Expeditionary Air Wing

On 1 April 2006 Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) were formed at nine of the RAF's Main Operating Bases. Each EAW has its own identity and is led by the Station Commander, supported by his Station management team. The deployable elements of the station structures form the core of each EAW, reinforced by assigned Capability-based Module Readiness System (CMRS) personnel and elements of the Air Combat Support Units (ACSUs). EAWs enable the RAF to train as cohesive units of Air Power which are prepared and capable of transitioning quickly from peacetime structures and deploying swiftly on operations.

Royal Air Force Expeditionary Air Wings

 * RAF Waddington - No. 34 EAW (ISTAR)
 * RAF Brize Norton - No. 38 EAW (Air Transport)
 * RAF Coningsby - No. 121 EAW (Multi Role)
 * RAF Cottesmore - No. 122 EAW (Fighter / Ground Attack)
 * RAF Leeming - No. 135 EAW (Fighter)
 * RAF Marham - No. 138 EAW (Fighter / Ground Attack)
 * RAF Lossiemouth - No. 140 EAW (Fighter / Ground Attack)

Stood down

 * RAF Leuchars - No. 125 EAW (Fighter) (Stood down 2013).
 * RAF Kinloss - No. 325 EAW (Maritime Patrol & Surveillance) (Stood down 2013).

Deployed EAWs



 * No. 901 EAW
 * Current: Middle East.
 * A Flight: Unknown.
 * B Flight: Unknown.
 * 99 Sqn, based at RAF Brize Norton, operating Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.
 * Joint Movements Unit (Middle East).
 * C Flight: Muharraq Airfield (Bahrain Intl Airport).
 * 32 (The Royal) Squadron, based at RAF Northolt, operating a mix of BAe125s and BAe146s.
 * Previous:Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.


 * No. 902 EAW
 * Current: Unknown
 * No. 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron, based at RAF Waddington, operating Sentinel R1 Airborne Stand Off Radar (ASTOR) aircraft.
 * Previous: Muscat International Airport, Oman.


 * No. 903 EAW
 * Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.
 * Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control (SKASaC).
 * 5(Army Cooperation) Sqn - Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR).
 * Previous:
 * Basra Airport, Iraq - Stood down May 2009.


 * No. 904 EAW
 * Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.
 * Panavia Tornado GR4 detachment.
 * Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules detachment.
 * General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper detachment.
 * Previous:Unknown


 * No. 905 EAW
 * RAF Mount Pleasant, Falklands Islands - 1 Apr 2006 - Current.
 * Previous:Unknown
 * No. 906 EAW
 * Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on 15 January 2013. No. 6 Squadron RAF had carried out exercises in the UAE with their Eurofighter Typhoons prior to Christmas 2012. During a visit by Prime Minister David Cameron to the UAE in November 2012, The Guardian said that 'Britain could base Typhoons.. in the UAE if relations with Tehran deteriorate.' Jane's Defence Weekly then said in their 30 JAnuary 2013 issue that 'the expeditionary air wing may support RAF Typhoons as a deterrent to Iran. ..reports.. claimed that the UK government was considering the move in response to heightened tensions in the region related to Iran's nuclear programme.'
 * Previous:
 * Gioia del Colle Air Base, Italy for Operation Ellamy
 * 10 × Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighters from RAF Coningsby and RAF Leuchars,
 * 16 × Tornado GR4 interdictor/strike aircraft from RAF Marham


 * No. 907 EAW
 * Unknown
 * Previous:
 * RAF Akrotiri
 * 3 × Sentry AEW.1 AWACS aircraft from RAF Waddington
 * 1 x Nimrod R1 signals intelligence aircraft - operational requirements forced the Royal Air Force to deploy one of its two remaining Nimrod R1s two weeks before they were due to be withdrawn.
 * 1 x Sentinel R1 airborne standoff radar aircraft from RAF Waddington