No. 87 Squadron RAAF

No. 87 Squadron RAAF
Active1944–1946
1948–1953
2006–current
CountryAustralia
BranchRoyal Australian Air Force
RoleAir intelligence
Part ofRAAF Air Warfare Centre
Garrison/HQRAAF Base Edinburgh
Battle honoursDarwin 1942–1944
Pacific 1942–1945
Dutch New Guinea 1945
Borneo 1945
Morotai 1945

No. 87 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) air intelligence squadron. It saw action during World War II as a photo reconnaissance squadron, being raised in September 1944 through the re-designation of No. 1 Photo Reconnaissance Unit, which had been formed in June 1942. Throughout the war, No. 87 Squadron flew a variety of aircraft from bases in Australia, gathering photographic intelligence on Japanese forces and installations throughout the Pacific. At the conclusion of hostilities, the squadron was disbanded but was later re-formed in 1948, carrying out aerial survey operations in Australia until 1953. In 2006, it was re-raised again as a non-flying squadron tasked with air intelligence analysis as part of the Information Warfare Directorate within the RAAF's Air Warfare Centre.