Different air activity due at RAF Shawbury

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From RAFWeb news -

Residents living near the north Shropshire air base RAF Shawbury as well as other areas of Shropshire may notice some unusual aerial activity next week.

RAF Shawbury and the Defence Helicopter Flying School are assisting with preparations for front line operations when ex-students come back to the unit with No 18 Squadron. The Squadron, based at RAF Odiham, will be operating from the airbase during the week 21 to 25 June including day and night flying. The helicopters will arrive on Sunday afternoon and operate from the unit from Monday morning. From Tuesday to Thursday they will also complete night flying until 0300 each morning. The Squadron regularly prepares for front line operations by operating from other units around the country, but this is the first time they will have operated their Chinook helicopters from the North Shropshire airbase for a longer period. All the crews would have previously trained at the unit at the Defence Helicopter Flying School and are all used to operating from the airfield. The flying they will be doing includes operating within the Shawbury low flying area as well as utilising the Mountain training areas in North Wales and ranges on the coast. The 3 Chinook helicopters may be accompanied on part of the training by 2 Apache helicopters.

RAF Shawbury is pleased to be able to assist the Squadron in ensuring it is ready for its forthcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of the ongoing operations. The deployment will be providing direct support to the ground operations by the 1st Royal Irish Regiment from Ternhill, who will also be deploying to Afghanistan in the summer.

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