More about this squadron

602 Squadron was formed in 1925, making our squadron one of the first RAF Reserves squadrons in Britain. We train Reservists in flight operations and operational intelligence, and provide personnel to the RAF’s Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) units in the UK and overseas.

History and heritage

In the pre-war years, our squadron flew a mixture of aircraft before becoming the first Reservist squadron to convert to the Spitfire in 1939. It was with this aircraft that we, alongside the 603 squadron fighters, shot down the first enemy aircraft over Britain during the Second World War. We went on to become the longest-serving squadron in the front line during the Battle of Britain.

We continued to fly the Spitfire until 1951, making our association with the famous plane the longest in the RAF. In the next few years, we flew the Vampire aircraft until 1957 when it too was disbanded. At this time, a Reservist Maritime Headquarters Unit was established in Edinburgh to support maritime operations. After several restructures, the core maritime support elements went on to establish our squadron as we know it today.

Roles and specialist skills

In our flight operations roles, you will be supporting flying operations from operation rooms and RAF control towers. This involves using the latest technology to update aeronautical data, providing information for mission and flight planning, and assisting Air Traffic Controllers in their work. It is a job that calls for a cool head, a clear voice and the ability to work under pressure as a crucial member of the team.

In our operation intelligence roles, you will be obtaining, analysing and presenting different forms of intelligence, supporting our aircraft and other military assets. You will brief and debrief aircrews, and become an expert at sifting through various sources of data to provide useful intelligence.

Recent deployments

Our Reservists have recently served in Kinloss, Cyprus and Iraq.

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