No. 2 Squadron RAAF

No. 2 Squadron RAAF
Crest of No. 2 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
No. 2 Squadron's crest
Active1916–1919
1922
1937–1982
2000–current
CountryAustralia
BranchRoyal Australian Air Force
RoleAirborne Early Warning and Control
Part ofNo. 42 Wing, Surveillance & Response Group
BaseRAAF Base Williamtown
Motto(s)Consilio et manu
("To Advise and to Strike")
EngagementsWorld War I

World War II

Malayan Emergency
Vietnam War

Military intervention against ISIS
DecorationsPresidential Unit Citation (United States)
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (South Vietnam)
USAF Outstanding Unit Commendation (United States)
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Oswald Watt (1916–18)
Alan Charlesworth (1939)
Peter Raw (1953–55)
Aircraft flown
Electronic
warfare
Boeing E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C

No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadron that operates from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales. From its formation in 1916 as part of the Australian Flying Corps, it has flown a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C). During World War I, the squadron operated on the Western Front conducting fighter sweeps and ground-attack missions. It was disbanded in mid-1919, following the end of hostilities. The squadron was briefly re-raised in 1922 as part of the newly independent RAAF, but was disbanded after only a couple of months and not reformed until 1937. It saw action as a bomber unit in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II and, equipped with English Electric Canberra jets, in the Malayan Emergency and the Vietnam War. The squadron was again disbanded in 1982, following the retirement of the Canberra. It was re-formed in 2000 to operate the Boeing 737 AEW&C "Wedgetail". One of the six Boeing 737s was deployed to the Middle East in September 2014, as part of Australia's contribution to the military coalition against ISIS.