The 18(B) Sqn Role
No. 18 (B) Squadron is currently based at RAF Odiham, Hampshire, where it operates the Boeing Chinook HC2 in the Support Helicopter role. It has two Operational Flights (A & B), an Operational Conversion Flight (C Flt or the OCF) and a HQ Flt, making it, with around 120 personnel, one of the biggest Squadrons in the current Royal Air Force.
The roles of the operational flights are many and varied as reflected by 
the capability and flexibility of the Chinook. These include the support of the Army in conventional and non-conventional war-fighting, where its primary role is the tactical manoeuvre of troops, weapons, ammunition and supplies to the battlefield and to provide a casevac capability.
The secondary roles in war-fighting include amphibious ops support, ship 
to shore transfers, resupply and support to dispersed combat aircraft. Another main role of the Squadron is Peace Support Operations. These encompass many, often complicated tasks, including peace support, peace keeping and peace enforcement, all usually with United Nations Mandates and regulations. The number of other tasks is almost only limited by the imagination. The Chinook is fast, agile but most of all a very powerful lifter of loads and passengers. So other tasks include underslung loads, search and rescue, combat recovery, aid and refugee work, non combatant evacuations, para-dropping, aid to civil powers and forward area refuelling, amongst many more.
The Operational flights (A & B) work a cycle of detachments, training, tasking and stand-bys. When the flight is home at Odiham the crews train in tactical low flying, instrument and airways flying, night flying 
using Night Vision Goggles, fighter evasion, electronic warfare and many other skills to keep them current and practised for regular and short notice detachments to world hot spots. They also take part in exercises, often deploying to the field in support of the Army or more commonly joint exercises with all three services and other nations. The flights also regularly train for all environments, such as Arctic training in Norway and desert training in Morocco and Jordan. On top of the training and exercises the flights also conduct tasking in the UK and Europe moving troops, equipment and unusual or heavy loads.
The role of HQ Flight is an important one. They provide admin and personnel support to the squadron, but primarily they provide continuity 
for the Op flights who lead a turbulent lifestyle. HQ flight also encompasses the operations and the registry staff without whom the Sqn could not function.
There has been a permanent detachment of Chinooks in the Falklands since the conflict in 1982, to which 18(B)Sqn deploy personnel for 6 months of every year. The aircraft and crews are detached to 78 Sqn which is a composite squadron of two SAR Sea Kings and one Chinook, providing the Search and Rescue and Support Helicopter cover for the Islands. The work in the area is mainly the movement of loads around the inhospitable terrain and support to the remote, mountain-top radar sites, flying everything from 10-ton radar heads to packets of soup to keep the units supplied. The aircraft is also available for long-range SAR missions utilising its superior endurance over the Sea King.
In recent years, personnel from 18(B)Sqn have been involved in all the 
major conflicts where British Forces have deployed. This includes Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and most recently Iraq. With British Forces deploying back to Afghanistan in early 2006, the Chinook Wing, and 18(B)Sqn, will be with them.
Life on No. 18 (B) Squadron is certainly challenging and is often one of extremes, from mundane tasking to extremely exciting flying, from training sorties based at Odiham to field deployments in draughty tents, and you are often unsure as to what surprises the next day will spring. With the current commitments around the world all personnel on No. 18 (B) Squadron spend a lot of time away from home and a lot of hard work and effort is required both at home and away to keep crews and aircraft flying. No. 18 (B) Squadron has a good spirit and a long history and will continue to go on with courage and faith.
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