Two units who work closely together, one British and one from the Royal Australian Air Force, have both been allocated the same squadron numberplate in a joint parade and naming ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
At the event the Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Rich Knighton, and Chief of the Air Force Air Marshal Robert Chipman, formally awarded the dormant 80 Squadron numberplates for each service to their respective teams within the Australia, Canada and United Kingdom Reprogramming Laboratory (ACURL).
"Our partnership with allied nations is of utmost importance," Air Marshal Robert Chipman said, "together, we must adapt to meet the challenges of the future, by leveraging opportunities for collaboration and coorperation.”
Known as the ACURL, the joint military data centre is designed to give each country’s F-35 Lightning jets operational advantage during their missions.
In the Laboratory, specialists compile and test the Mission Data File Sets (MDFS) used on-board the fifth generation stealth fighter. The MDFS fuses with information gathered by the aircraft’s own comprehensive integrated sensor package.
The RAAF 80 Squadron formed in 1943 and fought throughout the war in the Pacific theatre. Equipped with the P-40 Warhawk operations including covering Allied amphibious landings. It disbanded in 1946.