UK SAM Rings of Steel

Aero-nuts must get used to frisbees, dispensing with warmware. Typhoon may be RAF’s last inhabited combat air vehicle. So, alternative to taking an interest in Eddie Stobart, here is what displaced Fighter Command:

RAF FC: Bloodhound Mk.I:21 Wing/Lindholme:
94 Sqdn/Misson: 1/10/60 – 30/6/63,
112 Sqdn/Breighton: 1/11/60 – 31/3/64,
247 Sqdn/Carnaby: 1/7/60 – 31/12/63
24 Wing/Watton:
242 Sqdn/Marham: 1/10/59 – 30/9/64,
263 Sqdn/Watton: 1/6/59 – 30/6/63,
266 Sqdn/Rattlesden: 1/12/59 – 30/6/64.
148 Wing/North Coates:
25 Sqdn/N.Coates: 1/11/62 – 1/10/63
141 Sqdn/Dunholme Lodge: 1/4/59 – 31/3/64,
222 Sqdn/Woodhall Spa: 1/5/60 – 30/6/64,
264 Sqdn/N.Coates: 1/12/58 – 30/11/62,
151 Wing/North Luffenham:
62 Sqdn/Woolfox Lodge: 1/2/60 – 31/1/63,
257 Sqdn/Warboys: 1/7/60 – 31/12/63.

Each Sqdn: 2 sections each of 8 launchers. 50nm range; vulnerable to ECM.

RAF FC (to 1.4.68, then) St.C: Bloodhound Mk.II:
25 Sqdn/North Coates: 1/10/63 – 1/1/71,
/Wyton: 1/3/83 – 1/10/89,
/Barkston Heath: 1/3/83 – 1/10/89,
/Wattisham: 25/4/83 – 1/10/89.
41 Sqdn/West Raynham: 1/9/65 – 18/9/70,
/Wyton: 1/3/83 – 1/10/89.
85 Sqdn/West Raynham: 1/7/76 – 1/7/91
/N.Coates: 3/76 – 1/12/90
/Bawdsey: 7/79 – 1/12/90
/Barkston Heath: 1/10/89 – 1/12/90
/Wattisham: 1/11/81 – 25/4/83
/Wattisham: 1/10/89 – 1/7/91
/Wyton: 1/10/89 – 1/12/90
112 Sqdn/Woodhall Spa: 2/11/64 – 1/10/67,
/Barkston Heath: 1/3/83 – 2/7/89.

RAFG: 25 Sqdn/Wildenrath: 1/2/71 – 1/3/83,
/Laarbruch: 1/2/71 – 1/11/81,
/Bruggen: 1/1/71 – 1/3/83.

NEAF: 112 Sqdn/(Episkopi)/Parimali West: 1/10/67 – 1/7/75.

FEAF: 33 Sqdn/Butterworth: 1/3/65 – 30/1/70.
65 Sqdn/Seletar: 1/1/64 – 30/3/70.

Each site: 2-4 sections, each of 8 launchers. 115nm range. Force Readiness, 70%/10 mins. Annual Servicing at W.Raynham/N.Coates, alternating Minor/Major. Total Mk.I/II delivered to RAF: 534.

Note no UK SAM defence, 1/1971-3/76. Dates are of Sqdns as staffed, not NATO acceptance as Operational.
(Next post: RAF Regiment Tigercat and Rapier).

Ken

Mk 1 Stations (except North Coates) 2 Fire Units each supporting 16 launchers and 2 Type 83 Radars (The equipment within the Launch Control Post of each fire unit was divided into 2 sections supporting a radar and 8 launchers, though the capability was built in to allow section “A’s” Radar to launch and guide section “B’s” missiles and vice versa to overcome technical failure of the other section’s systems). North Coates had three fire units, though due to its role as a trials and operator training unit, only 2 were combat operational at any one time. Total Mk 1 missile stocks were most likely the 534 figure as the 11 Squadrons were operational required to have 32 combat ready missiles and 8 reloads (gives a figure of around 440) plus approx. 100 rounds were allocated for replacement missile for Squadrons when they fired one of their missiles from Aberporth on a missile firing practice or for modification proof testing firing trials by Aberporth. (over 100 RAF and RAE Bloodhound Mark 1 missile fired between 1960 and 1964. (figure doesn’t include the 150 odd rounds used for service acceptance firings between 1957 and 1960)

RAF Mk 2 initial purchase was 377 missiles (Sweden got 116 and Switzerland got 196). RAF bought 60 missile back from Sweden in the late 1970’s.

RAF Mk 2 force at phase out in 1991, Approx. 294 missiles.

RAF Firings from Aberporth from 1966 to 86 – 91 (may or may not inculde Singapore Air Defence Command Rounds). Swiss firings from Aberporth – 17. Swedish firings from Vidsel – 10.

Figures do not include missiles used for Missile Evaluation Trials by 15 JSTU at Woomera (57 missile firings).

RAF force in 1965-70

25 Sqn – (1963 – 1970) Training / deployable from 1968. 2 T87 sections x 8 launchers each. 1 T86 Section x 4 launchers (though 2 T86 sections from Singapore were transferred to 25 Sqn in the late 1960s and North Coates closed in 1970 and equipment transferred to Storage / RAF West Raynham). Sqn moved to West Germany with 3 sections plus 3 from 41 Sqn. Haven’t had access to 25 Sqn ORB for 1960-65 but not a BH1 operator as far as I’m aware.

33 Sqn – (1965 – 70) Fixed Operational – 4 T87 sections with 8 launchers each.

41 Sqn – (1965 – 70) operational / Deployable – 3 T87 Sections x 8 Launchers (two sections removed from service and debuilt in 1968 and one used for training). 3 x T86 deployable sections with four launchers. (transferred to West Germany in 1970-71 with 25 Sqn). Remaining equipment became the Bloodhound Support Unit (Training and Operational/Trails/Engineering support).

65 Sqn (1964-70) – same as 41 Sqn – 3 T86 section returned to UK for 25 Sqn move to Germany. 3 T87 Sections transferred to Singapore ADC with unknown number of Missiles.

112 Sqn (1964-67) – Fixed Operational – 3 T87 sections with 4 to 8 launchers (4th section was building up when they got moved).

1970 – 1976

BHSU at West Ranyham 2x T87 sections and 1xT86 (not declared operational, but integrated into the Air defence plan as an emergency contingency and did play on air defence exercises (only needed live missiles to be loaded to become fully combat capable)). Formed from 41 Sqn and formed basis of 85 Sqn.

25 Sqn in Germany (1970-83) – 6 type 86 sections on three sites with 6-8 launchers per section. (two Sections to 85 Sqn Wattisham in 1981)

112 Sqn on Cyprus (1967-75) – 3 T87 sections with four launchers a piece, raised to 8 in early 70’s

85 Sqn (1975-1991)

A Flt – West Raynham (1975-1991) – 3 x T87 Sections, 2 with 8 launchers , 1 with 6 Launchers. From 1986 onwards 3 T86 sections with same number of launchers. One extra T86 section with 6 launchers ex D flt in 1989. (Ex BHSU at West Raynham)

B Flt – North Coates – (1975-1990) – 3 x T87 Sections, each with 8 launchers (T86 from 1987)

C Flt – Bawdsey – (1979-1990) – 2 x T87 Sections each with 6 missiles (T86 from 1988)

D Flt – West Raynham – (1981 -1989) 2 x T86 Sections each with 6 missiles (one T86 section to A flt from 1989). Name plate to former 25 Sqn A Flt in 1989 and disbanded following year).

E Flt – Wattisham – (1981-83) / (1989-91) 25 Sqn Flt with 2x T86 sections with 6 missiles each returned in 1981, cut back to 25 Sqn (C Flt) in 1983. Returned to 85 Sqn in 1989 and with A Flt were the last RAF MSAM operators.

F Flt – Wyton – (1989-90) ex 25 Sqn B Flt, 2x T86 sections with 6 launchers each.

25 Sqn

A Flt – Bruggen / Barkston Health

B Flt – Wildenrath / Wyton

C Flt – Laarbruch / Wattisham

Bloodhound MK 1 Launchers per Squadron

I was a member of 141 Squadron RAF Dunholme Lodge from May 1961-October 1962 We had two LCP buildings each controlling 16 Launchers A and B Sections there is a good aerial shot od the Old RAF Mission Base showing the location of the launcher bases and the two LCP buildings (can be found on Google Search)

I was also a member of 15JSTU Range Flight from October 1962-May 1965 and we has three launcher bases at Woomera two on concrete and two on the sandy soil base. I ended my Missile tour at RAF Aberporth before returning to Aircraft Maintenance in early 1966.

RAFSt.C, 11 Group: Low Level (later: Ground Based) Air Defence Sqdns.: Tigercat: RAF Regt, 48 Sqdn./Catterick: 3 Fire Systems: 1968 – 1978.

Rapier Mk.1, Field Standard ‘A’ to 1987; Blindfire from 1978; FS B1(M), 1987-1996:
RAF Regiment: 27 Sqdn /Leuchars: 1975 – 1995 (1979: Blindfire);
48 Sqdn /Lossiemouth: 1978 – 1992;
15 Sqdn /Wittering: 1/8/90 – 31/10/91,
/Leeming: 31/10/91- 31/3/96.
6 Wing/W.Raynham (covering USAFE bases): 1/7/83 – 31/3/96:
19 Sqdn/B.Norton:1984-31/3/96 (BGM-109G Gryphon GLCM: 96xGreenham C., 11/83-4/6/91, 64xMolesworth,12/12/86-30/1/89/Croughton {Giant Talk comms}/U.Heyford {to 15/12/93}/Fairford);
20 Sqdn /Hon:1985-31/3/96 (Alconbury{to 15/2/95}/Bentwaters{1/7/93}/Woodbridge {14/8/93});
66 Sqdn /W/Raynham: 1/7/83 – 31/3/96 (for Lakenheath/Mildenhall/Sculthorpe).

RAFG: RAF Regiment, 4 Wing: 16 Sqdn /Wildenrath: 1975 – 11/1992 (5/79, Blindfire);
26 Sqdn//Laarbruch: 1/4/76 – 1995 (1990, FS B1(M));
66 Sqdn/Bruggen: 1975 – 1/4/76; . 37 Sqdn /Bruggen: 1/4/76 – 1996;
63 Sqdn /Gutersloh: 1974 – 1992.

Rapier Mk.2 Field Standard ‘C’ SHORAD, 1995: 16 Regt,Royal Artillery/North Luffenham, and RAF Regt. In all, 48 Fire Units, each of 8 missiles. Reduced from 3/2006 to 24 FUs on transfer of Air Base Defence to RA.

RAFSt.C: RAF Regiment, 15 Sqdn/Honington: 6/96 – 31/3/06;
16 Sqdn/Honington: 1995 – 28/9/06,
26 Sqdn /Waddington: 11/98 – 30/11/06 (6 Fire Units),
37 Sqdn/Wittering: 1/11/01 – 31/3/06 (6 Fire Units).

RAFG: RAF Regiment, 4 Wing: 26 Sqdn/Laarbruch: 1995 – 11/98,
37 Sqdn/Bruggen: 1996 – 31/10/01.

(Regiment source: K.Oliver, Through Adversity, F&C Pub’g,1997)