Air Mobility Air Wing Support to the Red Arrows tour of the Middle East

47 Squadron Hercules acted as a Red Arrows “Sweeper”- what is that?

For 6 weeks - from 26 October to 5 December 2022 - a C130J Hercules, crewed by 47 Squadron, provided support to the Red Arrows’ tour of the Middle East. The Hercules was deployed as a “sweeper”, a critical job for an Air Mobility aircraft when it supports the deployment of fighters, ISTAR or in this case the RAF Aerobatic Team!

the drawdown of the Operation and the return to unit for the personnel and equipment involved. Throughout, the crews were involved in Defence Engagement opportunities, alongside members of RAFAT.

Notably, the 47 Squadron engineers worked tirelessly to conduct routine maintenance and complete saline washes (required after flying in a coastal environment), whilst also rectifying any unforeseen engineering issues. They were successful in changing a Hercules engine at a foreign airbase with little of the support or human resources that they could expect at home base. Their ability to achieve the job proved the amazing deployed engineering capabilities of Air Mobility Air Wing.

The main task for the Hercules was to enable the right people and equipment to be in place to enable the Airshow to take place. There were over 100 personnel supporting the Red Arrows, with multiple pallets of freight that required close coordination. The Hercules also provided a standby commitment, ensuring that if a Red Arrow’s Hawk was to divert to another airfield, preparations were in place to effect a rescue. This role of “sweeping up” leads to the name of the sweeper role. The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT) require this support, especially when crossing large bodies of water and deserts.

Initially based at Bahrain, the C130 provided essential logistic runs to the Abu Dhabi and Kuwait Airshows, using a hub and spoke model to provide logistics and sweeper support. The crew were co-located with the RAFAT headquarters (HQ), allowing them to attend daily meetings and provide input into future Airshow planning, including contingency planning. During the second phase of the tour, the HQ was moved to Hurghada in Egypt, from where the AMF crew continued to provide input into planning for

Air Mobility support to the tour concluded with the relocation of personnel and freight from Egypt to RAF Waddington, home of the Red Arrows. Deploying from RAF Brize Norton to multiple countries in the Middle East, Egypt and returning through Europe, AMF has proved it’s agility and ability to support a high-profile tour showcasing UK Defence. The C130J is now safely back at RAF Brize Norton, ready to support the next mission.

Officer Commanding 47 Squadron, Wing Commander James Sjoberg, said : “Logistic support to overseas deployments by other aircraft is a key role for Air Mobility aircraft. The 47 Squadron Hercules crews supporting the recent Red Arrows’ Tour did fantastic job, overcoming logistic and engineering challenges to get the iconic Red Arrows to every display on time. Planners from across 1 Gp, 2 Gp, 11 Gp and the Air Mobility FHQ were responsible for this complex 47 Squadron deployment – it is fantastic to see teamwork on such a grand scale .”