[6] In December 1928, a coup against the Amir of Afghanistan by Habibullah Kalakani supported by Ghilzai peoples led to the first large scale air evacuation, the Kabul Airlift.

Over two months Victoria troop-carriers of 70 squadron played central role in the airlift of 586 British and European officials and civilians flying over mountains at a height of up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) often in severe weather.

Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940, and on that date the squadron switched to RAF Heliopolis, still in Cairo, and still flying the obsolescent Valentia transport aircraft.

[8][9] In 1940 A detachment was sent to Tatoi Airport, just north of Athens, in support of Allied forces defending Greece and in 1941 the squadron was involved in the campaign to conquer Vichy-occupied Syria and the Rashid Ali rebellion in Iraq.

In November 1943 it relocated to Djedeida 20 miles west of Tunis, putting industrial targets in the North of Italy within easy reach.

In 1955, the squadron moved to RAF Nicosia, Cyprus and re-equipped with the Handley Page Hastings, Vickers Valetta and later used the Percival Pembroke twin engined communication aircraft.

After a brief period operating Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C.1s, the squadron began conversion to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules in 1970, and moved to RAF Lyneham in 1975, after 55 years overseas.

[14] In August 2021, the squadron was deployed forward Al Minhad Air Base in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, sending two aircraft to assist with Operation Pitting.