RNoAF Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force 333 Skv Squadron P 3 ASW

RNoAF Patch Royal Norwegian Air Force 333 Skv Squadron P 3 Orion Maritime Patrol Mar Pat ASW SAR Patch 1990s Andoya AB Uniform removed embroidered on twill 83mm three and one quarter inches diameter.

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After its wartime patrolling and special duties service as 333 Norwegian Squadron Royal Air Force Coastal Command RAF Banff Scotland the Squadron became 333 Skvadron Royal Norwegian Air Force RNoAF based at Fornebu seaplane base northern Norway continuing with Catalina Flying Boats upgrading to four PBY 5 aircraft. The Squadron assisted with the rebuilding of north Norway transporting personnel and
equipment from the south and locally as well as providing patrol and search and rescue cover. The Squadron established detachments at Skattora Bodo and Tromso to supply Svaldbard Bear Island and Hopen.

In 1954 the Squadron received twenty one PBY 5A Catalina flying boats on loan under NATOs military aid program for additional patrolling of the northern waters and the activity of the Soviet Unions Northern Fleet and Air Force. In June 1961 333 Squadron transitioned to HU 16 Albatross amphibian aircraft with the Catalinas retuning to the USAF. The Squadron established a detachment at Andoya and concentrated on maritime reconnaissance patrol anti submarine warfare and SAR over the northern waters and coastline. 333 Skv relocated to Andoya in 1963 under 133
Luftving Air Wing and in 1969 reequipped with five P 3 B Orion patrol aircraft each named after Norwegian polar explorers. The establishment of the fishing Norwegian Economic Zone the Norwegian Coast Guard in 1977 and the offshore oil industry substantially increased the patrol area and an additional two P 3 B aircraft were obtained. Anti submarine missions were stepped up in the 1980s with live weapons fired against
unidentified submarine targets in a number of fjords.

The Squadron relinquished five P 3 Bs in November 1988 replacing them with four P 3 C aircraft and upgrading two of its P C Bs to P 3 N versions for fisheries surveillance and training tasks. With the end of the Cold War the Russian Northern Fleets activity substantially reduced to half its size from the early 1980s to the mid 1990s but still has 67 submarines and a large surface fleet keeping 333 Skv busy monitoring military maritime activity together with control of fish resources and search and rescue missions.

This patch dates from the 1990s.