No. 120 Squadron RAF

No. 120 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Squadron badge
Active1 January 1918 – 1 April 1918 (RFC)
1 April 1918 – 21 October 1919 (RAF)
2 June 1941 – 4 June 1945
1 October 1946 – 26 May 2011
1 April 2018 – present
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
TypeFlying squadron
RoleAnti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and maritime patrol aircraft
Part ofNo. 1 Group
Home stationRAF Lossiemouth
Motto(s)Endurance[1]
EquipmentBoeing Poseidon MRA1
Battle honours * Honours marked with an asterisk are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldryStanding on a demi-terrestrial globe, a falcon close.[2] The falcon, an Icelandic falcon, commemorates the squadron's stay there and also indicates the squadron's predatory instinct.[3]
Squadron codesOH (Jun 1941 – Dec 1941, Jul 1944 – Jun 1945)
BS (Oct 1946 – Mar 1951)
(Codes taken over from No. 160 Sqn)
A (Mar 1951 – Apr 1956)
120 (Apr 1956 – Feb 1971?)

Number 120 Squadron or No. CXX Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force which was established as a Royal Flying Corps unit late in World War I, disbanded a year after the end of the war, then re-established as a RAF Coastal Command squadron during World War II. Although disbanded again a month after Victory in Europe Day, during and after World War II it operated almost continuously, with maritime patrol aircraft; most recently with the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod, based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland[2] until the type's withdrawal in March 2010.[4] The squadron was disbanded again the following year. No. 120 Squadron stood up again in April 2018 at RAF Lossiemouth and became the first squadron to be equipped with the Boeing Poseidon MRA1 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft on 31 October 2019.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 64. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Halley1988 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Rawlings 1982, p. 103.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference targetlock was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Defence Secretary announces new Maritime Patrol Aircraft squadrons". UK Ministry of Defence. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  6. ^ "ROYAL AIR FORCE 120 SQUADRON STANDARD REINSTATEMENT". Royal Air Force. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference P8delivered was invoked but never defined (see the help page).