Excalibur was a joint USAF and Royal Air Force annual bombing strafing and gunnery competition commenced with Excalibur I in 1985 to provide USAF and Royal Air Force aircrews and ground crews to fly fight together and compete together with the focus on surface attack missions testing equipment procedures and leadership skills to improve lines of communication and tactical abilities between the USAF and the RAF. The competition was hosted by 48th Tactical Fighter Wing TFW at RAF Lakenheath and used the extensive ranges at RAF Holbeach and RAF Wainfleet Lincolnshire for the various ground attack competition categories and tasks.

The USAFE’s 48th TFW competed with its F-111F Aardvark fighter bombers and hosted Squadron teams from 50th and 401st Tactical Fighter Wings operating F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The RAF fielded Jaguar F-4 Phantom II and Tornado fighter bombers. Although each team’s aircraft had different capabilities the competition pitted pilot against pilot judged on how well they dropped BDU 33 practice freefall bombs on specific targets from defined altitudes speeds and angles including 45-degree High Altitude Release Bomb 30-degree Dive Bomb 20-degree Low Altitude Low Drag 10-degree Low Altitude High Drag and Low Angle Strafe. Awards for the top scoring pilot aircrew and aircraft in each individual events together with awards for the top scoring Flight and Wing were presented at the end of the competition.

The Competitions were given ascending roman numerals for each year starting with Excalibur I in 1985 Excalibur II in 1986 Excalibur III in 1987 Excalibur IV in November 1988 Excalibur V in October 1989 Excalibur VI in July 1990 Excalibur VII in 1991 Excalibur VIII in 1992 and Excalibur IX in June 1993. The Excalibur Competition was discontinued after Excalibur IX 1993 following the retirement of the F-111F from USAFE service.

The Competition was reinstated with Excalibur 2004 at RAF Lakenheath with 48th Fighter Wing F-15E Eagle aircraft competing against F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10A Warthogs from 52nd Fighter Wing from Spangdahlem AB Germany and 31st Fighter Wing from Aviano AB Italy together with RAF Jaguars from No. 6 and No. 41 Squadrons RAF Coltishall and Tornado bombers from No. 9 Squadron RAF Marham in August 2004. Excalibur 2005 took place in August 2005 but after Excalibur 2006 in August 2006 the Competition was again stopped as pilots were gaining ground attack experience with the RAF and NATO via combat missions during joint operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gulf War – Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm (1990 to 1991)

The 48th TFW deployed to Taif Air Base, Saudi Arabia, during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

By December 1990 the Wing had deployed 66 F-111F aircraft and flew:

• 1,919 combat sorties

• 2,203 target hits

The F-111F became one of the most effective precision strike aircraft of the Gulf War.

The Wing returned to RAF Lakenheath on 13 May 1991 and subsequently began restructuring under the USAF Objective Wing Organisation programme.

The Wing established:

• 48th Operations Group

• 48th Logistics Group

• 48th Medical Group

• 48th Support Group

On 1 October 1991 the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated the 48th Fighter Wing (48th FW).

F-15 Eagle Era (1992 to Present)

In February 1992 the Wing began converting to McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft for the 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons.

The 493rd Fighter Squadron "Grim Reapers" reactivated on 7 January 1994 equipped with F-15C/D Eagle fighters and assumed the air superiority mission.

As USAFE's lead Air Expeditionary Wing, the 48th Fighter Wing supported combat and contingency operations across the world including:

• Iraq

• Bosnia

• Kosovo

• Afghanistan

• Libya

• Syria

The Wing participated in:

• Operation Allied Force

• Operation Enduring Freedom

• Operation Iraqi Freedom

• Operation New Dawn

• Operation Odyssey Dawn

• Baltic Air Policing

• Icelandic Air Policing

In June 2006 the Wing gained the 56th Rescue Squadron, expanding RAF Lakenheath's personnel recovery and combat rescue capabilities. The 57th Rescue Squadron was later activated as rescue forces were reorganised to better support modern combat operations.

F-35A Lightning II Era (2021 to Present)

The 495th Fighter Squadron reactivated on 1 October 2021 as the 48th Fighter Wing's first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II squadron and received its first aircraft on 15 December 2021.

The 493rd Fighter Squadron subsequently transitioned from the F-15C/D Eagle to the F-35A, continuing the modernisation of the Liberty Wing.

Today the 48th Fighter Wing operates both:

• F-15E Strike Eagle

• F-35A Lightning II

aircraft in support of NATO, USAFE and global expeditionary operations.

48th Operations Group

Activated on 31 March 1992, the 48th Operations Group commands the Wing's flying squadrons and operational support organisations. The Group provides flight operations, intelligence, weapons and tactics support, airfield management, scheduling and operational planning for NATO, USEUCOM and USAFRICOM missions.

548th Aircraft Generation Squadron

The 548th Aircraft Generation Squadron (AGS) was one of the most important maintenance organisations within the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing during the F-111F Aardvark era at RAF Lakenheath. Responsible for aircraft generation, flightline maintenance, weapons loading and combat readiness, the squadron ensured the Wing's strike aircraft remained mission capable and ready to support NATO operations throughout Europe.

The squadron comprised the 492nd and 495th Aircraft Maintenance Units together with the Weapons Services Branch, supporting both operational fighter squadrons and USAFE's F-111F Replacement Training Unit. Operating under the Combat Oriented Maintenance Organization (COMO) concept, maintenance personnel worked directly alongside aircrew to maximise aircraft availability and sortie generation.

Throughout the 1980s the 548th AGS supported deployments to Spain, Turkey, Portugal and the United States, including participation in Red Flag exercises, Strategic Air Command Bombing Competitions and NATO Tactical Evaluations. During 1985 alone the squadron supported more than 3,400 sorties and over 8,000 accident-free flying hours while achieving mission capable rates above USAFE standards.

The squadron became known for its innovative maintenance practices, wartime readiness training and exceptional inspection results. Personnel developed new aircraft survivability procedures, Integrated Combat Turn techniques and Foreign Object Damage reduction programmes that helped the 48th TFW achieve some of the highest operational readiness ratings in Europe. During NATO Tactical Evaluations and USAFE Operational Readiness Inspections the Wing consistently earned outstanding ratings, with the 548th AGS playing a major role in its success.

The professionalism and dedication of the squadron's maintenance personnel helped establish the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing as one of USAFE's premier combat wings and ensured the F-111F Aardvark remained one of NATO's most effective tactical strike aircraft throughout the Cold War.

Review the 548th Aircraft Generation Squadron History page

Maintenance and Support Units

Over the decades the 48th Fighter Wing developed a substantial support structure including:

• 48th Operations Support Squadron

• 48th Transportation Squadron

• 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

• 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron

• 48th Munitions Squadron

• 48th Component Maintenance Squadron

• 48th Medical Group

• 48th Mission Support Group

These organisations maintain aircraft, engines, avionics, weapons systems, logistics, rescue operations and medical support for USAFE and NATO commitments.

The 48th Component Maintenance Squadron, known as the "Green Dragons," became particularly well known for supporting F-15 and HH-60 operations at RAF Lakenheath.

RAF Lakenheath and the Liberty Wing

RAF Lakenheath became one of the most important USAFE fighter bases of the Cold War and modern era. From the F-100 Super Sabre and F-4 Phantom II to the F-111F Aardvark, F-15 Eagle and F-35A Lightning II, the base has continuously supported NATO airpower operations in Europe for more than sixty years.

Today the 48th Fighter Wing remains one of the most operationally active United States Air Force units in Europe.

Collecting 48th TFW and 48th FW Patches

48th TFW and 48th Fighter Wing patches are among the most sought-after USAFE insignia. Popular collecting themes include:

• Statue of Liberty Wing insignia

• F-111F Aardvark units

• Operation El Dorado Canyon patches

• Desert Storm and Gulf War patches

• F-15 Eagle squadron insignia

• RAF Lakenheath deployment patches

• Operations Group and Maintenance Squadron patches

• Medical and Rescue Squadron insignia

• F-35A Lightning II transition patches

Original Cold War-era 48th TFW patches from the F-100, F-4 and F-111 periods remain especially popular among USAFE and RAF Lakenheath collectors.

History on RAF Lakenheath Site