RNLAF Patch s Royal Netherlands Air Force 315 Squadron F 16 oea

RNLAF Patch 315 Squadron Royal Netherlands Air Force 1987 F 16 Fighting Falcon Twenthe Air Base Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 101mm four inches diameter.

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315 Squadron was activated at Eindhoven Air Base in 1952 for strike attack tasking equipped with F 84 G Thunderjet aircraft upgrading to F 84 F Thunderstreak jets in 1956. The Squadron moved to Twenthe Air Base and reequipped with NF 5 Freedom Fighter aircraft in 1970. 

315 Squadron converted from NF 5 Freedom Fighters to F 16 Fighting Falcons in 1986 becoming operational on 1 November 1987 in the fighter bomber strike attack role. In late 1988 fighter interception was added to the Squadrons tasking and it was assigned to NATO AMF Ace Mobile Force.

The Squadron rotationally deployed to Villafranca AB Italy from 12 April 1993 to 20 December 1995 for Operation Deny Flight over the former Yugoslavia in support of the UNPROFOR troops stationed in Bosnia Herzegovina. 315 Squadron participated in Operation Decisive Endeavour based at Villafranca AB rotationally from 21 December 1995 to 21 December 1996 to support the IFOR mission. The Squadron provided rotational deployments for Operation Deliberate Guard from 22 December 1996 to 20 June 1998 again from Villafranca AB in support of SFOR during which it took part in Op Determined Falcon show of force over Kosovo and Albania on 15 and 16 June 1998. Rotational deployment continued with Op Deliberate Forge with the Squadron moving to Amendola AB Italy on 21 June 1998 until July 2001 which included combat missions during Op Allied Force air strikes against Serbia from 23 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. 

The Squadron received MLU F 16 in 1999 and became capable of carrying reconnaissance pods. 315 Squadron participated in operations over Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom when the Squadron deployed to Manas AB Kyrgyzstan from 1 October 2002 to 31 December 2002.

315 Squadron celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2002 but with further defence cuts the Squadron was inactivated in 2004. 

This patch dates from 1987.