The Weapons Technicians, or known in the RAF as ‘armourers’ of Armament Engineering Flight, 901 Expeditionary Air Wing based in the Middle East, comprise a mixture of Wing and detached personnel from 93 Expeditionary Armament (EA) Squadron, RAF Marham. Between them, they have the diverse and often difficult task of ensuring aircraft based in the Middle East have the requisite armament support to safely carry out missions throughout the Joint Operational Area.

The Hercules C-130 Armament Section consists of 6 personnel with responsibilities ranging from preparing and loading Flare Countermeasures onto the Hercules aircraft to issuing small arms and ammunition to aircrew and personnel deploying forward on Operations TELIC and HERRICK. Between them, the armourers have a wide and varied portfolio of 1st line Typhoon and Tornado experience mixed with an extensive 2nd line engineering background.

Most of the personnel have completed operational tours before however, for SAC Matt Newell from RAF Coningsby, this is his first time. Having served for 6 1/2 years to date, SAC Newell completed 2 months pre-employment training in preparation for his deployment. He explains, “This tour has offered a lot more responsibility than I’d originally anticipated. I was looking forward to the deployment before and have so far enjoyed it. It has certainly made me want to go on operations again and I’m looking forward to the new challenges that will offer”.

Whilst this may be the first operational tour for SAC Newell, the same cannot be said for the 93 EA Squadron personnel. They currently have one of the highest operational tempos in the RAF. All Squadron personnel can expect to deploy at least twice a year to either the Middle East or Afghanistan. When they deploy to the Middle East, their team consists of 6 personnel including a SNCO. The current SNCO, Sgt ‘Freddie’ Laker, explains “93 EA Squadron personnel are responsible for providing the Tornado Detachment with a defensive and offensive capability for operations over Iraq. The personnel deployed are under no illusion as to how important their job is and because we deploy so much, we are very operationally focused”. 93 EA Sqn personnel spend at least 7-8 weeks away at any one time and when they are not deployed are often employed on other tasks such as exercises and trials.

Overall, the armament task is vast and varying. The armourers are required to react and deliver in a very inhospitable climate where there is no room for error. It’s a place in which they have to perform to the highest of standards to ensure operations continue unhindered. Fundamentally, they provide everyone with some equipment which protects us and other forces which ‘take the fight to the enemy.’

Photographs: RAF.

Image 1: Armourers move a bomb onto its trolley to prepare it.

Image 2: Armourers Prepare a Bomb.

Image 3: Medical staff experience aeromed as a customer.

For more images view the Gallery.