No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing RAF

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No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing
Active1 April 2016 - present[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
BranchEnsign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
TypeIntelligence
RoleISR
SizeWing
Part ofISTAR Force No. 1 Group
Wing HQRAF Waddington
Motto(s)Oculi Propter Ungues
(Latin for 'Because of an eye claws')

No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing (1 ISR Wing) is a wing of the Royal Air Force and is part of the ISTAR Force in No. 1 Group based at RAF Waddington. 1 ISR Wing is responsible for producing intelligence from imagery intelligence and electronic surveillance.[2]

The wing was formed in 2016 as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, which saw several ISR units merged into a new speciality wing including the Tactical Imagery-Intelligence Wing, the signals intelligence and electronic intelligence No. 54 Signals Unit and imagery analysts from V (AC) Squadron.[1][2][3] In 2018, the Reconnaissance, Intelligence and Geographical Centre Northern Ireland (RIGC-NI) of 5 Regiment Army Air Corps was renamed No. 3 ISR Squadron and became part of 1 ISR Wing.[2][4]

Mission[]

No. 1 ISR Wing provided timely intelligence to deployed and UK-based decision makers by generating and sustaining professional intelligence Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination capabilities at readiness with the right skills, tools, and ethos, operating both forward deployed and through reach back from the United Kingdom.[5]

Structure[]

Graphic of the Royal Air Force's No. 1 ISR Wing structure.

The current structure of the wing is as follows:[5]

  • No.1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing
    • Wing Headquarters, at RAF Waddington
    • No. 54 Signals Unit
    • No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron
      • Apollo Flight
      • Crossbow Flight
    • No.2 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron
    • No.3 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron, at Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove[2]
      • No.1 Section
      • No.2 Section
      • No.3 Section
    • Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Support Squadron

Squadrons[]

No. 1 ISR Squadron[5]

No. 1 ISR Squadron is split into two flights: Apollo Flight and Crossbow Flight.

Apollo Flight comprises intelligence analysts who conduct analysis of current intelligence, providing direct mission support to processing and exploitation of data across 1 ISR Wing's operational flights.

Crossbow Flight employs imagery analysts to provide dedicated full motion video processing and exploitation, directly supporting MQ-9 Reaper and United States intelligence, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft and, in the future, the UK's .

No. 2 ISR Squadron[5]

The squadron consists of imagery analysts that are the UK's specialists in exploitation of tactical reconnaissance imagery, synthetic aperture radar and ground moving target indicator imagery. The imagery analysts conduct processing, exploitation, and dissemination of data collected from air breathing platforms such as the MQ-9 Reaper, F-35B Lightning II, and the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4.

No. 3 ISR Squadron[5]

No. 3 ISR Squadron provides imagery and geospatial intelligence in support of security operations in Northern Ireland. The squadron is currently divided into three sections.

Photographers within IPS develop films to produce imagery for analysis. RAF imagery analysts and army Royal Engineer geographic technicians provide analytical support packs to customers.

No. 54 Signals Unit[5]

No. 54 Signals Unit conducts analysis of air-derived electronic surveillance data, including the provision to support the .

ISR Support Squadron[5]

ISR Support Squadron is tasked to provide organic engineering and logistics support to 1 ISR Wing. The squadron consists mostly of communications engineers and logistics specialists to enable the rapid deployment of 1 ISR Wing personnel and bespoke IT equipment on operations in the UK and overseas. It also provides engineering advice and expertise on new and future ISR capabilities and exploitation systems.

The squadron comprises two flights:

  • 54 Signals Unit Engineering Flight: operates from two sites (RAF Waddington and RAF Digby) and broadly supports both No. 51 Squadron and No. 54 Signals Unit pre and post-missions. Support includes the maintenance of equipment and data links to enable time critical data PED.
  • ISR Engineering Flight: ISR Engineering Flight is based at RAF Waddington and RAF Marham in support of No. 2 ISR Squadron and has personnel routinely detached to provide engineering support on operations.

References[]

  1. ^ a b Bissett, Sqn Ldr Keith, ed. (2017). "Formation of 1 ISR Wing" (PDF). INSIGHT - The magazine of RAF Waddington. No. 1. Kettering: Lance Print Ltd. pp. 8–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d Haley, Sqn Ldr Sam, ed. (Summer 2021). "1 ISR Wing Fifth Anniversay" (PDF). INSIGHT - The magazine of RAF Waddington. Kettering: Lance Print Ltd. p. 7. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  3. ^ Ripley, Tim (2017). "ISTAR firmament: the future of the RAF's combat air reconnaissance assets" (PDF). Jane's. IHS. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2017.
  4. ^ Merritt, Flt Lt; Wright, Flt Lt. "A Brief History and Update for the Reconnaissance Intelligence and Geographic Centre (Northern Ireland)". The Institution of Royal Engineers. Archived from the original on 13 November 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "RAF Waddington". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
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