RAF Patch b 23 Squadron Royal Air Force Crest Tornado F3

RAF Patch 23 Squadron Royal Air Force Crest Patch Tornado F3 Air Defense 1990 110mm by 90mm four and five sixteenth inches by three and one half inches.

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Badge: – An eagle preying on a falcon – approved by HM King George VI in April 1937.

Motto: – Semper Aggressus – Having always attacked

Squadron History 1953 – 2009

23 Squadron received its first jet aircraft Vampire NF 10s at RAF Coltishall in 1953 tasked with night fighter air defense replacing them with Venoms in June 1954. Relocated to RAF Horsham St Faith on 12 October 1956 the Squadron returned to RAF Coltishall converting to Javelin FAW All Weather Fighters for the air defense role on 28 May 1957.

The Squadron moved to RAF Luechars in March 1963 and received Lightning fighters in August 1964. The Squadron disbanded on 31 October 1975 and reformed at RAF Coningsby with Phantom F4s immediately moving to RAF Wattisham on 1 November 1975.  

On 30 March 1983 the Squadron was disbanded and the next day the 29 Squadron Phantom detachment at RAF Stanley Falkland Islands was re-designated 23 Squadron moving to RAF Mount Pleasant on 20 April 1984. 23 Squadron was re-designated 1435 Flight on 31 October 1988. 23 Squadron reformed on 1 November 1988 at RAF Leeming with Tornado F3s for air defense disbanding on 26 February 1994.

The squadron re-activated in April 1996 with Sentry AEW1 providing Airborne Early Warning as part of the Waddington AEW Wing with 8 Squadron. 23 Squadron disbanded on 2 October 2009 when its assets were amalgamated with 8 Squadron.

This patch dates from 1990.