Joint Helicopter Command

Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) is a tri-service organisation uniting military helicopters of the British Armed Forces for command and coordination purposes. Joint Helicopter Command is subordinate to British Army Land Command, which is based in Wilton, England.

History

Joint Helicopter Command was formed on 5 October, 1999, from a recommendation in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review to consolidate the helicopters of the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy under a single command.

Joint Helicopter Command's largest operation to date has been Operation Telic, the invasion of Iraq. Since the invasion, Joint Helicopter Command has maintained units in Iraq, in support of deployed British and coalition forces there. Another detachment is also maintained in Afghanistan, as part of Operation Herrick.

Organisation

As of 2006, Joint Helicopter Command had 243 aircraft available for operations. The majority of the United Kingdom's military helicopters come under JHC, although exceptions include the Royal Navy's fleet helicopters, and the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force's search and rescue helicopters.

An overview of formations from each service under Joint Helicopter Command:

*Royal Air Force
**No. 7 Squadron
**No. 18 Squadron
**No. 27 Squadron
**No. 28 Squadron
**No. 33 Squadron
**No. 78 Squadron
**No. 230 Squadron

*Royal Navy
**Fleet Air Arm
***Commando Helicopter Force
**** 845 Naval Air Squadron
**** 846 Naval Air Squadron
**** 847 Naval Air Squadron
**** 848 Naval Air Squadron

*British Army
**Royal Corp of Signals
***Mainly 220 Sig Sqn, part of 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support)
**Army Air Corps
***1 Regiment
***2 Regiment (part of the School of Army Aviation, under JHC command from 1 April 2008)
***3 Regiment
***4 Regiment
***5 Regiment
***6 Regiment (TA)
***7 Regiment (TA)
***9 Regiment

Commanders

JHC is commanded by a 2 star officer from either the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force. The JHC's first commander was Air Vice-Marshal David Niven. [http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/2000/jhc.html] In July 2005 Major General Gary Coward took up the post of Commander JHC. [http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/AirSafetyandAviation/JHC/MajorGeneralGRCowardObe.htm]

References

* [http://www.mod.uk/issues/sdr/jhc.htm Joint Helicopter Command - Strategic Defence Review]
* [http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/static/pages/7604.html Joint Helicopter Command - Royal Navy]
* [http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo020711/text/20711w17.htm House of Commons Written Answers]
* [http://www.mod.uk/publications/iraq_lessons/index.html Ministry of Defence - Operations in Iraq - First Reflections]
* [http://www.dasa.mod.uk Defence Analytical Services Agency]

External links

* [http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk Royal Navy]
* [http://www.raf.mod.uk/ Royal Air Force]
* [http://www.army.mod.uk British Army]