RNoAF Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force 332 Skv Squadron F 16 Fighter b

RNoAF 332 Skv Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force Squadron F 16Royal Norwegian Air Force 332 Skv Squadron F 16 Operational Conversion Unit OCU NATO Fighter Operations 1980s Bodo Air Base Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 82mm three and one quarter inches diameter Free Shipping

RNoAF 332 Skv Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force Squadron F 16

Badge A demi-Norwegian Axe Azure hafted Argent The ancient Norwegian axe is shown in the colours of the national flag to represent the squadrons personnel

Motto Norwegian Samhold i strid Together in battle

Squadron Name Eagle

History

WWII RAF Spitfire Mk Va Mk Vb Mk IXb Mk IXe

The Royal Air Force activated 332 Norwegian Squadron at RAF Catterick Yorkshire on 16 January 1942 with Norwegian contingent of volunteer pilots from Little Norway 2nd Fighter Wing in Canada who had arrived early January 1942. The Squadron equipped with Spitfire Mk Va fighter aircraft. The Squadron was manned with Norwegian volunteer pilots with ground crew and the commanding officer from the RAF. RAF Squadrons formed from foreign volunteers were numbered by the RAF from 300 onwards. 332 Squadron achieved operational status on 21 March 1942. The Squadron reequipped with Spitfire Mk Vb fighter aircraft in April 1942.

The Squadron was reassigned to 11 Group and relocated to RAF North Weald in June 1942 joining Norwegian manned 331 Norwegian Squadron tasked with fighter air defence of the South East of England. The two Norwegian Squadrons became known as North Weald Norwegian Wing.

North Weald Norwegian Wings 331 and 332 Norwegian Squadrons provided fighter cover for Operation Jubilee the Commando raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942 and was tasked with fighter and escort operations over France and the Low Countries. 332 Norwegian Squadron upgraded to Spitfire Mk IXb fighter aircraft in November 1942.

331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron were moved from Fighter Command to the newly formed 2nd Tactical Air Force 2nd TAF on 1 November 1943 to prepare for the Invasion of Europe. Due to the planned use of temporary field airstrips for fighter Squadrons following the Invasion an air wing 132 Norwegian Airfield was activated at North Weald on 1 November 1943 under 2nd TAF with both 331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron assigned. 132 Norwegian Airfield was assigned the British manned 66 Squadron in March 1944 in addition to the two Norwegian Squadrons. 331 Norwegian Squadron reequipped with Spitfire Mk IX LF fighter aircraft in March 1944. 132 Norwegian Airfield with its Squadrons relocated to RAF Bognor on the Channel coast in April 1944 for attacks against German targets on the French Channel coast in preparation for the invasion. 132 Norwegian Airfield was redesignated 132 Norwegian Wing on 12 May 1944 and moved to RAF Tangmere at the beginning of June for Invasion operations. The Squadron provided fighter cover and ground attack for the landings on D Day and the consolidation before moving to forward operating airfields in France on 22 June 1944. 132 Norwegian Wings Squadrons provided fighter cover and ground attack for the landings on D Day and the consolidation following. The Wing relocated to RAF Funtingdon on 6 August 1944 and moved to RAF Ford on 13 August 1944 before moving to its first forward operating airfield Villons les Buissons in France on 20 August 1944. The Squadron moved up through France and Belgium behind ground troops providing fighter bomber cover. 132 Norwegian Wing 331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron moved into the Netherlands in September 1944.

132 Wing with 331 Norwegian Squadron and 332 Norwegian Squadron relocated to RAF Dyce Scotland on 22 April 1945 and upgraded to Spitfire Mk IXe fighter aircraft. The Squadron moved to Gardermoen Airfield on 22 May 1945 following the German surrender. During its wartime service 332 Norwegian Squadron in addition to its ground attack operations was credited with 180 enemy aircraft destroyed 35 probables for the loss of 131 aircraft and 71 pilots. To honour its achievements during the War the Royal Norwegian Air Force was permitted to retain its RAF Squadron numbers.

332 Norwegian Squadron moved to Vaernes Airfield on 16 July 1945. The Squadron was handed to the newly formed Royal Norwegian Air Force on 21 November 1945 as the RAF withdrew from Norway but was disbanded the same day 21 November 1945 with its aircraft put into storage. To honour its achievements during the War the Royal Norwegian Air Force was permitted to retain its RAF Squadron numbers.

RNoAF Spitfire Mk IXe

Norwegian RNoAF  332 Skv Skvadron was reactivated at Vaernes Airfield on 12 April 1948 under Luftkommando Trøndelag and reequipped with Spitfire Mk IXe fighter aircraft from storage for air defence. The Squadron relocated to Bardufoss Airfield under Luftkommando Nord Norge in October 1949 at the same time as 331 Squadron was transferred from Gardermoen Airfield to Vaernes Airfield. Bardufoss Airfield was undergoing improvements for fighter air defence use and on completion 332 Skvadron was given operational status in early 1950. The Squadron disbanded on 1 July 1952 as the last Spitfire Squadron in the RNoAF.

F 84 Thunderjet 

332 Squadron was reactivated at Gardermoen Air Station under Luftkommando Østlandet in February 1953 equipped with F 84 Thunderjet fighter aircraft. 332 Skv relocated to Rygge Air Station remaining under Luftkommando Østlandet in June 1955.

F 86F Sabre

332 Skvadron reequipped with F 86F Sabre fighter aircraft in 1957 as the first RNoAF Sabre Squadron and became the F 86 OTU Operational Training Unit for RNoAF pilots. 332 Squadron moved to Gardermoen Air Station remaining under Luftkommando Østlandet in 1961 before being inactivated in 1964.

RF 5 Freedom Fighter 

332 Squadron reactivated at Rygge Air Station under Luftkommando Sor Norge in 1969 equipped with the RF 5 Freedom Fighter reconnaissance fighter aircraft. The squadron was disbanded in 1973.

F 16A Fighting Falcon F 16B Fighting Falcon

Norwegian RNoAF 332 Skv Squadron was reactivated at Rygge Air Station under Luftkommando Sor Norge in 1980 as RNoAF F 16 Operational Training Unit becoming the first Norwegian Squadron to receive the F 16A single seat and F 16B twin seat Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft. As the F 16 OTU the Squadron was tasked with fighter air defence interception pilot training and F 16 operational test and evaluation.

The RNoAF F 16 Fighting Falcon aircraft were finished all over in a Norwegian specified high gloss light grey scheme. They were the first to be equipped with a drag chute to enable operations from snow or ice covered runways where wheel brakes would not work. Also incorporated was an identification spotlight on the port side of the nose to illuminate target aircraft during interceptions in the dark four winter months above the Arctic Circle. The spotlight was known as the Russian Light by Norwegian F 16 Fighting Falcon crews as the intercepts were mainly Soviet aircraft. An average of 200 interceptions of Soviet aircraft were made by the Squadrons QRA per year during the 1980s.

332 Squadron training cadre deployed to Bodo Main AB in 1981 to conduct the operational training of F 16 pilots for 331 Skvadron for fighter air defence interception and NATO tasking. The cadre remained at Bodo Main AS to train 334 Skvadron pilots following its activation in 1982. Once the training of pilots for 331 and 334 Skv was completed 332 Squadron returned their training cadre back to Rygge AB to train up enough F 16 pilots for itself to become operational for fighter air defence interception and NATO tasking. When enough pilots for 332 Skv had been trained the Squadrons training cadre deployed to Orland Main AB in 1986 to train F 16 pilots for 338 Skv.

F 16AM Fighting Falcon F 16BM Fighting Falcon

The RNoAF began the rolling F 16 Mid Life Update programme in 1995 with each aircraft undergoing a five month upgrade at the RNoAF Depot in Kjeller before being returned to the Squadrons redesignated as F 16AM MLU and F 16BM MLU. The F 16 MLU upgrade programme added ground attack capability to the aircraft which was incorporated into 332 Squadrons mission. 332 Skvadrons OTU provided F 16 MLU training to 331 334 and 338 Squadron pilots.

With NATO interventions increasing elements of 332 Skvadron formed part of the RNoAF F 16 deployment for NATO Operation Allied Force at Grazzanise AB Italy in 1999. The Squadron with elements from its sister units at Bodo Main AS 331 Skv and 334 Skv together with 338 Skv from Orland AS undertook RNoAFs first combat missions since WWII with air defence Combat Air Patrol CAP tasking for three months to protect NATO aircraft carrying out air strikes against Serbia. RNoAF did not deploy any of its converted F 16 AM MLU fighter bomber aircraft were not deployed for Operation Allied Force. The final F 16 aircraft to undergo the Mid Life Update upgrade was completed in December 2001. NATO exercises and exchanges continued including Italian Air Force 10 Gruppo visit to Rygge AB with their F 104S ASA M Starfighters in September 2001.

Norwegian Forces were made available to the new 2002 NATO military command structure of two Combined Joint Task Force CJTF headquarters and the four new force categories under them of NATO Immediate Reaction Forces NATO Reaction Forces NATO Main Defense Forces and NATO Augmentation Forces.

Due to the increased NATO tasking the RNoAF underwent a major reorganisation including the introduction of a Wing level command structure based on 132 Norwegian Wing formed under the RAF during WWII. 132 Air Wing Luftving Station Group was activated at Bodo Main Air Station on 1 August 2002. RNoAF had also decided to reduce F 16 aircraft numbers to 57 airframes which was not enough to equip 4 squadrons at full strength. 334 Squadron was disbanded at Bodo Main AS on 1 August 2002 and 332 Skv retaining its training task relocated from Rygge AS to Bodo Main AS joining 331 Skv under 132 Luftving Station Group. At the same time 138 Air Wing Luftving was established at Orland Main Air Station to control F 16 Squadron 338 Skv and the base.

With the F 16 Squadrons reduced to three 332 Squadron picked up additional NATO tasking. 132 Air Wing sent elements of 331 Skv and 332 Skv and 138 Air Wing provided 338 Skv for the RNoAF F 16AM deployment to Manas AB Kyrgyzstan in October 2002 to March 2003 for Operation Enduring Freedom. The deployment was tasked with airstrikes and CAP Close Air Support missions in support of ground forces against Taliban forces in Afghanistan in response to the 9 11 Attacks.

Lithuania Estonia and Latvia joined NATO but did not have air defence fighter assets. NATO provided a three month rotational deployment of Belgian Danish Norwegian and Dutch Air Force F 16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to provide QRA and fighter interception patrols to counter Russian intruders over the Baltic States. Elements of Norwegian RNoAF 332 Skvadron with 331 Skv from 132 Luftving together with 138 Air Wings 338 Skv formed the first RNoAF F 61AM deployment for Air Policing Baltic States at Siauliai AB Lithuania from 1 January to 29 March 2005.

132 Air Wing sent elements of 331 Skv and 332 Skv and 138 Air Wing provided 338 Skv for the RNoAF F 16AM deployment to to Kabul AB Afghanistan on 1 February 2006 to 12 May 2006 to provide Combat Air Patrol CAP and Ground attack support for NATO ISAF operations.

RNoAF pooled all F 16AM Fighting Falcon fighters into one unit in 2006 the Forsvarets Logistikk Organisasjon FLO or Air Force Logistic Organisation. F 16AM fighters were assigned to Squadrons as required.

NATO tasking continued with the second RNoAF F 16AM deployment of 132 Air Wings 331 and 332 Skv and 138 Air Wings 338 Skv for Air Policing Baltic States at Siauliai AB Lithuania 16 December 2007 to 14 March 2008.

The withdrawal of the US Iceland Defense Force and its fighter aircraft on 30 September 2006 led to increased Russian incursions into Icelandic airspace. Without its own air defence assets Iceland requested a NATO deployment of air defence fighters to patrol and deter Russian military flights and to intercept and deter threats in the Arctic. NATO commenced a member rotational air defence deployment from the French Air Force on 5 May 2008. 132 Air Wings 331 Skv and 138 Air Wings 338 Skv undertook the first RNoAF F 16AM deployment for Iceland Air Policing and Surveillance at Keflavik AB Iceland in 2009.

332 Skv attended Exercise Frisian Flag at Leeuwarden AB Netherlands in April 2010 with the added task of conducting air operations affected by the ash cloud from the erupting volcano in Iceland.

In March 2011 six RNoAF F 16AM aircraft with elements from 132 Air Wings 331 Squadron and 332 Squadron and 138 Air Wings 338 Squadron were deployed to Souda Air Base Crete for Operation Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector. the RNoAF F 16AM aircraft had undertaken 596 missions and dropped over 550 bombs including the bombing of Muammar Gaddafis headquarters.

RNoAF deployed four F 16AM aircraft and elements of 132 Air Wings 331 Skv and 332 Skv and 138 Air Wings 338 Skv for Air Policing Baltic States at Siauliai AB Lithuania 1 May 2015.

With the introduction of the F 35A Lightning II RNoAF decided to close Bodo Main Air Station and move fighter operations to Ørland Main Air Station which was upgraded and modernised. 332 Skv was disbanded on 31 July 2015 pending reactivation to operate the F 35A Lightning aircraft while 331 Skv remained responsible for fighter air defence operations with its F 16AM Fighting Falcon aircraft.

F 35A Lightning II

RNoAF began to deploy pilots in November 2015 to USAF 62 Fighter Squadron of 56 Fighter Wing to train on two RNoAF F 35 aircraft at Luke AFB Arizona USA. As with previously purchased aircraft the Royal Norwegian Air Force F 35A aircraft were finished all over in a Norwegian specified high gloss light grey scheme and included drag chutes to assist with landing in icy conditions and to reduce landing distance on short airfields.

132 Air Wing Station Group was redesignated 132 Luftving Air Wing in 2016. 332 Squadron was reactivated under 138 Luftving at Orland Main Air Station on 1 August 2017 equipped with F 35 Lightning II fighter aircraft as the first RNoAF Squadron operating the F 35. The Squadron was tasked as the F 35 Operational Training Unit OTU for Testing Training and Tactics and to establish an air defence QRA.

In line with the planning for the transition to the F 35A aircraft 132 Luftving took over responsibility of Orland Main Air Station on the inactivation of 138 Luftving and 338 Skv on 1 April 2019. 338 Skvs F 16AM Fighting Falcon aircraft were transferred to 331 Skv which remained at Bodo Main AS which became RNoAF last F 16 Squadron. 132 Luftvings took responsibility for the 330 Skv Squadron Search and Rescue Sea King Mk 43B Detachment at Orland Main AS and remained in control of the 330 Skv Detachment at Station Group Banak Bodo. At the same time 332 Skv was reassigned from 138 Luftving to 132 Luftving.

332 Skv Squadron was given first operational capability IOC with fifteen F 35A Lightning IIs on 6 November 2019. 132 Air Wings 332 Skv deployed four F 35A Lightning II aircraft and support crews for RNoAF first F 35 overseas operation to Iceland Air Policing and Surveillance at Keflavik AB Iceland on 21 February 2020. 132 Air Wing deployed four 332 Skv F 35A Lightning II aircraft and crews to Keflavik AB Iceland from 22 February to 5 March 2021 for the second RNoAF F 35A Iceland Air Policing and Surveillance mission.

331 Skv disbanded at Bodo Main AS on 6 January 2022 and 332 Skv took over fighter air defence with an F 35A QRA Detachment at Harstad Narvik Evenes Airport to replace the 331 Skv F 16 QRA at Bodo Main AS.

Norwegian RNoAF 332 Skv again deployed four F 35A Lightning II aircraft and support crews for Iceland Air Policing and Surveillance at Keflavik AB Iceland from 19 January until 9 February 2023. 332 Skv undertook Exercise Arctic Challenge 2023 with 132 Luftving Orland Main Air Station hosting USAF 493 Fighter Squadron equipped with F 35 aircraft on 29 May to 9 June 2023. The large force exercise included Nordic defence scenarios over Norway Finland and Sweden and involved 150 aircraft from fourteen NATO air forces. In addition to small airfield operations 332 Skv began exercises with the Finnish Air Force to land and hot pit refuel their F 35A fighters in September 2023.

 

This Norwegian RNoAF 332 Skv Patch dates from the early 1980s.

Information on RNoAF