809 Naval Air Squadron
| 809 Squadron | |
|---|---|
Squadron badge | |
| Active | 1941–1946 1949–1959 1963–1965 1966–1978 1982 2023–present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Type | Single-seat fighter squadron |
| Role |
|
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Home station | RAF Marham |
| Motto(s) | Immortal |
| Aircraft | Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning |
| Battle honours | Arctic 1941 Malta Convoys 1942 North Africa 1942 Salerno 1943 South France 1944 Aegean 1944 Burma 1945 Falklands 1982 |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Commander Nick Smith |
809 Squadron (809 NAS), sometimes referred to as 809 Squadron, nicknamed Immortal, is a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It currently operates the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning aircraft from RAF Marham, Norfolk, having recommissioned in 2023. The unit is jointly manned by both Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel and operates from Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
It was first formed in 1941 and flew in the Soviet Union, the Mediterranean and the Far East during the Second World War. After active service during the Suez Crisis, 809 was disbanded in 1959. Reformed in 1963 to fly Blackburn Buccaneers, the squadron was disbanded briefly in 1965–66, and then again in 1978. A brief period during the Falklands War saw 809 reformed to bring Sea Harrier FRS.1 aircraft south to the UK task group and to fly from HMS Illustrious.