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3 Squadron RAF Regiment returns to its roots
7 Jun 06
Over 83 years since it was first formed at Basrah Airfield in November
1922 as No 3 Armoured Car Company Royal Air Force, its successor, 3
Squadron RAF Regiment has returned to Basrah Air Station (BAS), this
time for a six month tour of duty as the Resident Field Squadron (RFS).
Under the command of Squadron Leader Gus Powell, the 132 men and one
woman have deployed from RAF Aldergrove, taking over from 51 Sqn RAF
Regt as the Resident Field Squadron with a remit to guard the airfield
and surrounding area.
"Our role here is to provide force protection for Basra Air Station and
its associated area of responsibility, which is about a 500 square
kilometre chunk of real estate," said Sqn Ldr Powell.
"My mission is to safeguard this location, the aircraft that operate
from it and the servicemen and women based here. We operate out on the
ground using vehicle borneWMIKs (Weapon Mounted Installation Kit),
helicopters and boats for the marshes and we operate in the same way
that any army unit would.
An RAF Regiment gunner on patrol near Basra Air Station.
[Picture: Cpl Will Craig]
Click to enlarge
"It is important for us to maintain, and if possible, improve our
relationship with the local people, their co-operation with us is a
great help in executing our mission.
"We maintain regular contacts with the Iraqi Army units in our area, we
work on base with the Department for Border Enforcement and interact
with the Iraqi Police Service when we are out on the ground."
Tracing its history back to 1922, 3 Squadron was reformed in 1987
specifically to go to Northern Ireland and has been there ever since,
responsible for the security of RAF Aldergrove and, prior to its closure
in the early 90’s, RAF Bishops Court. The squadron is completing almost
20 years of service in Northern Ireland and will move to RAF Wittering
in the spring of 2007, ending a 37 year RAF Regiment presence in
Northern Ireland.
The RAF Regiment use boats to patrol the marsh areas of
southern Iraq.
[Picture: Cpl Will Craig]
Click to enlarge
"It is a very young squadron," Sqn Ldr Powell continued. "Some 60% are
on their first detachment of this nature, so not only is Iraq new to
them, so is a long detachment of any sort. Getting used to living out of
a box and a rucksack is something that a lot of them are doing for the
first time.
"The heat is hard, very hard. We try not to let it dictate the way that
we carry out our task, but there is a limit to what you can expect the
patrols to encompass in distance and time in the heat of the day; the
WMIK Rovers and the armoured Land Rovers get very hot in these
temperatures.
"However it is important for us to maintain, and if possible, improve
our relationship with the local people, their co-operation with us is a
great help in executing our mission."
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