Ops Update 1 May 2011
CinC Air Visits RAF Personnel
CinC Air Command, Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant, visited RAF personnel deployed in support of Op HERRICK this week; accompanied by AOC 2 Gp, Air Vice Marshal Phil Osborn and COS Pers, Air Vice Marshal Mike Lloyd. He met personnel from 83 Expeditionary Air Group, all 4 Expeditionary Air Wings and many of the force elements deployed in Theatre. He took time to update personnel on current operations and concluded by thanking them for their outstanding support to on-going operations in Afghanistan and the Broader Middle East, as well as underlining the critical contribution that Air Power continues to make.
Air Mobility and Lift
Following an urgent request for assistance from the Afghan authorities, a RAF C-130 ferried almost 200 Afghan National Army troops and Afghan National Police personnel from Tarin Kot in Uruzgan Province to Kandahar airfield in support of on-going Afghan-led security operations in Kandahar Province. The mission, which was flown at very short notice and involved operating from an unfamiliar airfield at night, drew particular praise from Lieutenant General Rodriguez, the commander of the International Stabilisation Assistance Force Joint Command.
C130 support to the Afghan National Army and Police
ISTAR
Intelligence and Situational Awareness
ISTAR tasking formed the basis of 617 Sqn’s contribution to Coalition operations this week. Further support to Op GHUMBESA offered an opportunity to demonstrate the Tornado GR4’s flexibility, by using the night capability of its LITENING III imaging and targeting pod to detect and report insurgent activity on the ground. Additionally, TorDet were able to provide a timely and effective Show of Force, including the use of flares, to support ground troops that had come under small arms fire from insurgents.
Despite being employed on 2 concurrent NATO operations, 5(AC) Squadron continued to deliver a pivotal ISTAR capability to Coalition troops in Afghanistan this week. Both from the air and on the ground, 5(AC) Sqn personnel have been providing accurate and timely information to ground commanders in both RC(West) and RC(South West). As the 902 EAW Sentinel Detachment Commander commented: “The insurgents haven’t taken their foot off the gas, the British Army certainly haven’t and consequently neither will we.”
TorDet Demonstrates ISTAR Flexibility
JHF(A)
Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan)
847 NAS, Lynx Mk9A – The Lynx Mk9A has been heavily involved with providing Close Air Support and escort cover to the Support Helicopter fleet, transporting RiP personnel around theatre to their forward locations. In addition to this, 847 NAS has also been supporting bespoke escort, sustainment and recce taskings. The MX-15 aircraft mounted-camera continues to be a much sought after and valued asset which is being used on a daily basis for a variety of intelligence gathering tasks, supporting Task Force Helmand units as well as external agencies.
845/6 NAS, Sea King 4+ – The number of VIP moves conducted alongside the continued Bde RiP has contributed towards SK4+’s slightly higher than normal flying rate. The requirement to conduct day into night ops for some VIP movement has also positively contributed towards SK4+’s tasking framework and provided the opportunity to allow new crews to rapidly develop their understanding of the Operational Area.
1310 Flt RAF (Chinook) – A very busy week for 1310 Flt with a particularly high number of passenger moves due to the on-going RiP between Op HERRICK 13 and 14. On top of this high tasking load, 4 Deliberate Operations have been supported including Op KAPCHA BAZ 15, which saw an ‘infil’ of over 60 troops from 2 PARA to a location in Nad-e Ali (S) in order to exploit a suspected Taliban prison location.
Editor: Flt Lt N C Downs.
Photography: RAF/MOD Crown Copyright 2011.