Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing (JSFAW) | |
---|---|
Active | 2 April 2001 – present [1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force British Army |
Role | Special operations aviation support |
Size | Two squadrons |
Part of | United Kingdom Special Forces |
Stations | Headquarters – RAF Odiham No. 7 Sqn RAF – RAF Odiham No. 658 Sqn AAC – Stirling Lines |
Motto(s) | Resolute |
Aircraft | Boeing Chinook HC6 Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Group Captain Nicholas Knight (RAF Odiham station commander) |
The Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing (JSFAW) is a Royal Air Force (RAF) and British Army joint service organisation that coordinates the provision of aviation support to the United Kingdom Special Forces. [1] [2]
The wing is under the peacetime command of the Station Commander of RAF Odiham. However the Army and RAF retain full command of their respective personnel. [1]
The wing was established on 2 April 2001 to unite No. 657 Squadron of the Army Air Corps (AAC), which operated the Westland Lynx AH9 helicopter, and the Royal Air Force's No. 7 Squadron, which operated the Boeing Chinook HC2 helicopter, under the one command. [1] [2] [3]
In 2006, No. 651 Squadron AAC was reformed at RAF Odiham to operate the fixed-wing Britten-Norman Defender 4000, and incorporated into the wing. [2] [4] [5] In July 2008, the squadron relocated to RAF Aldergrove, as part of 5 Regiment AAC. [5] [6]
In 2008, No. 8 Flight AAC, which operated a covert fleet of military registered Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II helicopters in civilian livery was incorporated into the wing. [1] [7] In September 2013, the flight was re-designated as No. 658 Squadron. [8] [9]
In May 2018, No. 657 Squadron AAC was disbanded following the retirement of the Lynx on 31 January 2018, with budget cuts precluding the purchase of replacement helicopters for the squadron's fleet. [10] [11] [12] It was reported that an Army Air Corps Special Forces Flight of between two and four AgustaWestland Wildcat helicopters, named the Special Forces Wildcat Flight, would be established. [11]
The wing has a charitable affiliation with the Worshipful Company of Curriers in the City of London. [13]
The composition of the wing and its aircraft is as follows: [Note 1]
The Army Air Corps (AAC) is the aviation arm of the British Army, first formed in 1942 during the Second World War by grouping the various airborne units of the British Army. Today, there are eight regiments of the AAC, as well as two independent flights and two independent squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations around the world. Regiments and flights are located in the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Canada. Some AAC squadrons provide the air assault elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, through Joint Aviation Command.
Royal Air Force Odiham or more simply RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Boeing Chinook, and of the King's Helicopter Flight (TKHF). Its current station commander is Group Captain Matt Roberts.
Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove, also known as simply JHC FS Aldergrove, is a British military base located 4.4 miles (7.1 km) south of Antrim, Northern Ireland and 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Belfast, and adjoins Belfast International Airport. It is sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of a nearby hamlet.
The Joint Aviation Command (JAC), previously known as Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), is a tri-service organisation uniting battlefield military helicopters of all three services of the British Armed Forces and unmanned aerial vehicles of the British Army for command and coordination purposes.
The Britten-Norman Defender is a multi-role utility transport aircraft, manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. It is the military version of the Britten-Norman Islander, developed for roles such as utility transport, casualty evacuation, counter-insurgency and light attack, forward air control, patrol and reconnaissance. The term 'Britten-Norman Defender' refers to all militarised variants of the BN-2 product line including the BN-2 Piston Defender, the BN-2T Turbine Defender, the BN-2T-4R Defender and the stretched variant BN-2T-4S, designated Defender 4000.
Army Aviation Centre (AAC) Middle Wallop is a British Army airfield located near the Hampshire village of Middle Wallop, used for Army Air Corps training. The base hosts 2 (Training) Regiment AAC and 7 (Training) Regiment AAC under the umbrella of the Army Aviation Centre. 2 (Training) Regiment performs ground training; 7 (Training) Regiment trains aircrew on AAC aircraft after they complete basic training at RAF Shawbury.
No. 651 Squadron Army Air Corps, is an aircraft squadron of the British Army, originally formed as No. 651 Squadron Royal Air Force in Italy and North Africa during the Second World War, and afterwards in Egypt. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units which had both Army and RAF personnel. The pilots, drivers and signallers were in the Royal Artillery whilst the adjutants, technical staff and equipment officers came from the RAF. Air observation posts were used primarily for artillery spotting, but occasionally for liaison and other duties. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
Dishforth Airfield is a former Royal Air Force and current British Army station in North Yorkshire, England. It was previously an Army Air Corps helicopter base and a Relief Landing Ground for RAF Linton-on-Ouse. 6 Regiment RLC is currently located at Dishforth. It is located next to the A1(M) at Junction 49 with the A168. Dishforth airfield is built over part of the Great North Road which is also the old A1. It is 4.4 miles (7.1 km) east of Ripon, North Yorkshire and 11.5 miles (18.5 km) north east of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England.
Royal Air Force Ballykelly, or more simply RAF Ballykelly, is a former Royal Air Force station which opened in 1941 in Ballykelly, County Londonderry. It closed in 1971 when the site was handed over to the British Army as Shackleton Barracks. A small part of the base has been used as a refuelling point by army helicopters and small fixed-wing aircraft usually operating out of Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove near the town of Antrim.
No. 679 Squadron AAC is a British Army Reserve helicopter support squadron and is part of the 6 Regiment Army Air Corps. The squadron provides groundcrews to support Apache AH1 helicopters.
658 Squadron AAC is a special operations support squadron of the Army Air Corps (AAC) unit of the British Army that provides dedicated aviation support to the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment for domestic counterterrorism (CT) and CSAR operations. The squadron is co-located with 22 SAS at Stirling Lines. The press has given the squadron, their helicopters, and the CT response force they enable, the nickname "Blue Thunder". The squadron is part of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing.
3 RegimentArmy Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is under the command of the 1st Aviation Brigade Combat Team within Joint Aviation Command (JAC). The regiment operates the Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, and is based out of Wattisham Flying Station.
No. 657 Squadron AAC was a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC), part of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing based at RAF Odiham. The squadron disbanded in May 2018 after the retirement of the Westland Lynx.
No. 660 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC). It was formerly No. 660 Squadron RAF, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group during the Second World War. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
No. 654 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) that is currently the Headquarters Squadron for 4 Regt AAC. It was formerly No. 654 Squadron RAF, a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
5 Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is part of the Joint Aviation Command (JAC). The regiment is based in Northern Ireland at JHC FS Aldergrove.
No. 652 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC). It was previously No. 652 Squadron RAF, a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and afterwards in Germany.
664 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps. It was formerly No. 664 Squadron, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army during the Second World War and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.
7 (Training) Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is part of the Joint Helicopter Command. The regiment is responsible for providing all of the flight training of Army Air Corps (AAC) pilots. The regiment is based at the Army Aviation Centre at Middle Wallop.