What is "squadron"

Squadron \Squad"ron\ (skw[o^]d"r[u^]n), n. [F. escadron, formerly also esquadron, Sp. escuadron, or It. squadrone. See Squad.]

1. Primarily, a square; hence, a square body of troops; a body of troops drawn up in a square. [R.]

   Those half-rounding quards Just met, and, closing, stood in squadron joined.
   --Milton.

2. (Mil.) A body of cavalry comprising two companies or troops, and averaging from one hundred and twenty to two hundred men.

3. (Naut.) A detachment of vessels employed on any particular service or station, under the command of the senior officer; as, the North Atlantic Squadron.
   --Totten.

   Flying squadron, a squadron of observation or practice, that cruises rapidly about from place to place.
   --Ham. Nav. Encyc.

1560s, from Italian squadrone, augmentative of squadra "battalion," literally "square" (see squad). As a division of a fleet, from 1580s, of an air force, 1912.

n. 1 (context obsolete English) Primarily, a square; hence, a square body of troops; a body of troops drawn up in a square. 2 (context military army English) A body of cavalry comprising two companies or troops, and averaging from one hundred and twenty to two hundred soldiers. 3 (context military navy English) A detachment of vessels employed on any particular service or station, under the command of the senior officer; as, the North Atlantic Squadron. 4 (context military air force English) A tactical air force unit; consists of at least two flights; multiple squadrons make up a group or wing (depending on particular air force).

1. n. a cavalry unit consisting of two or more troops and headquarters and supporting arms

2. an air force unit larger than a flight and smaller than a group

3. a naval unit that is detached from the fleet for a particular task

Squadron may refer to:

• Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies
• Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, depending on the type of aircraft and the air force, naval or army air service
• Squadron (naval), a military unit of three to ten warships that may be part of a larger task group, task force, or a naval fleet; also an administrative unit for warships like submarines that usually operate alone
• Squadron (TV series), a 1982 BBC television series
• Squadron, Ellenoff, Plesent & Sheinfeld, a New York City law firm that practiced from 1970 to 2002
• Daniel Squadron (born November 9, 1979), a New York elected official

A squadron was historically a cavalry subunit, a company sized military formation. The term is still used to refer to modern cavalry units but can also be used as a designation for other arms and services. In some countries, like Italy, the battalion-level cavalry unit is called "Squadron Group".

A squadron, or naval squadron, is a significant group of warships which is nonetheless considered too small to be designated a fleet. A squadron is typically a part of a fleet. Between different navies there are no clear defining parameters to distinguish a squadron from a fleet (or from a flotilla), and the size and strength of a naval squadron varies greatly according to the country and time period. Groups of small warships, or small groups of major warships, might instead be designated flotillas by some navies according to their terminology. Since the size of a naval squadron varies greatly, the rank associated with command of a squadron also varies greatly.

Before 1864 the entire fleet of the Royal Navy was divided into three squadrons, the red, the white, and the blue. Each Royal Navy squadron alone was more powerful than most national navies. Today, a squadron might number three to ten vessels, which might be major warships, transport ships, submarines, or small craft in a larger task force or a fleet. A squadron may be composed of one type of ship of various types tasked with a specific mission such as coastal patrol, blockade, or minesweeping. In the United States Navy, the term squadron has always been used for formations of destroyers and submarines.

Squadron is a British television series produced by the BBC in 1982.

The series dealt with the adventures of the fictional 370 Rapid Deployment Squadron of the Royal Air Force. The Squadron operated a mix of operational RAF aircraft including the Harrier GR Mk 3, Hercules C Mk 1, Puma HC Mk 1 and the first episode, Phantom FGR Mk 2. One series of ten episodes was made. The leading cast members included Michael Culver, Malcolm Stoddard, Derek Anders, and Catriona MacColl.

A squadron in air force, army aviation, or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft and their aircrews, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force. Land based squadrons equipped with heavier type aircraft such as long-range bombers, or cargo aircraft, or air refueling tankers have around 12 aircraft as a typical authorization, while most fighter equipped units have an authorized number of 18 to 24.

In most armed forces, two or more squadrons will form a group or a wing. Some air forces (including the Royal Air Force, Royal Netherlands Air Force, German Air Force, Republic of Singapore Air Force, and United States Air Force) also use the term squadrons for non-flying ground units (e.g., radar squadrons, missile squadrons, aircraft maintenance squadrons, security forces squadrons, civil engineering squadrons, medical squadrons, etc.).