USAF Patch Fighter USAFE b 81 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 4G x SAM Busters b

USAF Patch USAFE 81 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron SAM Busters RF 4G Phantom Wild Weasel SEAD Panthers 1986 Spangdhalem AB Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 101mm four inches diameter.

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Squadron History 

81 Fighter Interceptor Squadron was reassigned from Clovis AB USA to 50 Fighter Bomber Group at Hahn AB Germany in August 1953 with F 86 Sabres for USAFE NATO conventional and nuclear strike attack and relocated to Toul Rosieres Air Base France in July 1956. The Squadron converted to F 100 Super Sabre aircraft and was redesignated 81 Tactical Fighter Squadron in July 1958 and returned to Hahn AB in 1959.  F 4D Phantom II tactical ground attack fighter arrived in December 1966 continuing the strike attack mission.

81 TFS reequipped with F 4C Phantom Wild Weasel IV aircraft at Hahn AB in December 1969 and rerolled as NATOS only suppression of enemy air defences SEAD squadron. The Squadron relocated to Zweibrucken AB reassigning from 50 Tactical Fighter Wing to 86 TFW in June 1971.

In 1973 the 81 TFS was reassigned to 52 Tactical Fighter Wing relocating to Spangdahlem AB. The Squadron upgraded to RF 4G Wild Weasel V Advanced Wild Weasel in 1979. With 52 TFWs air defence Squadrons equipped with F 4E Phantom Squadrons rerolled to SEAD in 1984 a number of 81 TFSs RF 4G Phantoms were swapped with 23 and 480 Tactical Fighter Squadrons F 4E Phantoms to distribute the available RF 4G aircraft to the other Squadrons. Each Squadron operated mixed RF 4G and F 4E aircraft flights as hunter killer teams perfected during the Vietnam War with the F 4Gs hunting SAM sites pinpointing radar emitters and with its own weapons or those of buddy F 4Es destroying them using the AGM 88 HARM and AGM 45 Shrike munitions. 52 TFW became NATOs only air defense system suppression Wing.

The Squadron replaced its F 4E Phantoms with F 16C Fighting Falcons in January 1988 with 81 TFS crews continuing with mixed SEAD RF 4G Phantom and F 16C hunter killer teams until its F 16Cs were reassigned in late 1990 leaving the Squadron operating solely F 4G Phantom Wild Weasel aircraft. The Squadron deployed 24 F 4G Phantoms to Sheikh Isa Air Base Bahrain for Operation Desert Storm combat operations racking up 113 radar kills on more than 12000 combat sorties and 25000 hours over Iraq. The Squadron was redesignated 81 Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1991.

81 FS retired its F 4G Phantoms and reequipped with A 10 Warthogs in February 1994 replacing 510 Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base. During this period the Squadron provided continuous Close Air Support CAS and Search and Rescue SAR Sandy Flight deployments to Aviano AB Italy for Operation Deny Flight enforcing a no fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. 81 FS participated in Operation Southern Watch enforcing the no fly zone in southern Iraq in September 1997.

81 Fighter Squadron deployed to Aviano AB in October 1998 supporting NATOs air presence during the crisis in Kosovo and returned to Aviano AB in January 1999 for a regular contingency rotation but then remained to support Operation Allied Force until 11 April 1999 when it moved to Gioia del Colle Italy flying more than 1400 combat missions including two successful Combat Search and Rescue CSAR Sandy CAS missions for downed F 117 and F 16 pilots. In September 2000 the Squadron deployed to Southwest Asia for Operation Southern Watch flying more than 700 combat and training sorties.

The squadron deployed several times to Bagram AB Afghanistan providing close air support and SAR Sandy Flights during Operation Enduring Freedom in June 2003 September 2004 May 2006 and January 2008. During the 2006 deployment the Squadron flew in excess of 2000 combat sorties and 7600 combat hours employing over 109000 30mm rounds dropping 350 guided and conventional bombs and firing over 325 rockets in 260 Coalition operations.

The Panthers returned to Afghanistan in May 2010 this time to Kandahar AB flying over 9500 hours on over 2100 sorties and employed over 70000 rounds of 30mm 159 precision weapons and 141 rockets while providing close air support to OEF and ISAF operations. The Squadron earned the 1991 1996 and 2006 USAFE Commanders Trophy. On 16 February 2012 Air Force officials announced that 81 Fighter Squadron would be inactivated in March 2013. 

This patch dates from 1986.