Norrbotten Air Force Wing, also F 21Luleå, or simply F 21, is a Swedish Air Force wing with the main base located in Luleå Airport in northern Sweden. It is one of the three remaining wings in Sweden and currently has two squadrons of multirole aircraft. F 21 in the north and F 17 in the south are the two wings remaining to have operational squadrons. F 7 is a school where pilots begin their training in the JAS 39 Gripen. After that the pilot's training is moved out to the two operational wings there they learn their final skills.
F 21 today
Parts of the Swedish helicopter forces are today stationed at F 21 with MEDEVAC in subarctic climate as its main task. The wing uses the coat of arms of Luleå as the emblem. F 21 currently operates two HKP 10B in Afghanistan. F21 figures in the crime novelThe Red Wolf by Liza Marklund. Current fleet:
The colour was presented to the then Royal Norrbotten Air Base Corps at Barkarby by His Majesty the KingGustaf V on 17 September 1944. The colour is drawn by Brita Grep and embroidered by hand in insertion technique by the company Libraria. Blazon: "On blue cloth in the centre the badge of the Air Force; a winged two-bladed propeller under a royal crown proper, all in yellow. In the first corner the town badge of Luleå; two white keys in saltire, the left inverted."
Coat of arms
The units first coat of arms, used by the Royal Norrbotten Air Base Corps was used from 1941 to 1963. Blazon: "Azure, powdered with estoiles or, the provincial badge of Västerbotten, a reindeer courant argent, armed and langued gules". The units second coat of arms, used by Norrbotten Air Force Wing was used from 1963 to 1994. Blazon: "Argent, the town badge of Luleå, two keys azure in saltire, sinister inverted." The current coat of arms has been used since 1994. Blazon: "Argent, the town badge of Luleå, two keys azure in saltire, sinister inverted, a chief azure charged with a winged two-bladed propeller or".
Medals
In 1996, the Norrbottens flygflottiljs förtjänstmedalj in gold of the 8th size was established. The medal ribbon is blue with red edges and a yellow stripe on the middle.
Commanding officers
From 1941 to 1963, the commanding officers was referred to as kårchef and had the rank of lieutenant colonel. From 1942, the corps commander had the rank of colonel. From 1942 to 1957, the commanding officer of F 21 was also commanding officer of Upper Norrland Air Base Area. When the wing organization was introduced in 1963, the commanding officer was referred to as flottiljchef, and had the rank of colonel. From 1976 to 1994, the wing commander was referred to as sektorflottiljchef and had the rank of colonel 1st class. From 1 July 1994, the commanding officer is again referred to as flottiljchef, and has the rank of colonel.
In order to relieve the sector wing commander, a deputy sector wing commander position was added in 1975. Its task was to lead the unit procurement, a task largely similar to the old wing commander position. Hence he was also referred to as flottiljchef. The deputy sector wing commander had the rank of colonel. On 30 June 1993, the deputy sector wing commander position was terminated.
