USAF Patch Recon s y Sqn b 24 RS Reconnaissance Squadron RC 135 Cobra Ball

USAF Patch 24 RS Reconnaissance Squadron RC 135 Cobra Ball Offutt AB Worldwide Electronic Recon 1992 Velcro Fully embroidered merrowed edge 103mm by 103mm four and one sixteenth inches by four and one sixteenth inches.

Free Shipping

History 

24th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron was activated on 25 March 1967 at Eielson AFB Alaska equipped with RC 135S Cobra Ball optical and electronic strategic reconnaissance aircraft to provide near real time on scene intelligence collection analysis and dissemination capabilities to support theatre and national commanders with 6985 Security Squadron providing the on board sensor and intelligence personnel. The Squadron regularly deployed assets to Shemya AFB for alert and reconnaissance missions off the Soviet pacific coast.

24 SRS relocated to Offutt AFB Nebraska and was redesignated 24 Reconnaissance Squadron on 7 July 1992. The squadron was inactivated on 30 June 1994 as part of the post Cold War drawdown and the RC 135S Cobra Ball aircraft were assigned to 45 Reconnaissance Squadron.

The Squadron was redesignated 24 Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron on 2 July 2007 as a provisional unit assigned to USAF Europe to be activated and inactivate as required for US based units on expeditionary deployments. 24 ERS was activated at RAF Mildenhall UK on 4 August 2007 attached to 100 Air Refueling Wing.

24 ERS was again active on 23 April 2014 when an RC 135 Rivet Joint arrived at RAF Mildenhall from Offutt AFB followed by another on 9 May 2014 for rotated North Sea reconnaissance missions following the retirement of the RAFs Nimrod MR2 maritime patrol aircraft in March 2010. The second Rivet Joint returned to the US in July 2014 with an RC 135U Combat Sent aircraft arriving at RAF Mildenhall to assist with the patrolling gaining a number of Russian warship as well as hammer and sickle interception mission marks applied to the aircraft.

This patch dates from 1992.