RAF Patch j 25 Squadron Royal Air Force Tornado F 3 Air Defence

RAF Patch 25 Squadron Royal Air Force Tornado F 3 Air Defence 1989 RAF Leeming Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 122mm by 117mm four and three quarter inches by four and five eighth inches.

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Badge  On a gauntlet a hawk rising afrontée  approved by HM King Edward VIII in October 1936 refering to an early unofficial badge devised when the Squadron was based at RAF Hawkinge.

Motto  Feriens tego  Striking I defend

Squadron History 1951 2008

After the war 25 Squadron continued to operate Mosquito night fighters converting to Vampires at RAF West Malling in February 1951.  Meteor NF Mk 12 and 14s night fighter replaced the Vampires in March 1954. The squadron relocated to RAF Tangmere on 30 September 1957 where it disbanded on 23 June 1958 and remained with the Squadron until it was disbanded in June 1958. In 1957 the Squadron moved from West Malling to RAF Tangmere where it disbanded on 23 June 1958.

25 Squadron reformed on 1 July 1958 at RAF Waterbeach on the renumbering of 153 Squadron flying Meteors until their replacement in 1959 by the Javelin FAW Mk 7s. The Squadron relocated to RAF Leuchars on 23 October 1961 disbanding on 30 November 1962.

The Squadron reformed at RAF North Coates on 1 October 1963 as the RAFs first Bloodhound surface to air guided missile SAM squadron. The squadron moved to RAF Bruggen on 7 August 1970 with detachments deployed to protect RAF Laarbruch and RAF Wildenrath. On 1 March 1983 the Squadron relocated to RAF Wyton with detachments deploying to protect RAF Barkston Heath and RAF Wattisham.

The Bloodhounds were withdrawn from service on 1 August 1989 and the Squadron disbanded to reform the same day at RAF Leeming with
Tornado F3 fighters in the air defense role under 11 Group with its primary task to provide Quick Reaction Alert South QRAS providing air defense for the Southern UK.

The Squadron took part in combat operations deploying to Gioia del Colle AB Italy for Operation Deny Flight between September December 1993 and May August 1995. In the late 1990s the squadron deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Southern Watch. Between October 2004 and January 2005 25 Squadron deployed to Siauliana Air Base in Lithuania to provide NATO Air Defence cover to Lithuania Latvia and Estonia following their membership of NATO.

QRAS interceptions include eight Russian Tu 95 Bear H strategic bombers and two Tu 160 Blackjack strategic bombers in July 2007. 25 Squadron disbanded on 4 April 2008. 

This patch dates from 1989.