For 6 weeks, from 26 October to 5 December, a C-130J Hercules, crewed by Number 47 Squadron, provided support to the Red Arrows’ tour of the Middle East.
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The Hercules was deployed as a “sweeper”, a critical job for an Air Mobility aircraft when it supports the deployment of fighters, ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) or, in this case, the RAF Aerobatic Team!
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.
Basing out of Bahrain initially, the C-130 provided essential logistic runs to the Abu Dhabi and Kuwait Airshow, using a hub and spoke model to provide logistics and sweeper support. The crew were co-located with the RAFAT headquarters, allowing them to attend daily meetings and provide input into future Airshow planning, including contingency planning. During the second phase of the tour, the headquarters was moved to Hurghada, where the Air Mobility Force crew continued to provide input into planning for 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, No. 47 Squadron engineers worked tirelessly to conduct routine maintenance, saline washes, 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.
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, Air Mobility Force has proved it’s agility and ability to support a high-profile tour showcasing UK Defence. The aircraft is now safely back at RAF Brize Norton, ready to support the next mission.
Officer Commanding No. 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 Group, 2 Group, 11 Group and the Air Mobility Force HQ were responsible for this complex 47 Squadron deployment – it is fantastic to see teamwork on such a grand scale.”
Wing Commander James Sjoberg
Officer Commanding Number 47 Squadron
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