RSAF Patch da Sqn Royal Saudi Air Force b 16 Squadron Crest Wire

RSAF Patch Saudi Arabia Royal Saudi Air Force 16 Squadron Crest Tactical Airlift C 130E Hercules Transport 1965 Jeddah Air Base Bullion wire embroidered on wool cut edge 115mm by 85mm four and one half inches by three and five sixteenth inches.

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16 Squadron was activated at Jeddah Air Base in 1965 to operate the C 130E Hercules transport aircraft receiving its first in September 1965 tasked with tactical airlift. The Squadron was the second RSAF unit to receive the Hercules after 4 Squadron. 16 Squadron was tasked with personnel and cargo tactical airlift between RSAF and international bases and support for Army training and operations including parachute delivery. The Squadron undertook airlift missions in support of Saudi Forces combat operations on the border with Yemen during the civil war until hostilities ceased in 1970.

16 Squadron began adding C 130H aircraft to its fleet in 1974 and supported RSAF operations during the Iran Iraq War. The Squadron conducted regular airlift flights throughout Europe South East Asia and to the US.

Following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 the Squadron undertook tactical airlift operations in support of Saudi and Coalition Forces in Saudi Arabia in support of operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm January March 1991.

16 Squadron emblem was changed in 1992 when RSAF decided to standardise unit logos and to remove the depictions of living creatures on RSAF emblems as not in accordance with Islamic scripture. Whilst Desert Storm successfully ejected the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and degraded Iraqs military capability 16 Squadron transport support operations continued through the 1990s with Operation Southern Watch and the No Fly Zone.

Jeddah AB was redesignated Prince Abdullah Air Base in 1999 when all RSAF air bases were named after members of the Saudi Royal family and RSAF introduced its Wing system to control and support base Squadrons with 8 Wing established at Prince Abdullah Air Base Jeddah with 16 Squadron assigned to the Wing.

The Squadron continued support during Operation Iraqi Freedom the invasion of Iraq from 20 March to 1 May 2003. The Squadron operated RSAFs C 130H 30 stretch Hercules receiving the first in 2007. 16 Squadron has deployed assets to Europe and the US in support of exercises including Green Flag and has provided airlift support for the RSAF and coalition campaigns over Yemen against Houthi rebels since 2009.

The Squadrons last C 130E was retired in 2010 when six were sold to Turkey. 16 Squadron has provided airlift support for the RSAF and coalition campaigns against ISIS in Iraq and Syria since 2014 including deployments to Inkirlik Turkey in 2016.

The Squadron is due to upgrade to C 130J aircraft. 

This patch dates from 1965.