Since 1966, Number 1 Air Mobility Wing (1AMW) have been the ‘First In, Last Out’ of every major Operation and Exercise requiring the enablement of air transport activity. Exercise Saif Sareea 3 (Ex SS3), a combined British and Omani Military exercise, was no different.
Number 1 Air Mobility Wing is the RAF Movements Trade’s High Readiness Air Combat Service Support Unit (ACSSU) and the key Air Mobility early-entry enabler for the provision of Air Movements capability for operations in the full range of single-Service, joint or multinational environments. Incorporating the Air Movements Force Element the UK Mobile Air Movements Squadron (UKMAMS); a quick reaction force at varying degrees of readiness of tactical air movements specialists who are capable of rapid deployment worldwide, to provide facilities where none exist or to reinforce existing ones.
So, how do you recover the largest exercise the British Military have been part of for over 15 years?
Operating three airheads geographically dispersed 1,000km across Oman, lead elements of C Flt UKMAMS deployed at the start of the exercise enabling the deployment of 5,000 UK based personnel, freight and equipment. A team from D Flt sustained the airbridge, supporting the logistics resupply chain in and out of theatre. Sixteen members of E Flt had the task of returning the dispersed units and freight to the UK and other global locations to prepare for future exercises and operations. This was a huge logistical challenge in itself after 3 months of equipment usage and ground movement.
During the 7-week recovery window, working closely with colleagues from 902 EAW, JHC, 29 RLC, 1ELS, 2MT and JFLogC, 358 tonnes of freight and 3765 passengers were dispatched from the 3 airheads on 40 RAF Air Transport and civilian charter aircraft. The whole process brought unique challenges including the first double Puma helicopter move with an Air Transportable Galley/Lavatory (ATGL), the first Chinook plus ATGL move on a C-17 and the diversion to the airbridge of mission critical equipment originally destined to travel by Sea.
After the other Tri-Service enabling groups had left the country in early December, a contingent of UKMAMS personnel remained to process, build, prepare, load and despatch the outstanding exercise freight. Five days before Christmas the last Ex SS3 presence in country, 4 UKMAMS personnel and 1AMW aircraft handling equipment, departed on an A400M bound for the UK - displaying that after 52 years we are still the ‘First In, Last Out’.
Flt Lt AV Claber-Aikman
OC E Flt, UKMAMS, 1AMW, A4 Fce, No 38 Gp
