Current Role
IX(B) Squadron reformed in August 1982, becoming the world's first operational Tornado squadron at RAF Honington with the Panavia Tornado GR1, again equipped with WE.177 nuclear laydown bombs, handed down from the Vulcan force, before moving to RAF Bruggen in 1986. The squadron's nuclear delivery role ended in 1994 at Bruggen, although the squadron continued to be based there in their non-nuclear bombing role.
The squadron deployed to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in 1990 as part of Operation Granby, the first Gulf War, leading a number of bombing raids, delivering JP233 and 1000 lb bombs. The squadron has conducted operations over southern Iraq in support of UN resolutions and over Kosovo in 1999.
IX(B) Squadron continued its pioneering history by becoming the first squadron to receive the Tornado GR4 in 1999. A formal ceremony at RAF Brüggen on June 15, 2001 officially ended a continuous RAF presence in Germany since the Second World War; on July 17 the squadron completed its move to RAF Marham and all of the remaining Tornados had left by September 4, 2001.
The squadron formed a part of the RAF contribution to the 2003 Iraq War (Operation Telic). Nos. II(AC), IX(B), XIII, 31 and 617 Squadrons contributed to Tornado GR4 Wing 1 based at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. IX(B) Squadron suffered a devastating loss on March 23, 2003 when one of their aircraft was engaged by a Patriot battery in Kuwait while returning from a mission. The pilot and navigator were both killed. Immediately after the incident it was claimed that the RAF crew had failed to switch on their IFF beacon. However a US journalist embedded with the U.S. Army unit operating the Patriot battery said the "army Patriots were mistakenly identifying friendly aircraft as enemy tactical ballistic missiles."
While all Tornado GR.4s are capable of carrying the ALARM Anti Radiation Missile, IX(B) and 31 Sqns specialise in the role. In this role they are known as "Pathfinder" squadrons.
In 2007 IX(B) Squadron were the lead squadron in celebrating 25 years of the Tornado GR in service with the Royal Air Force. A special tail-fin design was applied to one of the squadrons Tornado GR's ZA469.
2009 saw IX(B) Squadron celebrate 95 years of operational service.
In 2011, they participated in Operation Ellamy. Aircraft from the squadron performed strike sorties from both RAF Marham and Gioia del Colle in Southern Italy.
The Squadron first undertook a tour of duty on Operation HERRICK, based at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan from January to April 2010. and returned from November to March 2013.
Read more about this topic: No. 9 Squadron RAF
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