North Hampshire based helicopters pass significant milestone
Chinooks based at RAF Odiham are supporting the French military on active anti-terrorism operations
RAF Chinook helicopters - based at RAF Odiham near Basingstoke - have passed 3000 operational flying hours supporting French operations In Mali.
The CH-47 Chinooks in Mali are committed to conducting flight operations in support of the French Operation Barkhane, a counter-terrorist operation across the Sahel region of West Africa.
The RAF call the deployment Operation Newcombe.
The RAF Odiham based helicopters from Joint Helicopter Command, first arrived in West Africa during July 2018 and regularly carry out troop movements, resupply missions and logistical support to the French forward operating bases and desert locations around Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
Since 2018, the CH-47 detachment has moved over 1,500 tonnes of freight and over 18,000 French soldiers. The aircraft are currently flown by pilots and crewmen from No 27 Squadron, supported by personnel from across the RAF, British Army and Royal Navy drawn from Joint Helicopter Command.