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Ex Swift Response 22 -Chinook Force

Written By: Sqn Ldr Jeffrey Fitzpatrick

Ex SWIFT RESPONSE 22, was a huge, US-led NATO exercise focused on our Allied Airborne forces’ ability to respond to crisis situations quickly and effectively.

The exercise took place in three regions, the Artic, the Baltic and the Balkans, testing NATO’s ability to rapidly project high readiness forces to counter an aggressor. In all, 8000 British service personnel took part.

As part of the larger exercise element, 18 Sqn, with support from across RAF Odiham, deployed 100 people and three Chinook aircraft to NATO’s newest member state, North Macedonia. Departing in late April, the aircraft transited across Europe to join the wider aviation package at Skopje international airport, who were there to support 2500 combat troops operating on the Krivolak training area. North Macedonia is a small, land-locked mountainous country, with snow-capped peaks up to 10000ft but temperatures on the aircraft dispersal in the mid-30s in May, it made a challenging working environment.

Our key partner was 16 Air Assault Brigade made up of 2 and 3 Para, 7 Para Royal Horse Artillery, as well French combat troops and a regiment of Italian Paras. To support them were the x3 Chinooks from RAF Odiham, joined by x4 Apache helicopters from 664 Sqn Army Air Corps from Wattisham Flying Station, as well as x4 US Pave Hawks, x4 Black Hawks, x2 US Army Chinooks and a US RQ-7, an unmanned air system detachment providing surveillance.

The first phase of the exercise allowed all participants to use live ammunition to fight into the training area and insert a company from 16 Air Assault Brigade, who then assaulted a hilltop enemy position. For the Chinook crews to fire the 3000 round-a-minute miniguns, from a pair of aircraft, whist co-ordinating with mortar fire, 105MM artillery fire and the 30mm canon of the Apache attack helicopter, was a great experience, and one that would be near-impossible to replicate in the UK but hugely beneficial for our pre-deployment training. For the assaulting troops, this again provided a unique opportunity to be tested prior to taking over as the UKs high readiness airborne assault force.

The next phase of the exercise saw a Joint Forcible Entry, which practiced a response to a simulated enemy attack on a NATO member. This was initiated by 1000 British and Italian Para troops parachuting onto the training area from a C-17 and Hercules, they were then reinforced by a helicopter assault force. Our Chinooks provided the heavy lift, both inserting troops and lifting vehicles and artillery equipment.

As the exercise continued, the complexity increased, giving the crews the chance to test themselves against advanced anti-aircraft missile systems and enemy tactics by day and night. 18 Sqn’s role was to carry out tactical resupply to the deployed forces, allow the ground forces to react to the enemy and then facilitate air assaults to capture key positions.

The mountainous terrain made the task more challenging, particularly by night. However, the crews used that to their advantage, flying low to avoid enemy radar systems and maintain the element of surprise.

As it would be during a real conflict, the sorties throughout the exercise were highly dynamic, with regular, last minute, high-priority tasks that needed the crews to rapidly plan and often reprioritise during flight, this develops the crews understanding of what the aircraft can do and prepare them for current and future operations.

Clearly carrying out day and night tasking with a dynamic schedule creates a real challenge for the deployed logisticians and engineers who have to keep these complicated aircraft serviceable and ready to use at short notice. This was compounded by limited tooling and spares and the searing heat on the aircraft dispersal. Despite these challenges their extraordinary effort delivered 250 flying hours in single month on just three Chinook; this marks a phenomenal achievement from the 18 Sqn engineers and was pivotal in delivering a successful exercise.

Ex SWIFT RESPONSE 22 provided an exceptional training environment for all involved. Moreover, it helped the Chinook Force prepare, in a highly realistic environment, with key NATO allies, for current and future operations whilst demonstrating our capabilities and resolve.

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