No. 87 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force

Royal Australian Air Force

The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...

 air intelligence squadron. The Squadron saw action during World War II as a photo reconnaissance squadron.

World War II

No. 87 Squadron was formed on 10 September 1944 at Coomalie Creek Airfield

Coomalie Creek Airfield

Coomalie Creek Airfield was a Royal Australian Air Force airfield built in 1942 near Coomalie Creek, Northern Territory, Australia during World War II.-History:...

 in the Northern Territory

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...

 by re-designating 1 Photo Reconnaissance Unit. The Squadron's role during World War II was providing photo reconnaissance support for Allied operations in South East Asia and the Netherlands East Indies.

Operating from Coomalie Creek, No. 87 Squadron primarily conducted reconnaissance flights over the eastern islands of the Netherlands East Indies, with occasional missions over Java and other parts of South East Asia. A detachment from the squadron was briefly based on the Cocos Islands

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The Territory of the Cocos Islands, also called Cocos Islands and Keeling Islands, is a territory of Australia, located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Christmas Island and approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka....

 in June 1945 where it unsuccessfully attempted to photograph targets in Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

.

During the war, one member of No. 87 Squadron was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire, four received the Distinguished Flying Cross and seven were Mentioned in Dispatches.

Following the end of the war No. 87 Squadron continued to conduct flights over Japanese held territory in order to monitor Japanese Army units until they could be disarmed. The Squadron moved to Parkes, New South Wales

Parkes, New South Wales

- Transport :Parkes has a local bus service provided by Western Road Liners, which acquired Harris Bus Lines in March 2006. The Indian Pacific also stops twice a week, as well as the Broken Hill Outback Xplorer service, run by CountryLink, which heads to Broken Hill on Mondays and Sydney on...

 in October 1945 where it was disbanded on 24 July 1946.

Following No. 87 Squadron's disbandment its Mosquito aircraft were operated as the Survey Flight based at RAAF Base Fairbairn. This Flight was re-designated No. 87 Squadron on 8 March 1948. Operating in the photo survey role the Squadron carried out many operations to support the Commonwealth Survey Committee and National Mapping Council. The Squadron also became responsible with providing the RAAF with a photo reconnaissance capability in 1949. Following the withdrawal of funding support by the Department of National Development No. 87 Squadron was disbanded at Fairbairn in December 1953.

Reactivation as the RAAF's Air Intelligence Squadron

No. 87 Squadron was reactivated as the Air Force's air intelligence squadron on 1 July 2006. It is part of the Information Warfare Wing within the RAAF's Aerospace Operational Support Group. The Squadron's headquarters is located at RAAF Base Edinburgh

RAAF Base Edinburgh

RAAF Base Edinburgh is located in Edinburgh, 25km north of the centre of Adelaide.It is primarily home to No 92 Wing's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that conduct surveillance operations throughout Australia's airspace....

 and its seven Tactical Intelligence Flights (TIFs) are situated with all flying Force Element Group

Force Element Group

The Force Element Groups of the Australian Defence Force are the operational capabilities.Each of the component commands has a set of FEGs. The FEG operational commanders report to the component commanders , who in turn report to the operation's Task Force commander...

s of the Air Force as well as with Combat Support Group.

The Squadron is responsible for providing air intelligence, counter-intelligence and combat targeting analysis and support to the Air Force. Personnel in the Squadron comprise Intelligence Officer, Armament Engineer, Air Combat Officer, Geospatial Imagery Analyst, Photographer, Air Surveillance Operator, Signals Operator, and administrative, computer systems support and logistics trade groups.

In 2009 the Governor General of Australia awarded No. 87 Squadron with Battle Honours pertaining to its service during World War II. The Battle Honours awarded to the Squadron are:

• Darwin 1942–1944
• Pacific 1942–1945
• Philippines 1944
• Dutch New Guinea 1945
• Borneo 1945
• Morotai 1945

In March 2011, No. 87 Squadron was awarded the Markowski Cup for being the most proficient non-flying squadron in the Air Force for 2010. This achievement marks No. 87 Squadron as the only RAAF squadron to have won both the flying and non-flying awards; the Squadron having also won the Duke of Gloucester Cup for the most proficient flying squadron in September 1948 for its photographic survey work.

The Squadron has a total strength of 170 permanent and 30 reserve personnel stationed at five different bases.

Commanding Officers

Commanding Officers of No. 87 Squadron

Commanding Officer	Date of Appointment
Squadron Leader L.W. Law	8 June 1942 (1PRU)
Squadron Leader C.C. Lawrie	14 June 1942 (1PRU)
Squadron Leader A.S. Hermes	July 1943 (1PRU)
Squadron Leader A.S. Hermes	10 September 1944
Squadron Leader H.A. Gamble	20 December 1944
Squadron Leader L.W. Law	28 July 1945
Squadron Leader L.P. Bond	8 Mar 1948
Flight Lieutenant R.A. Hosking	30 April 1948
Flight Lieutenant V.D. Guthrie	23 November 1950
Squadron Leader C.H. Browne	13 April 1951
Squadron Leader A.E. McKenzie	1 July 1953
Flight Lieutenant L.O. Hindley	21 September 1953
Flying Officer T.A. Slattery	16 October 1953
Wing Commander Rick Keir, AM	1 July 2006
Wing Commander Richard Trotman-Dickenson, AM	12 January 2009

Badge

With the reactivation of No. 87 Squadron in 2006, the original Squadron badge (approved by King George VI in July 1949) was updated and the revised badge with a motto in English was approved by the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd AO, on 22 March 2006.

Explanation of the No. 87 Squadron badge

The Sun

The sun represents the Squadron's role in maintaining knowledge and understanding of its adversaries

The Quill

The quill represents the Squadron's analytical and communications capabilities, as the ability to impart knowledge is as important as the ability to acquire it

The Sword

The sword represents the Squadron's role in the conduct of warfare

Squadron Motto

'We See and We Fight' (originally 'Videmus Militamus' on the previous badge) – highlights the importance of intelligence in detecting, locating and identifying the enemy in the successful conduct of air operations and the Squadron's role in both the offensive and defensive aspects of air warfare.

Aircraft operated by 1 PRU and No. 87 Squadron

• A-20 CAC Wirraway
  CAC Wirraway
  The Wirraway was a training and general purpose military aircraft manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation between 1939 and 1946...
  
   (September 1944 – July 1946)
• A-51 Brewster Buffalo
• A-52 De Havilland DH98 Mosquito PR Mark XVI
  De Havilland Mosquito
  The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
  
   (September 1944 – July 1946, March 1948 – December 1953)
• A-55 Lockheed Lightning
  P-38 Lightning
  The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
  
   (August 1942 – August 1944)
• A-56 Republic Lancer