Forward Support WIng

Forward Support Wing provides support to enable RAF Odiham to fulfil its operational obligations to provide military capability to Joint Helicopter Command. Its mission is:

“To deliver responsive and efficient logistics support to sustain RAF Odiham’s Chinook and Lynx world-wide capability.”

The Wing comprises some 700 personnel divided across 3 distinct squadrons.

In addition to the 3 squadrons, the Officer Commanding Forward Support Wing has engineering management authority over the Joint Helicopter Support Unit and the engineering functions of 18 Squadron, 27 Squadron and Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing.

The 3 squadrons are as follows:

ExCES (Expeditionary Chinook Engineering Squadron)

ExCES is established to provide on-aircraft engineering activities in support of the Chinooks used by 18Sqn and 27Sqn aircrew. The Squadron currently employs 295 personnel spread over 5 flights: W Flight(Engineer Support), X Flight(Engineer Shift), Y Flight(Engineer Shift),  Z Flight (Engineer Shift) and PulseTeam.

Engineering Support Squadron

Engineering Support Squadron is established to provide a wide variety of off-aircraft and ground engineering maintenance activities in support of the resident Chinook and Lynx 1st line flying squadrons. The Squadron currently employs 250 Royal Air Force personnel and a small cadre of civilian support staff. The Squadron comprises 3 separate flights: Armament Engineering Flight, Command Control Communications Computers and Intelligence Support Flight and Suport Engineering Flight.

Resource Management Squadron

The Resource Management Squadron is established to provide the management and provision of the majority of the logistics support required to sustain RAF Chinook Wing operations. It comprises some 190 personnel spread across 5 flights: Supply Control and Accounting, Logistics Support, Logistics Deployment, Base Support, and Mechanical Transport Operations Flights.