Female Engineers in Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan)

The Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) or JHF(A), is a deployed Tri-Service unit from the Joint Helicopter Command. JHF(A) operates five helicopter types and the engineering detachments for each are currently all managed by female officers from all three services. Heading up approximately 250 personnel in the engineering teams of such a crucial part of the support to British forces is vital and was most recently witnessed in Operation TOR SHEZADA in the Sayedebad area of Helmand province.

The five female officers are:

Lieutenant Nicki Wallace, Royal Navy, is the Officer Commanding of the combined engineering detachment of 846 and 848 Royal Naval Air Squadrons operating the Sea King Mk4.

Captain Kate Redfern of 9 Regt, Army Air Corps, Dishforth Airfield is the Officer Commanding on the engineering detachment of the Lynx Mk9A helicopter.

Captain Charlotte Joyce, 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps, Wattisham Airfield, is the Officer Commanding of the Apache attack helicopter engineering detachment.

Flight Lieutenant Laura Morfee is a Junior Engineering Officer on the 1310 Flight Chinook detachment leading personnel from 18/27 (Engineering) Squadron, RAF Benson.

Flight Lieutenant Katie Muldoon is a Junior Engineering Officer on 78 Sqn, RAF Benson and is currently leading the men of the engineering detachment of 1419 Flight operating the Merlin helicopter.

From left to right: Lt Wallace RN, Capt Redfern, Flt Lt Morfee, Capt Joyce, Flt Lt Muldoon
Photo: Sgt Martin Downs (RAF)

The primary purpose of JHF(A) is to facilitate tactical mobility, reconnaissance and overwatch support to the UK task force in Helmand Province and to the multi-national force of Regional Command (South West). The unit provides Immediate Response Teams, armed escort, situational awareness and fire support to troops engaged in combat with the enemy on the ground. JHF(A) operates Chinook from RAF Odiham, Merlin from RAF Benson, Royal Navy Sea Kings from RNAS Yeovilton along with Army Lynx from 9 Regiment Army Air Corps, Dishforth Airfield and Apache from 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, Wattisham Airfield. JHF(A) also has its own integral engineering, logistic and signals support personnel to ensure that aircraft availability can be maintained to mount operations 24 hours a day.

JHF(A)’s primary mission is to support Commander UK task force and Commander Regional Command (South West) as they seek to set the security conditions to permit vital reconstruction work in Helmand. Aviation support in the harsh terrain and high threat environment is key to success. The United Kingdom has a significant rotary commitment in Afghanistan and other than the United States is the largest provider of helicopter capability in Afghanistan.
The officers themselves and the crews that fly them are extremely praiseworthy of the teams that keep the helicopters flying and directly support the frontline. The climatic conditions are challenging and Flt Lt Morfee describes the rewarding work “the team move heaven and earth to maintain the serviceability of the Chinooks in extremely excessive temperatures, however, they know their work is directly supporting the troops on the ground.”



The Chinook and Merlin aircraft are also used in the Medical Emergency Response Team role which sees a mobile airborne operating theatre deploy to collect coalition casualties. Flight Lieutenant Muldoon adds that “team spirit and morale is high throughout the entire JHF detachment as such missions are saving the lives of British and coalition troops.” Despite this, there is still a fair degree of banter and rivalry between the different services. Unsurprisingly they all think their own Service and helicopter type are the best. The various fleets have been subject to various upgrades for service in Afghanistan and Captain Redfern has relished the challenge of bringing the new Lynx into operational service which she has described as “immensely challenging but hugely rewarding as it has brought significant extra capability.”

The diversity of the helicopter fleet is evident as Lieutenant Wallace has preferred the hands on traditional engineering of the venerable Sea King whilst Captain Joyce is at home in the digital environment of the Apache attack helicopter.

PICTURE of the day: Royal Navy Sea Kings In Action

Royal Navy Sea Kings from 845 and 856 Naval Air Squadrons are part of the Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan). These images were from a recent flight over the green zone in a Sea King Mk4+.


The aircraft can seat up to 27 troops and is fitted with an external cargo hook capable of carrying underslung loads weighing up to 6000lbs such as light artillery. A rescue hoist is fitted as standard.


The aircraft is fitted with a Defensive Aids Suite which offers a high standard of protection from both Infra-Red (IR) and radar guided anti-aircraft weapons. It is also armed with a cabin mounted 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) for self defence and limited fire support.


On the Squadrons return from Iraq, the Sea King Mk 4 required upgrading to enable it to operate in Afghanistan. So within days of returning from Iraq the first Sea King began a modification programme to both improve its performance for the hot and high conditions of Afghanistan and to enhance its capability to deliver effect on the battlefield. This meant fitting a new design of rotor blades, a high performance tail rotor, an updated Defensive Aids Suite, an improved avionics and radio suite to detect and deter anti-aircraft radar, missiles and guns and a new Display Night Vision Goggle capability. This large package of modifications resulted in the Sea King Mk 4 becoming the Sea King Mk4+.


845 and 846 Squadrons Naval Air Squadron primarily provides 3 Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines with tactical troop transport and load lifting helicopters. Together with all elements of the Commando Helicopter Force, the squadrons are based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset.


A Royal Marine Crewman in action



Narrative: Squadron Leader Neville Clayton, RAF
Pictures: Cpl Lynny Cash

PICTURE of the day: UK helicopters on ops 2

Pictures: Major Paul Smyth

Royal Navy Sea Kings - flying over Afghanistan for two years

For two years the green Sea King Mk4s of the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) have been heavily involved in flying operations in Afghanistan as part of the Joint Helicopter Force.

The 'Jungly' squadrons have considerable operational experience out here and that as well as the aircraft's increased performance and capability, has earned them an enviable reputation for reliability in the face of adversity.

The nickname 'Jungly' evolved during the Borneo Campaign of 1963-66, as it was within the Indonesian jungle that squadrons of the Royal Navy proved their versatility.

PICTURE of the day: Sea King sortie in Helmand

A Royal Navy Sea King on a routine sortie packed with mail for troops at one of the forward operating bases.

Front door gunner scanning the ground below for threats.

Royal Navy Sea Kings 'bag' intelligence over Helmand

The Royal Navy's unique airborne surveillance and control helicopters, known as 'Baggers', have recently deployed to Helmand for the first time, where they are detecting, following and intercepting insurgent activity.

The Mk7 helicopters are known as Baggers thanks to the large grey 'bag' which contains the aircraft's state-of-the-art radar.

Primarily used in the maritime surveillance role, the helicopter's powerful onboard sensors also enable it to provide valuable battlefield reconnaissance and targeting information at particular times in land operations, and in May this year Sea King Mk7s from 854 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) were deployed to Afghanistan.

After a month acclimatising to conditions in Camp Bastion and exercising with allied forces in theatre, the Baggers and support personnel from 854 NAS were sent aloft on missions from the middle of June onwards.

Commander Matt Avison, Commander Sea King Force, said:

"The job is to throw a light into areas which are regarded as a black hole - vast areas outside the 'Green Zone' in Helmand - and give the commanders on the ground an idea of what is going on.

"Almost every sortie has produced useful information and there have been many - and significant - results."