Editing RAF Coltishall (section)

===1991 to closure===
The Jaguars deployed again, this time to [[Incirlik Air Base]], [[Turkey]], to participate in [[Operation Northern Watch|Operation Warden]] which set up a [[no-fly zone]] over [[Iraq]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/wattisham/424-41sq/41sq.htm|title=41 Squadron: Seek and Destroy|website=Air-Scene UK|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405094151/http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/wattisham/424-41sq/41sq.htm|archive-date=5 April 2016|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>  Between 1993 and 1995, the Jaguars deployed to [[Gioia del Colle Air Base]], [[Italy]], as part of [[Operation Deny Flight]] to enforce a no-fly zone over the [[Balkans]].  In 1997, No. 54 Squadron deployed to Italy once more in support of [[Operation Deliberate Guard]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/research/squadrons/54|title=No.54 Squadron|publisher=[[Royal Air Force Museum]]|website=NationalColdWarExhibition.org|access-date=4 April 2020}}</ref>  No. 6 Squadron deployed once again to Incirlik in 1998 as part of [[Operation Resinate]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sixsqnassociation.org.uk/about/1991-2003/|title=6 Squadron - 1991–2003|website=6 Squadron RAF Association|date=13 January 2017|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Sepecat Jaguar GR3A, UK - Air Force AN0649923.jpg|thumb|left|SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3A XZ392 of [[No. 16 Squadron RAF|No. 16 (Reserve) Squadron]] landing at RAF Coltishall, August 2004.|alt=]]
On 21 July 2000, [[No. 16 Squadron RAF|No. 16 (Reserve) Squadron]], the Jaguar [[Operational conversion unit|OCU]], arrived at RAF Coltishall from [[RAF Lossiemouth]], Scotland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rafweb.org/Squadrons/Sqn016-20.htm#16|title=No 16 Squadron|website=Air of Authority – a history of RAF organisation|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>  In December 2000, five Jaguars from No. 41 (F) Squadron deployed to [[Luleå Airport]], [[Sweden]], to train alongside [[Saab 37 Viggen]]s of the [[Norrbotten Wing]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcoltishall/news/2000/december/sweden/sweden.htm|title=Jaguars make history with deployment to Sweden|publisher=RAF Coltishall|website=RAF.MoD.uk|archive-url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20030929125318/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcoltishall/news/2000/december/sweden/sweden.htm|archive-date=29 September 2003|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

Coltishall was also home to the yellow [[search and rescue]] (SAR) helicopters of [[No. 202 Squadron RAF|No. 202 Squadron]] tasked with conducting [[air-sea rescue]] operations ([[Westland Sea King]]), and latterly [[No. 22 Squadron RAF|No. 22 Squadron]] ([[Westland Wessex]]), but under subsequent reorganisation, the SAR operations were moved to [[RAF Wattisham]], in [[Suffolk]] where they remained until 15 July 2015, following the privatisation (and thus disbandment) of the entire UK military search and rescue operations.

Coltishall eventually became the last surviving operational RAF fighter airfield involved in the [[Battle of Britain]] (other than [[RAF Northolt]]), and a visible remnant in the form of a Second World War [[Revetment (aircraft)|revetment]] still stands adjacent to the north-west [[taxiway]] and, together with one of the two sets of 1950s Cold War blast walls, is now a [[scheduled monument]].<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1021425|desc=World War II fighter pen, Cold War blast walls and associated remains at the airfield formerly known as RAF Coltishall|access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref>

With the anticipated arrival of the [[Eurofighter Typhoon]] in the RAF, the gradual retirement of the Jaguar force began.  Coltishall was not chosen as a future Typhoon airfield for a number of reasons, and so, with no future RAF role for Coltishall, the station was earmarked for closure.

[[File:Sepecat Jaguar GR1A, UK - Air Force AN1801536.jpg|thumb|SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1A XZ112 of [[No. 54 Squadron RAF|No. 54 (Fighter) Squadron]] at [[RAF Brize Norton]] in 1991.  This Jaguar was the last to leave RAF Coltishall on 3 April 2006.|alt=]]
The UK's [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]], in the '[[Delivering Security in a Changing World]]' review, announced that the station would close by December 2006.  The first two Jaguar squadrons to disband, No. 16 (R) Squadron and No. 54 (F) Squadron, did so on 11 March 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.targeta.co.uk/jaguar.htm|title=Jaguar retirement|website=Target Aviation Photography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213084507/http://www.targeta.co.uk/jaguar.htm|archive-date=13 February 2012|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>  The final Jaguar squadrons departed on 1 April 2006, when No. 6 Squadron transferred to RAF Coningsby, however, this was subsequently disbanded on 31 May 2007 (to await delivery of the [[Eurofighter Typhoon]] at RAF Leuchars), and No. 41 (F) Squadron transferred to RAF Coningsby in OCU role.  The final front line RAF movement from the station was by Jaguar XZ112, piloted by Jim Luke, on 3 April 2006.

Of the final [[gate guardian]]s, the replica Hawker Hurricane (dedicated to Douglas Bader) was transferred to [[RAF High Wycombe]], and the Jaguar was formally named the ''Spirit of Coltishall'', and was subsequently transferred to the grounds of [[Norfolk County Council]] where she is dedicated to the memory of all those who served at Coltishall.  RAF Coltishall is commemorated at the [[RAF Air Defence Radar Museum]] at Neatishead (which Coltishall formerly parented).

Some limited flying from light aircraft, including those of the Coltishall Flying Club, did continue after the end of RAF flying operations, until October 2006.  While 1 April 2006 saw the disbandment [[parade]] for the station, it did not actually disband and finally close until 30 November 2006.  Associated facilities such as the Douglas Bader [[Primary School]] for military dependents were also closed.  On the final day of the station, the gates were opened to the public; anybody with photographic ID was welcomed onto the station to have a look around and view the final closing ceremony and parade, which saw a [[flypast]] by four RAF Jaguars, and a solitary [[Hawker Hurricane]] from the [[Imperial War Museum Duxford]].

On 30 November 2006, RAF Coltishall was officially handed over to [[Defence Estates]] (the then MoD agency responsible for all UK Military sites) who were to handle the disposal of the site; it was then formally known as MoD Coltishall until its [[#Redevelopment|ultimate disposal]].

The site was sold to [[Norfolk County Council]] for £4&nbsp;million.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}