90 NFH NATO Frigate Helicopters to operate from the Norwegian Navys new Fridtjof Nansen class frigates. The Squadron was also known as the Frigate Squadron Fregattskvadronen.  Fourteen NH 90 NFH helicopters were ordered with six NH 90 NFH ASW Anti Submarine Warfare aircraft for 334 Skv and eight NH 90 NFH SAR Search and Rescue aircraft for 337 Skv.

When deployed the NH 90 NFH ASW helicopters were to be tasked with anti submarine anti shipping ship search and rescue movement of supplies and personnel and support of special operations. The Skvadron was responsible for aircrew and groundcrew training and the establishment of operational routines and procedure as well as input into new infrastructure and facilities required at Sola Air Station.

The helicopters were due for delivery between 2006 and 2008 but delays and teething issues led to the first aircraft a NH 90 NFH SAR for 337 Skv handed over to RNoAF in Italy on 30 November 2011. With the frigates based at the Norwegian Navy Haakonsvern Naval Base Bergen 139 Luftving established Air Force Base Haakonsvern Luftforsvarets Base Haakonsvern and relocated 334 Skvadron there in 2016 when construction of the facilities was complete.

The first NH90 NFH ASW for 334 Skv was delivered in January 2018 and due to limited aircraft available restricted frigate deployments commenced with operational and technical support from the 334 Skvadron headquarters and 139 Air Wing at Sola Air Station.

334 Skvadron was reassigned to Maritime Helicopter Wing MHV when it replaced 139 Luftving at Bardufoss Air Station on 1 January 2020. Due to the major problems with the phasing in of the NH 90 NFH helicopter fleet and lack of critical replacement parts RNoAF terminated the contract for the helicopters in June 2022 and NH 90 NFH helicopters ceased operations. RNoAF has ordered MH 60R Seahawk helicopters to replace the NH 90 NFH helicopters and it is anticipated that crew training will be conducted in partnership with the Royal Danish Navy which currently operates the MH 60R Seahawk.

This patch dates from 1978.