The RAF has two Special Forces Flights. The SF Flight
in No.7 Squadron at RAF Odiham is equipped, like the
rest of the squadron, with the Chinook HC.2 helicopter,
equivalent to the US CH-47D. This flight saw action
in the Gulf War, amongst other things inserting Bravo
Two Zero. Its pilots are trained in low level flying
and the use of passive night goggles, while the loadmasters
operate the 7.62mm Miniguns received in recent years.
Nine HC.3s are on order for the RAF; these are of
a similar standard to the MH-47, having wider fuel
tanks, air-to-air refuelling probes and radar. 47
Squadron's SF Flight has the Hercules C.1/C.3 aircraft,
in service since the late 1960s. The RAF is busy replacing
half its fifty-strong Hercules fleet with the C-130J,
known locally as the C.4;four of these are expected
to be of MC-130 Combat Talon standard. All Hercules
are based at RAF Lyneham.
Royal Navy
The Fleet Air Arm also has a small SF support role,
in the form of M Flight of 848 Naval Air Squadron.
848 is one of three Naval Air Commando squadrons,
all based at Yeovilton in Somerset( HMS Heron) and
flying the Sea King HC.4. M Flight operates mainly
in support of the SBS, for example the descent on
the British embassy in Kuwait City.
Army
No.8 Flight of the Army Air Corps operates in support
of 22 SAS Regiment. It is located at Netheravon, the
centre of Army flying, and has four Augusta A109 helicopters.
Two of these were captured in the Falklands War, while
the other two were purchased new. The A109 has short
range but high speed, so it is probably used mainly
to transport counter-terrorist teams. The SAS has
also been supported in the past by Army Lynx and Gazelle
helos of various squadrons, as well as RAF Pumas.