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| No. 100 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | No. 100 Squadron RAF |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Role | Bombing / Electronic Warfare |
No. 100 Squadron RAF is a squadron of the Royal Air Force with a lineage dating to the First World War. Formed during the Western Front campaigns, it later served through the Second World War, the Cold War, and into contemporary operations, transitioning across aircraft types including bombers and electronic warfare platforms. The unit contributed to major campaigns such as the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Britain theatre, and Operation Desert Storm, while personnel received awards including the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Military Cross.
The squadron was established in the era of the Royal Flying Corps during World War I, participating in operations over the Western Front alongside formations like the Royal Naval Air Service and coordinating with the British Expeditionary Force. In the interwar period it re-equipped amid reorganisations within the Royal Air Force influenced by the Washington Naval Treaty and doctrinal shifts from figures such as Hugh Trenchard and John Salmond. Re-raised before World War II it conducted night bombing sorties during the Strategic bombing of Germany and took part in raids connected to the London Blitz and the Baedeker Blitz. Post‑1945, the squadron adapted to Cold War roles within Royal Air Force Germany and NATO structures, operating in crises like the Suez Crisis and contributing to operations during the Falklands War era through support units and deployments tied to RAF Marham and RAF Waddington. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries it shifted to electronic warfare and test roles, integrating with programmes linked to BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce Holdings, and NATO's Allied Air Command, and participating in Operation Telic and Operation Shader support tasks.
Aircraft flown by the unit reflect technological shifts from biplanes to jet-powered platforms. Early types included models comparable to the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 and Airco DH.4 used on the Western Front, while the interwar and World War II inventory featured successors analogous to the Handley Page Hampden, the Avro Lancaster, and the Vickers Wellington used in the Strategic bombing of Germany. Postwar jets and turboprops included types related to the English Electric Canberra, the Avro Vulcan bomber era, and specialised electronic warfare conversions similar to the Panavia Tornado ADV and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II development programmes for sensors. Electronic surveillance and test equipment incorporated systems from suppliers such as Thales Group, BAE Systems, Leonardo S.p.A., and Raytheon Technologies, integrating avionics conformant with NATO Standardization Office protocols and countermeasures derived from research at institutions like Imperial College London and Cranfield University.
Operational history encompasses strategic bombing, tactical support, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare. In World War II the squadron undertook night raids associated with the Combined Bomber Offensive and missions tied to operations over the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt campaign, coordinating with formations including Bomber Command and Allied air arms such as the United States Army Air Forces and the Royal Australian Air Force. Cold War deployments involved NATO deterrence in theatres including West Germany under arrangements with British Army of the Rhine logistics and basing at stations like RAF Lakenheath and RAF Marham. The squadron supported expeditionary campaigns linked to Gulf War coalition operations, Operation Granby, and later counter-insurgency and counter‑terrorism efforts in Iraq War and Afghanistan through missions interoperable with United States Central Command and Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum. Electronic support roles enabled integration with programmes such as the Joint Strike Fighter testing and interoperability trials with the NATO Electronic Warfare Core Staff.
Leadership history comprises squadron commanders, flight commanders, and decorated aircrew drawn from service lists including officers trained at Royal Air Force College Cranwell and [Royal Air Force stations|RAF stations such as RAF Scampton and RAF Lossiemouth. Notable figures associated with the unit’s eras include aviators who served in the Royal Flying Corps and later the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, recipients of distinctions like the Distinguished Service Order and the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying), and personnel seconded from allied services including the Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force. The squadron’s technical cadres collaborated with civilian contractors from British Aerospace and engineering units educated at University of Southampton and University of Manchester faculties specialising in aerospace engineering.
The squadron’s honours reflect campaign participation and individual awards. Battle credits align with lists from the Air Ministry and official publications covering the First World War and Second World War. Unit insignia and badges draw on heraldic traditions influenced by symbols used by contemporaneous squadrons such as No. 617 Squadron RAF and feature motifs found in RAF heraldry registers maintained by the College of Arms. The squadron adopted emblems and mottos recorded in squadron histories archived at The National Archives (United Kingdom) and preserved in museums such as the Imperial War Museum and the Royal Air Force Museum.