Tactical Communications Wing (TCW) provides communications facilities to deployed units of the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

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TCW personnel and their 90 Signals Unit

90 Signals Unit

90 Signals Unit oversees the provision of communications facilities to deployed units of the Royal Air Force.90 Signals Unit were, due to their deployable nature, within a discrete portion of the RAF that were authorised to wear a DPM uniform full time...

 counterparts were, due to their deployable nature, within a discrete portion of the RAF that were authorised to wear a DPM

Disruptive Pattern Material

Disruptive Pattern Material is the commonly used name of a camouflage pattern used by British forces as well many other armies worldwide, particularly in former British colonies....

 uniform

Royal Air Force uniform

The Royal Air Force uniform is the standardised military dress worn by members of the Royal Air Force. The predominant colours of Royal Air Force uniforms are blue-grey and Wedgewood blue. Many Commonwealth air forces' uniforms are also based on the RAF pattern, but with nationality shoulder...

 full time. This authorisation was rescinded in October 2008 when it was declared that all RAF personnel were to wear the standard blue uniform unless on operations.

Until the amalgamation

Consolidation (business)

Consolidation or amalgamation is the act of merging many things into one. In business, it often refers to the mergers and acquisitions of many smaller companies into much larger ones. In the context of financial accounting, consolidation refers to the aggregation of financial statements of a group...

 with 90 Signals Unit in 2006, TCW personnel could be distinguished by both their rank slides, embroided with the letters 'TCW' and the Wing badge (the rock dove with lightning bolt). Upon amalgamation, the latter was replaced with that of 90 Signals Unit.

TCW is currently a lodger unit at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom.

TCW's motto is "Ubique Loquimur" which translates to "We Speak Everywhere".

History

TCW's roots can be traced back to 1962, and the forming of 38 Group Support Unit. It was then quickly realised that communications played a large part in supporting operations.
In 1965 No. 50 Tactical Signals Unit was formed and as it grew in size was renamed, in 1967 to Tactical Signals Wing then again in 1969 to its current name, Tactical Communications Wing.

TCW has played its part in many operational theatres worldwide, including providing communications and meteorological services in the Falklands War

Falklands War

The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...

, both Gulf War

Gulf War

The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...

s, Operation Granby

Operation Granby

Operation Granby was the name given to the British military operations during the Gulf War. 53,462 troops were deployed during the conflict. The total cost of operations was £2.434 billion of which at least £2.049 billion was paid for by other nations such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia; £200...

, Operation Barras

Operation Barras

Operation Barras was the name given to a hostage rescue operation by the British Special Air Service, Special Boat Service, and Parachute Regiment in Sierra Leone on 10 September 2000...

, Operation Phylis, Sarajevo

Sarajevo

Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....

, Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

, Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

, Angola

Angola

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...

, Rwanda

Rwanda

Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...

, Operation Warden, Operation Jural, Operation Veritas

Operation Veritas

Operation Veritas was the codename used for British military operations against the Taliban government of Afghanistan in 2001. British forces played a supporting role to the American Operation Enduring Freedom. In addition, the British contribution was an important part of the overall forces deployed...

 and Operation Herrick

Operation Herrick

Operation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom...

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During Operation Telic

Operation Telic

Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...

 TCW provided vital communications infrastructure in support of air operations.

Wing Role

The Wing's role - to install, operate and maintain transportable tactical communications and information systems, in support of RAF Squadrons and Units, deployed worldwide in support of National interests - sees its personnel performing a high volume of operations. The Angels and Deacons were the special forces of TCW known as MRF, there classified operations were renowned throughout the Tri service operations worldwide and have since been de-commissioned.When not deployed the Wing carries out numerous training exercises(including Exercise Magic Carpet - hosted by Oman) in preparation for operations as well as visiting airshows around the UK.

Organisational Structure

Tactical Communications Wing is commanded by an RAF Wing Commander

Wing Commander (rank)

Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...

, with each of its four squadrons commanded by an RAF Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...

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The Squadrons

• No 1 Field Communications (FC) Squadron
• No 2 Field Communications (FC) Squadron
• No 3 Field Communications (FC) Squadron
• No 4 Field Communications (FC) Squadron

The four Field Communications Squadrons are split into teams that can deploy at short notice to anywhere in the world with a wide variety of equipment.

Personnel

TCW is manned by RAF Trade Group 4 ICT Technicians and Trade Group 4 Aerial Erectors. Trade Group 4 ICT Technicians consists of the old Trade Group 3 (Electronics Technicians) and Trade Group 11 (Tele Communications Operators) who have undergone assimilation training to amalgamate them into Trade Group 4. Trade Group 4 also has direct entry personnel who possess the same desired skill set as the assimilated Trade Group 3 and Trade Group 11.

Amalgamation and Relocation

In April 2006 Tactical Communications Wing was amalgamated into 90 Signals Unit. Force elements from RAF Brize Norton

RAF Brize Norton

RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force. It is close to the settlements of Brize Norton, Carterton and Witney....

, RAF High Wycombe

RAF High Wycombe

RAF High Wycombe is a Royal Air Force station, situated in the village of Walters Ash, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England. Its purpose is to serve the needs of the RAF Air Command, situated on the site. It is also the headquarters of the European Air Group...

 and RAF Sealand

RAF Sealand

RAF Sealand was a former Royal Air Force station in Flintshire, north Wales and operated between 1916 and 2006.Under defence cuts announced in 2004 RAF Sealand was completely closed in April 2006. All remaining RAF units were moved to RAF Leeming...

 relocated to RAF Leeming in Yorkshire between Summer 2007 and Summer 2009 as part of the creation of the A6 Communications hub.

In December 2009 TCW completed another restructuring programme with No 1 Expeditionary Radar and Airfield (ERA) Squadron becoming No 1 Field Communications (FC) Squadron, with personnel from the former Squadron being incorporated into the four FC Squadrons. No 1 (ERA) Squadron's role was to deploy, support and recover a wide range of airfield sensors, navigational aids and information infrastructure worldwide. This role is still carried out by specialist teams within the field Communications squadrons.

Furthermore, No 5 Information Systems (IS) Squadron moved under the control of 90 SU Force generation Wing.

TCW and 90SU RAFA Branch and Memorial

The TCW and 90SU Branch of the Royal Air Forces Association. Formed on 01 Apr 10 the Branch has been created not only to promote the relevance and aims of RAFA but also to be a focal point for current and ex serving members of the Unit. To develop further the friendships and the esprit de corps they experienced whilst serving on the Unit.
There has been for many years an interest in forming an Association/Organization for those who have served, or are serving, on the most prestigious Unit in the RAF. It is hoped that the RAFA Branch will provide the conduit for this.
Being the first virtual Branch of RAFA this initiative has paved the way for similar Branches to be formed within the Association. It has created a new method of promoting RAFA and demonstrating that it has as much relevance today as the day it was formed.
The Branch is also the first to have its own website (tcwand90su.com) and this initiative also helps to promote the Association in a way that has previously not been done before.
The RAFA Branch will ensure that the Unit Memorial, dedicated in 2008, and located at the Armed Forces Memorial Arboretum will stand as apermanent reminder to those who lost their lives whilst serving in the Royal Air Force. For those wishing to visit the Memorial it is situated at the beginning of the RAF Section. A suitable location for considering that TCW are inevitably the first Unit to deploy in support of conflicts past and present.

Rockstar

Rockstar (Nickelback song)

"Rockstar" is the fifth U.S. single by the Canadian rock band Nickelback from their 2005 fifth studio album All the Right Reasons. It was only released in the U.S. and Canada, and has since been re-released worldwide...

 Parody

In 2007 several members of No 4 Squadron created a parody of Nickelback

Nickelback

Nickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....

's music video, Rockstar, whilst serving in Kandahar

Kandahar

Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...

, Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

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