page_title: No. 32 Squadron RAF
section_title: VIP transport
hierarchical_section_title: No. 32 Squadron RAF / History / VIP transport
caption_attribution_description: English: &#160;Italy, Pisa International Airport. Royal Air Force Hawker Siddeley Andover CC Mk 2 XS 790 belonged to the Royal Flight taken in 1974 at Pisa Airport.
context_page_description: No. 32 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates in the VIP and general air transport roles from RAF Northolt in Greater London.
  Originally formed in 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps, the squadron saw action during the First and Second World Wars with fighter aircraft, but was disbanded in 1969. The Metropolitan Communications Squadron, involved in the VIP transport role, was renamed as No. 32 Squadron at that time. In 1995, the squadron was merged with the Queen's Flight and incorporated 'The Royal' title into its name. At this time the squadron moved from RAF Benson to RAF Northolt, where it remains.
  The merger ended the RAF's provision of dedicated VIP transport aircraft; the aircraft of 32 Squadron are available to VIP passengers only if not needed for military operations. Two flights within the squadron operate the British Aerospace 146 and AgustaWestland AW109 aircraft.
context_section_description: The Metropolitan Communications Squadron was formed on 8 April 1944 by the renaming of No. 510 Squadron for VIP air transport. Simultaneous with No.32 Squadron being disbanded in Cyprus in February 1969, the Metropolitan Communications Squadron was renamed No. 32 Squadron. It operated a variety of aircraft, including Hawker Siddeley Andovers and Westland Whirlwind HC.10 helicopters.
  The squadron acquired four HS.125 CC.1s business jets in 1971. These would be supplemented and then replaced by two HS.125 CC.2s delivered in 1973 and six BAe 125 CC.3s delivered in 1982 and 1983.
  Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopters served with the squadron from 1976 onwards. These were replaced by initially two (later three) Twin Squirrels in 1996.
  The RAF leased two BAe 146s in 1983 (designated BAe 146 CC.1) as a test of their suitability to replace the Andover, which were operated by 241 Operational Conversion Unit. Two BAe 146-100s (designated BAe 146 CC.2) were purchased in 1984 for the Queen's Flight as a result, with delivery in 1986. A third BAe 146 CC.2 was purchased in 1989 and delivered in 1990, although it was subsequently sold in 2002. The BAe 146 provided a 60% increase in range compared with the Andover, and a larger interior capacity for more passengers.
   
  On 1 April 1995, the Queen's Flight, equipped with these BAe 146 CC.2 aircraft, and Wessex HCC.4 helicopters, was merged into No. 32 Squadron to become No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron and moved to RAF Northolt from RAF Benson. Since then, 32 Squadron's aircraft have served as transports in several recent conflicts including Operation Granby (Gulf War), Operation Veritas (Afghanistan) and Operation Telic (Iraq 2003). The merged squadron continues to be referred to in the press and by the public (inaccurately) as the Royal Flight or the Queen's Flight. This merger ended the RAF's provision of dedicated VIP transport aircraft: the aircraft of No. 32 Squadron are available to VIP passengers only if not needed for military operations. This was declared officially in 1999, with the MOD stating: "the principal purpose of 32 Squadron [is] to provide communications and logistical support to military operations; the Squadron's capacity should be based on military needs only; and any royal or other non-military use of ... spare capacity is secondary to its military purpose".
  Following a review by the Ministry of Defence, in 2004 the squadron's aircraft lost their distinctive livery inherited from The Queen's Flight, featuring red flying surfaces. This was due to the concern over the aircraft's vulnerability to terrorist attack.
  In May 2005 the Defence Logistics Organisation's Helicopter and Islander Combined (HIC) Integrated Project Team (IPT) awarded AgustaWestland a five-year contract from 1 April 2006 to provide three AgustaWestland AW109Es to replace the three Twin Squirrels. This contract was extended on 31 March 2011 to allow two of the AW109Es to continue in use for a further year. Two preserved examples of the squadron's ex-Queen's Flight Wessex helicopters can be seen at The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare and Royal Air Force Museum London.
  Two additional BAe 146s were purchased in March 2012 from TNT Airways and were refitted by Hawker Beechcraft on behalf of BAE Systems for tactical freight and personnel transport use. The aircraft, designated as the BAe 146 C Mk 3, arrived in Afghanistan in April 2013. On 16 March 2015, the squadron's final BAe 125 returned from operations in Afghanistan, and the type's retirement from the RAF was brought forward due to defence budget cuts. Of the final four operational aircraft, three were put up for sale by the Ministry of Defence, and one was placed on permanent display at RAF Northolt. The decision was made that the aircraft were to be retired from service seven years ahead of their original withdrawal date.
  On 11 October 2017, the MoD announced that Her Majesty The Queen has approved the award to 32 (The Royal) Squadron of Battle Honours 'Iraq 2003–2011' and 'Libya 2011', both without the right to emblazon. In 2020, the squadron's two 
caption: Hawker Siddeley Andover of No. 32 Squadron
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