ll Squadron RAF Regiment

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ll Squadron RAF Regiment is a parachute-trained Field Squadron of RAF Regiment based at RAF Brize Norton.

The unit formed as Number 2 Armoured Car Company RAF at Heliopolis, Egypt on 7 April 1922 The Company was equipped with Rolls-Royce Armoured Car and Morris tenders, which it retained until 1944.

II Armoured Car Company was incorporated into the RAF Regiment on 3 October 1946 and was renumbered 2702 (Armoured Car) Squadron. After pressure by Squadron members and veterans it was renumbered as No. II Armoured Car Squadron on 25 February 1947. The Squadron continued to operate in Palestine until the British Mandate ended in May 1948, being among the last units to leave Palestine.

The unit moved to Iraq for the next seven years and relinquished its armoured cars to become II (Field) Squadron RAF Regiment. From there it moved to Cyprus in 1955 and was the last RAF Regiment unit to leave Iraq. In Cyprus the Squadron provided support to the Army in mine clearing and anti-EOKA terrorist operations. The Squadron moved to Malta in 1959.

On 1 October 1960 the Squadron returned to the United Kingdom based at RAF Felixstowe for the first time during its 38-year history.

In July 1962 ll Squadron RAF Regiment moved to RAF Colerne in Wiltshire as part of 38 Group and adopted a parachute capability.

During the 1960s the Squadron took part in internal security operations in Cyprus, Aden and Northern Ireland. On 1 January 1970 the Squadron title changed to II Squadron RAF Regiment.

When RAF Colerne closed in 1976 the Squadron moved to RAF Catterick, before moving back to Wiltshire, to RAF Hullavington on 19 August 1980. During the 1980s the Squadron converted to the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)). The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) series of vehicles included Scorpion, Spartan, Sultan and Samson

During the 1990 Gulf War, ll Squadron RAF Regiment provided Internal Security and Defence of RAF Akrotiri’s Airfield 34 Squadron returned from the Gulf region.

In 1998, the Squadron deployed to Kuwait to provide protection to Ali Al Salem Air Base.  In 1999, the Squadron deployed to Kosovo providing security around Pristina Airport.

In June 2000, an element of the squadron deployed to Sierra Leone to secure a helicopter detachment. In January 2001, the squadron participated in a demonstration jump exercise as part of Operation Silkman.

Later in 2001, ll Squadron RAF Regiment were back at Ali Al Salem as the Resident Field Squadron. From October 2006 to April 2007, it returned as the Resident Field Squadron at Kandahar Air Base, in Afghanistan.

In September 2018, the Squadron permanently moved to RAF Brize Norton from its previous home of RAF Honington.