'C' Flight No. 22 Search & Rescue Squadron

 military, helicopter, rescue service

No. 22 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Sea King HAR.3 and HAR.3A at three stations in the southern United Kingdom. The squadron was originally formed in 1915 as an aerial reconnaissance unit of the Royal Flying Corps serving on the Western Front during First World War.

Becoming part of the Royal Air Force on its formation in 1918, it was disbanded the following year as part of the post-World War I scaling back of the RAF. During World War II the Squadron operated in the torpedo bomber role over the North Sea and then in the Mediterranean and the Far East.

Reformed again in 1955, the squadron took on the Search and Rescue role it maintains today. Initially equipped with Westland Whirlwinds, these were later replaced by the Westland Wessex. Finally, in the mid-1990s, the squadron received six newly built Sea King HAR.3A to supplement the Sea King HAR.3 aircraft which replaced the Wessex aircraft.

The squadron HQ is co-located with the SAR Force HQ at RAF Valley on Anglesey, Wales. Detachments of at least two aircraft operate from three stations to provide search and rescue cover in their parts of the country; these are:

'A' Flight - RMB Chivenor, Devon
'B' Flight - Wattisham, Suffolk
'C' Flight - RAF Valley, Anglesey