| No. II (AC) Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active |
|
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Flying squadron |
| Role | Multi–role combat |
| Part of | No. 1 Group RAF |
| Home station | RAF Lossiemouth |
| Nickname(s) | 'Shiny Two' |
| Motto(s) | Hereward – Guardian of the Army[1] |
| Aircraft | Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Wing Commander E E Rickards |
| Notable commanders | Jock Stirrup, Philip Sturley, Chris Nickols, Richard Garwood, Stephen Hillier |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron tail badge |  |
| Squadron badge heraldry | The RAF roundel (three concentric circles) over all a wake knot. Approved by King Edward VIII in May 1936. The circles represent the RAF and the wake knot is derived from the arms of Hereward the Wake and indicates the basic role of the unit as a guardian of the Army.[2] |
| Post 1950 squadron roundel |  |
| Squadron Codes | KO (Nov 1939–May 1941) XV (May 1941–1943) OI (Sep 1946–Apr 1951) B (Apr 1951–1955) A–Z (Tornados) |
Number 2 Squadron, also known as No. II (Army Co-operation) Squadron, is the most senior squadron of the Royal Air Force.[3] It is currently equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 at RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, since reforming there on 12 January 2015.
No. 2 Squadron's traditional army co-operation role is reflected in the "AC" of its title, its motto Hereward (Guardian of the Army), and the symbol of a Wake knot on its crest. Its unofficial nickname is Shiny Two.
- ^ Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 96. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
- ^ "II (AC) SQUADRON". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
- ^ "Top 30 Senior Flying Squadrons" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2020.