617(V) Sqn RAF

AFTER ME, THE FLOOD

The squadron's badge, approved by King George VI, depicts the bursting of a dam in commemoration of Chastise. The squadron's chosen motto was Après moi le déluge (French for 'After me, the flood'), a humorous double entendre on a famous saying of Madame de Pompadour to King Louis XV, made on the loss at the Battle of Rossbach by the French.

617(V) Squadron RAF

The squadron was formed under great secrecy at RAF Scampton during the Second World War on 21 March 1943 on Avro Lancaster heavy bombers. It included Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel and was formed for the specific task of attacking three major dams that contributed water and power to the Ruhr industrial region in Germany: the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe. The plan was given the codename Operation Chastise and carried out on 17 May 1943.

Following World War 2 the squadron has been equipped with Canberras, Vulcans, Tornados and most recently with the F-35B Lightning II.

Currently 617 Squadron within DCS World operates with the F-15E Strike Eagle as an alternative to the Torndado GR4.

COMMANDING OFFICER

Squadron Leader "SwiftOne"

Primary function

strike fighter

Thrust

F-15E, 50,000 pounds

Speed

1,875 mph (Mach 2.5 plus)

Range

2,400 miles ferry range with conformal fuel tanks and three external fuel tanks

f-15E Strike Eagle

The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic-warfare aircraft.

F-15E Strike Eagles can be generally distinguished from other Eagle variants by darker aircraft camouflage, conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) mounted along the engine intake ramps and a tandem-seat cockpit.

The aircraft uses two crew members, a pilot and a weapon systems officer. The aircraft's navigation system uses a laser gyro and a Global Positioning System to continuously monitor the aircraft's position and provide information to the central computer and other systems, including a digital moving map in both cockpits.

The APG-70 radar system allows aircrews to detect ground targets from long ranges. One feature of this system is that after a sweep of a target area.

The low-altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night, or LANTIRN, system allows the aircraft to fly at low altitudes, at night and in any weather conditions, to attack ground targets with a variety of precision-guided and unguided weapons. The LANTIRN system, consisting of two pods attached to the exterior of the air craft, gives the F-15E unequalled accuracy in weapons delivery day or night and in poor weather.