The pivotal focal point for Engineering matters across Operations HERRICK and TELIC, 901 EAW Engineering Operations tracks the serviceability states and achievements of all of 83 EAG Air and support assets and provides engineering assistance to all Force Elements that fall under the 83 EAG area of responsibility.

The Engineering Operations Section is made up of 3 chief technicians, currently of the Avionics trade, and cover 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The job is highly varied and includes providing engineering and availability briefs to the Air Component Commander in theatre (who can never be satisfied with anything but 100% availability and responsiveness, given the nature of our tasks in Iraq and Afghanistan!), HQ Air Command and our USAF Coalition partners. The Section is kept busy organizing tasking to support elements such as the General Engineering Section, gaining approval from the Host Nation and Coalition Partners for aircraft moves and aero-engine ground-runs, organizing aircraft tugs and chasing spares and their routes both into and across theatre, to ensure unserviceability affects us as little as possible.

Engineering Operations work closely with logistics personnel based in theatre and the UK to get essential spares sourced from international locations and routed through the most efficient and effective route. Chief Tech Steve Levick explains, “To ensure that the aircraft spare parts arrive with the technicians in time, to make a critical sortie, can be the most rewarding part of the job.” AOC 83 EAG, Air Cdre Mike Harwood says “Every day, I read every single Mission Report from our aircrew, written up once they have completed whatever task came their way. Believe me, when you have the privilege to see just how important the work is, how much impact we are bringing to our activities against a determined enemy, you start to appreciate just how important every single bit of ‘the chain’ is. This is not an exercise; this is not an activity where it really doesn’t matter if we are there or not: oh yes it does, every mission matters, so I cannot over-emphasise the importance of the engineering and logistic effort!”

Engineering Operations support a diverse range of the Royal Air Force operational fleet from large aircraft such Hercules C-130, VC-10 and TriStar, through to fast-jets such as Tornado GR4 and interestingly, the latest addition to the Royal Air Force fleet, the Reaper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Support is also provided to our sister Service, the Royal Navy, and its Merlin helicopters. The variety is fascinating, the challenges that appear seem never-ending, but there can no more rewarding a place to work.

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