USAF Patch Fighter c 522 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron x Coronet Hammer 1980

USAF Patch 522 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron Patch F 111D Coronet Hammer 1980 fully embroidered merrowed edge 105mm four and one eighth inches diameter.

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Squadron History

522 Fighter Bomber Squadron with F 101 Voodoos at Bergstrom AFB Texas was re-designated 522 Tactical Fighter Squadron under 27 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 July 1958. The Squadrons mission remained to provide and maintain the continuous ability to rapidly deploy worldwide day and
night for offensive and defensive missions interdiction strategic attack tactical nuclear attack close air support. The Squadron relocated to Cannon AFB on 18 February 1959 and re-equipped with F-100 Super Sabres. 522 TFS undertook deployments within the US and were also deployed to Incirlik Turkey for four months October 1959 and for four months February 1962. The Squadron also had combat deployments to Southeast Asia during the early part of the Vietnam war with A Flight at Takhli RTAFB Thailand and B Flight at Da Nang AB South Vietnam from 13 December 1962 to 1 June 1963 and A Flight at Takhli RTAFB Thailand and B Flight at Da Nang AB South Vietnam from 16 March to 6 May 1964 and deployed to Clark AB Philippines and Bien Hoa AB South Vietnam 8 August to 25 November 1964.

522 FTS received F-111Es in 1969 and when these aircraft were transferred to RAF Upper Heyford in 1971 the Squadron temporarily operated F-111As. The first F-111D were received by the Squadron in May l972 and 522 TFS became the first fully-equipped combat-ready F- 111D
squadron in November 1972. In May l977 522 TFS carried out the first F 111D unit deployment operating from Robins AFB for three weeks and for three weeks in September l978 the Squadron accomplished the first overseas F 111D deployment to Gardermoen AB Norway. The Squadron participated as pathfinders and sea lane interdiction in the joint USAF U.S. Navy exercise Computex 3-79 in August l979. In May June 1980 522 TFS deployed to Boscombe Down England for exercise Coronet Hammer the first F 111D overseas squadron-sized deployment. January l983 saw
the Squadron deployed to Elmendorf AFB Alaska to participate in the Artic exercise Brim Frost and in the summer went to Egypt for the desert exercise Bright Star before returning to Boscombe Down in the autumn for Coronet Archer.The Squadrons deployment for Coronet Comanche August September 1986 saw and the first F 111D use of KC-10s refuelling for a European deployment and was the first deployment with no ground or air aborts and in June 1988 during Combat Hammer 88-10 the Squadron became the first operational squadron to employ the
GBU-24 low-level laser guided bombs at night.

The Squadron was re-designated 522 Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991 converted to F 111Fs in 1992 and deployed to Incirlick AB Turkey in support of Operation Provide Comfort and continued deployment there in 1993. During 1994 The Fireballs were awarded 27 FWs Squadron of the Year for 1994 Quality New Mexico’s Piñon Award in 1994 for excellence and commitment to quality and won the Top Gun pilot and runner up awards for Longshot 1994.

522 FS received its first F 16 Falcon on 18 September 1995 with the last F 111Fs leaving in January 1996. The Squadron achieved an Excellent rating during the July 1996 HQ ACC Quality Air Force Assessment received New Mexico’s Piñon Award again for 1996 and were the best fighter unit seen to date at Exercise Red Flag 96-4 at Nellis AFB. The Fireballs first F 16 overseas deployment took place between March and June 1997
to four Middle East countries for Exercise Accurate Test Exercise Air Expeditionary Force IV and Exercise Initial Link a multinational training
exercise between the US Navy USAF and several Persian Gulf countries. 522 Fighter Squadron was re-designated 522 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and placed in provisional status when deployed to combat area of operations as part of Global War on Terrorism after 11 September 2001 and continued deployments until inactivated 30 September 2007 when 27 Fighter Wing was re-rolled for special operations as 27 Special Operations Wing.

522 Special Operations Squadron was activated under 27 Special Operations Wing on 7 April 2011 at Cannon AFB with MC 130J Commando IIs.  

The squadron emblem features a blue background and cloud formation representing the sky where the Squadrons mission is performed and the fireball a dynamic force with striking power represents crushing attacks directed on the enemy from the skies.

This patch if for the 18 Aircraft F 111D deployment to Boscombe Down UK for Exercise Coronet Hammer 1980.