FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1983
1983 - 1414.PDF
WORLD'S AIR FORCES __ al Navy Westland Lynx HAS.3 OCU), plus five squadrons in Germany (14, 17, 20, 31 Sqn at Bruggen and 2 Sqn at Laarbruch). At Odiham, the 38 Group helicopter element comprises 33, 230 Sqn and 240 OCU with Pumas (total of 48 bought), and 7 Sqn with Chinook HC.ls. No 18 (Maritime) Group is responsible for MR maritime strike and SAR duties around the UK and uses four squadrons (42, 120, 201, 206 Sqn and 236 OCU) of Njmrod MR.2s based at St Mawgan and Kinloss. The MR.l updating programme to MR.2 standard is due to end next year. Helicopter SAR detachments are based around the UK from two squadrons (22 and 202 Sqn) equip ped with Sea King HAR.3s and Wessex HC.2s. Part of 18 Group is the Buccaneer S.2 force based in the UK, consisting of 12 and 208 Sqns at Lossiemouth and 237 OCU at Honington. Long-range transport comes under Strike Command and involves 10 Sqn at Brize Norton with the VC10 fleet, while at Lyneham is the Hercules Wing made up of 24, 30, 47, 70 Sqn plus 242 OCU. Of the 60 Hercules in service (66 originally purchased) the Wing has six C.IK tankers attached to 24 and 30 Sqn and 16 C.1P "receivers" fitted with refuelling probes with 47 and 70 Sqn; 30 aircraft are being "stretched" to become C.3s. There are two communications squadrons, 32 and 207, flying HS.125s, Devons and two Gazelle helicopters from Northolt, while at Benson is the Queen's Flight with three Andover CC.2s and two Wessex HCC.4s. RAF Germany's operational component, under the control of Nato's 2nd Allied Tacti cal Air Force, consists of two Harrier squad rons, four Jaguar strike squadrons, one Jaguar PR squadron, two Buccaneer S.2 squadrons (15, 16 Sqn) and two Phantom fighter squadrons (19, 92 Sqn at Wilden- rath). Protecting the German bases are RAF Regiment Rapier units, 63 at Gutersloh, 16 at Wildenrath, 26 at Laarbruch, and 37 at Bruggen. Chinooks of 18 Sqn support BAOR units from Gutersloh, and at Wildenrath 60 Sqn still operates seven piston-engined Pembroke CC.ls. Other overseas units are 28 Sqn with eight Wessex HC.2s in Hong Kong, 84 Sqn with two flights of Wessex HC.2s at Akrotiri supporting the locally- based UN force, and 1417 Flight with a Harrier detachment in Belize. The RAF pre sence in the Falklands has grown steadily since the war, and now involves Phantoms of 23 Sqn, Harriers of 1 Sqn, Chinooks of 18 Sqn, Sea Kings of 202 Sqn and Hercules of the LTW. Rapiers are stationed in Belize and the Falklands. 344 A decision on the RAF's future basic trainer to replace the Jet Provost is likely to be announced soon, and given present Gov ernment policies, a home-designed aircraft seems the most likely choice. Fuel efficiency is high on the Service specification, which could lead to the purchase of the turboprop-powered Firecracker rather than the BAe P. 164 turbofan design. RAF train ing comes under Support Command, which also administers 16 University Air Squad rons, each UAS having an average of five SA Bulldog T.ls. A Flying Selection squad ron at Swinderby operates Chipmunk T.lOs, while Jet Provost T.3/T. 5s equip 1 FTS at Linton-on-Ouse, CFS and 3 FTS at Leeming, 7 FTS at Church Fenton, and the RAF Col lege at Cranwell. Advanced training is the Type No Role Tornado GB.1 Tornado F.2 Phantom FG.1/FGR.2 Phantom F-4J Lightning F.3/F.6/T.5 Jaguar GR.1/T.2 Harrier GR.3/T.4 Harrier GR.5 Buccaneer S.2 Nimrod MR.2 Nimrod AEW.3 Nimrod R.1 Shackleton AEW.2 Canberra PR.9/B.2/T. 17 Victor K.2 Vulcan K.2 VC10 K.2K.3 TriStar 500 Hercules C.1K Hercules C.1 Hercules C.3 VC10 Andover E.3/CC.1/2 BAe 146 C.1 HS. 125 CC. 1/2)3 Devon CC.1 Pembroke CC.1 Chinook HC.1 Puma HC.1 Sea King HAR.3 Wessex HC.2/HCC.4 Gazelle HT.3/HCC.4 Bulldog T.I Chipmunk T. 10 Jet Provost T.3/T.5 Jet Provost T.4 Hawk T.1 Hunter FGA.6/9/T.7 Dominie T.1 Jetstream T.1 220 165 on order 110 15 on order 50 125/27 72(16 60 on order 65 36 11 on order 3 6 40+ 22 6 4/5 6 on order 6 24 30 13 7/10 2 4/2/4 13 7 38 41 16 15/2 23/3 123 11 100 11 171 60 19 11 Strike Int Int Int Int Strike/reci/train Attack Attack Strike ASW AEW Elint AEW Rec/train/ECM Tanker Tanker Tanker Tanker/trans Tanker Trans Trans Trans Calib/trans Trans Liaison Liaison Liaison Trans Trans SAR SAR/train/VIP Train/VIP Train Train Train Train Train Train Train Train task of 4 FTS at Valley on Hawk T.ls. Navigator, engineer and Air Electronics Officer training is flown at 6 FTS at Fin- ningley on Jet Provosts and Dominie T.ls and at the same base is the Multi-Engine Training Squadron equipped with Jetstream T.ls. Helicopter training is performed by CFS at Shawbury on 23 Gazelle HT.3s and some Wessex HC.2s. Under the command of 11 Group are' the two Tactical Weapons Units, No 1 TWU at Brawdy and No 2 at Chivenor, equipped with a total of some 80 Hawks and a number of Hunters. A training commitment also exists for the RAF Red Arrows, and these are now based at Scamp- ton following their recent move from Kem- ble. Fleet Air Arm Following the Falklands war, the FAA has entered its first major expansion programme since the cut-back in the Seventies. War losses are being replaced, new-build equip ment has been ordered, and the Service is now guaranteed to get three aircraft carriers instead of two. The Sea Harrier took the FAA back into the fixed-wing aircraft business in a glare of publicity, and stands today combat proven and capable of landing on almost any ship. No 800 and 801 form the two front-line squadrons, together with the "headquarters" unit 899 Sqn, all home-based at RNAS Yeovilton. Orders for 14 more Sea Harriers have been placed to make up for attrition, with deliveries due to begin in mid-1985. About the same time a mid-term update of the aircraft's systems will begin. By the end of 1983, 899 Sqn is scheduled to have received all three Harrier T.4(N) trainers, which join the unit's three Hunter T.8M radar trainers. By 1985, the Navy's carrier force will total three ships: HMS Invincible, Illustrious, and Ark Royal. The latter will replace Hermes, which is due for retirement in 1985. The reten tion of the assault ships Intrepid and Fearless means that the FAA have the use of two more warships capable of becoming "Harrier carriers" in an emergency. Sea Kings provide the Navy's principal airborne ASW system, and in HAS.2 and 5 form equip six front-line squadrons and a train ing unit (810, 814, 819, 820, 824, 826 and 706 Sqn). Total RN Sea King procurement stands at 56 HAS.ls, retrofitted to HAS.2A standard, 21 HAS.2s mostly converted to HAS.5 stan dard, and 17 HAS.5s. Eight additional Mk 5s are on order, with delivery due at one per month during 1984. The two AEW.2 airborne early warning Sea Kings are on the strength of 824 Sqn, shore-based at Culdrose, but the Service requires six by 1984-85 building to a total of eight in 1985-86. The commando assault version of the Sea King, the HC.4, currently equips 846 Sqn at Yeovilton, and the 11 aircraft in service will be increased in number in 1984 when eight more will be received to form a second squadron by early 1985. The older commando helicopter, the Type No Role Sea Harrier FRS. 1 Sea Harrier FRS. 1 Sea Harrier T.4(N) Sea King HAS.2/5 Sea King HAS.5 Sea King HC.4 Lynx HAS. 2/3 Wasp HAS. 1 Gazelle Wessex HU.5 Jetstream T 2 Canberra T.22/TT. 18 Hunter GA11/T.8 Hunter T.7/T.8M Sea Heron/Devon Chipmunk T.10 HS. 125 (32 Sqn RAF) 24 14 ordered 3 64 8 ordered 11/8 ordered 56/20 41 19 24 16 12 22 1/3 4/2 13 2 Anti-Air Warfare Anti-Air Warfare Train ASW ASW Commando ASV ASV/survey Train Train/SAR Train FRADU FRADU Train Liaison Train VIP FLIGHT International, 6 August 1983
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
