Number 5 Squadron

virtual Acting Officer Commanding: vAVM Stuart Sutton-Young

No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Sentinel R1 and Shadow R1 at RAF Waddington. It was previously equipped with the Tornado F3 in the air defence role, and was based at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire until 2003, when it disbanded. The squadron officially reformed as an Army Co-operation Squadron on 1 April 2004. No. 5 Squadron's badge depicting a Maple leaf were gained as a result of the specialising of it's crews working with the Canadian Corps during World War I.

The squadron remained active after the First World War in Germany as part of the Army of Occupation. In 1920, the Squadron reformed at Quetta (Then India, now Pakistan), continuing to work on Army Co-Operation. Between 1920 and it's disbandment in 1947, No. 5 Squadron operated a variety of aircraft types, including the Hawekr Hart, Hawker Hurricanes and P-47 Thunderbolts. From February 1946 through to it's disbandment, the Squadron flew the Tempest II

On 11 February 1949, the Squadron was stood up in Wales as a target towing unit, until 1951 when it moved to Germany, equipped with the de Havilland Vampire and the Venom. After suffering at the hands of the defence cuts of 1957, it was restored at RAF Laarbruch in 1959 as a Night Fighter squadron operating both the Gloster Meteor NF.11 and the Gloster Javelin.

In 1965, the Squadron re-equipped with the English Electric Lightning at RAF Binbrook and maintained a crucial role in the UK Air Defence with this airframe until 1987, when it replace the Lightning's with the Panavia Tornado F3, which it kept until it's disbandment in 2003, seeing active service in the First Gulf war as the first Squadron to be deployed as part of the UK's contribution to the conflict.

In April 2004, the Squadron was stood up at RAF Waddington in preperation for receiving the Sentinel R1 ASTOR (Airborne Stand Off Radar) aircraft, which entered service on 1st December 2008, gaining Full Operational Capability by the end of 2010. In addition to the Sentinel, No. 5 Squadron also took delivery of four Shadow R1 aircraft, ISTAR variations of the popular Beech King Air 350. As of the Strategic Defence Review of 2010/11, the future of No. 5 Squadron is somewhat uncertain, with the indication that the Sentinel and Shadow aircraft will be withdrawn from service at the end of Operation HERRICK (The UK's involvement in the war in Afghanistan).