RAF Marham Operations Wing

Operations Wing is responsible for the management of the airfield and its supporting services. The Wing comprises:- Air Traffic Control Squadron (which includes the Fire Services and the Bird Control Unit), Standards and Evaluation Squadron (STANEVAL responsible for the standardization of flying units, the Tornado Simulator and Electronic Warfare), Meteorological Services which is a Civilian Agency, Operations Support Squadron (responsible for the Combat Operations Centre, Operations Support Squadron, C4i Support Squadron, encompassing IS Flight, and Communications Flight, Station Intelligence Flight (responsible for the Station Intelligence services) and Stormshadow - Central Training Facility is a lodger unit.

Officer Commanding Operations Wing - Wg Cdr Andy Challen MA RAF
Wg Cdr Andy Challen Joined the RAF in 1991 having completed a four year electrical engineering apprenticeship with BAe (Dynamics). After selection for fast jet training he completed an Operations Officer tour on Ascension Island for six months before gaining his wings and selection for the Harrier OCU. He flew for a short time on 3(F) Sqn from RAF Laarbruch in Germany.

On transfer to Tornado GR1 in 1997 he completed a frontline tour on No II(AC) Sqn at RAF Marham, flying operations over Iraq and becoming qualified as an Electronic Warfare Instructor and four ship leader. His following tour was as an instructor on the Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Lossiemouth. Qualifying as an Instrument Rating Examiner and Qualified Flying Instructor, he returned to the frontline to fly the Tornado GR4 with IX(B) Sqn at RAF Marham, taking part in Op TELIC 1 and was awarded the Queens Commendation for Valuable Service. On promotion to Squadron Leader he held the posts of Officer Commanding Weapons and Tactics, Training, and the Executive Officer on XIII Sqn at RAF Marham. He continued to fly on operation TELIC each year and worked to improve Air Land Integration with local Land units through exchange visits and familiarisation flights.

In 2006 he took the post of SO2 Strike Attack/Offensive Support in A3 Current Ops at Air Command, responsible for offensive support and air ISTAR to both TELIC and HERRICK, with lead responsibility for all Op TELIC Air. He held the post of acting SO1 in A3 for four months prior to posting to Advanced Staff Training on Advanced Command and Staff Course No 11 at Joint Services Command and Staff College. Here he gained an MA in Defence Studies from Kings College London. He was promoted to Wing Commander on 1 July 08.

In August 08 he took post as Air 1 with the British Defence Staff United States in Washington DC. Working for the Air Attaché, he took responsibility for J2,3,5,6,and 7 (Air), to improve UK/US liaison and interoperability, spanning from the Strategic to tactical levels, across a variety of UK/US government departments. This included advice on future interoperability, and implementation of the UK policy on the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Additionally, he was responsible for in-country management and pastoral care for half of the RAF Officers taking part in the Military Personnel Exchange Programme.

No stranger to the local area, the Challen family look forward to the next two years in the local and RAF community, who may smell exotic cooking, hear occasional rock drumming or see a menagerie of pets from time to time.