MILITARY 99 SQUADRON
Ian Harding reports from RAF Brize Norton on the day-to-day operations of C-17- equipped 99 Squadron
As operational service introductions go, they do not come much more demanding than that experienced by 99 Squadron and its Boeing C-17A Globemaster IIIs based at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. Having received its first four aircraft between May and August 2001, 99 Squadron was soon thrust into action alongside the Royal Air Force’s Lockheed TriStars supporting the UK’s commitment to Afghanistan. Its primary role throughout Operation Herrick (June 2002–December 2014), was transportation of oversized loads, dangerous cargo and maintaining an air bridge across the region. Sadly, but most importantly, 99 Squadron also built an emotionally powerful and outstanding reputation for the repatriation of personnel injured and killed in action. The Afghanistan air bridge remains one of the longest running operations conducted in the Royal Air Force’s history and, 16 years on, 99 Squadron continues to shoulder responsibility for this. The diversity of its work may have changed, but the tempo has not, as AIR International discovered when it visited the squadron recently.
Forward fleet
Maintaining the fleet of eight aircraft and ensuring they are available to meet the operational demands placed on the squadron is the responsibility of 99 Squadron’s Senior Engineering Officer, Squadron Leader Ellen Meehan, and her engineering team. The engineering unit is manned 24/7, 365 days per year including Christmas Day. It operates four 12-hour shifts on a five-day, four-night rota, plus a swing shift covering two days followed by three nights. Sqn Ldr Meehan joined 99 Squadron in July 2017 following 15 years supporting the Chinook, Tornado and Typhoon fleets as an aero-system engineer. Operations on 99 Squadron are broadly similar to those on Chinook, as she recalled: “The C-17 can be likened to the Chinook in that it’s always in demand and needed in a certain place, at a certain time, providing effect. It’s very exciting and the reason I came here. We support every operation you can name in one way or another. If you put the news on in the morning and something is developing in the world, you sense we’ll be involved in some way. There are few units like that across UK Defence.”
The squadron’s forward fleet comprises six aircraft; this generally includes an aircraft on home station check conducted by Boeing engineers at Brize Norton. For the majority of the time, there is also an aircraft allocated to the ‘return to works’ programme, which is depth maintenance undertaken by Boeing at its C-17 maintenance facility in San Antonio, Texas. Sqn Ldr Meehan confirmed Boeing’s work is continually ongoing; as one aircraft is released from San Antonio, another ordinarily re-enters the programme. Boeing is an integral part of the C-17 maintenance effort at Brize Norton with its team, comprising former squadron and US Air Force personnel, wholly integrated into 99 Squadron. She said: “They are set up to help us achieve.
One of the strengths of the C-17 programme is that we are all part of a global spares programme, which means if an aircraft becomes unserviceable in the US, say, we can call upon a nearby US C-17 base for spares and Boeing will immediately make them available. The programme works.”
Managing aircraft
Sqn Ldr Meehan’s management focus is to ensure the eight aircraft are as capable as they can be at all times and that the engineers do not become dislocated from the operational imperative. In essence, they know who they are supporting and why. She said: “We are contracted to provide a specific number of aircraft to UK Defence every day of the year. If a really big event occurred, they may re-prioritise aircraft tasking or they could create an additional task, depending on the resource we have. It is therefore vital we retain close coordination with the DSCOM [Defence Supply Chain Operations Management, based in Bristol, Avon] who is responsible for managing the task lines. The diversity and tempo of our operations requires constant careful management at all levels. For example, if we are supporting operations in Oman or other hot locations, it is imperative we have the appropriate ground support equipment available, such as cooling rigs, power sets, plus engineers on the ground at all times to help mitigate aircraft fatigue. This happened at the height of Operation Herrick to help recycle aircraft. That said, one of the aircraft’s greatest strengths is there isn’t a great deal of scheduled maintenance in between the big events. The things we tend to be working on are ongoing faults, which are hard to predict. In this respect, C-17 maintenance is more condition based, rather than scheduled as with the rotary fleet, for example.”
The Royal Air Force leased its first four C-17’s before buying them in 2008. Heavily utilised on operations since their arrival, they are now amongst the global C-17 fleetleaders for flying hours with aircraft ZZ171, the oldest having clocked up approximately 21,000 flying hours. Aircraft five to eight were delivered as new between April 2008 and May 2012 and consequently have fewer hours on them. As far as possible, every C-17 is treated the same, although the force does manage the fleet by using the airframe most appropriate for the task. Sqn Ldr Meehan reckons the fleet is not experiencing any major issues, just those expected from an ageing fleet, which at the time of reporting had achieved approximately 130,000 flying hours. She said: “We have conducted a series of inspections to try and highlight issues associated with ageing aircraft. In fact, the UK Military Aviation Authority has regulation mandates known as ageing aircraft audits that are to be conducted on airframes more than 15 years old. This includes inspection of the electrical wiring interconnect system, as well as ensuring clearances of hydraulic tubing. We probably conduct more technical inspections than the US to meet these requirements. We feedback our findings to the wider C-17 community, which other nations find helpful in terms of focusing their inspections.”
What about fault finding? The Royal Air Force’s strategic lift unit is a forerunner in the development of a new Boeing technology known as the central maintenance computers which uses data analytics (C-17 performance data) to enhance maintenance with the aim of maximising availability. In use with the Royal Canadian Air Force, the system aims are to assist timely fault diagnosis and minimise unscheduled maintenance and off-site repairs, which in turn should reduce life cycle costs and maximise fleet value, as Sqn Ldr Meehan explained: “We download the aircraft’s performance data and the system helps diagnose the likely fault behind a technical issue. We’ve been running this system for the last 18 months and it’s been really successful so far, helping us to narrow down fault investigation before a fault manifests itself. The computer monitors data bus signals which may have reduced redundancy. Flight deck indications aren’t currently mature enough to identify all failures, so this system is helping us with our more complex engineering investigations. The aircraft’s current HUD [head-up display] will be upgraded at some point in the future.”
Operational tempo
World events dictated that 99 Squadron’s C-17’s were making a difference from the moment the first aircraft arrived at Brize Norton on May 17, 2001.
As events unfold around the globe, the chances are personnel from 99 Squadron are already planning how they might be involved. Enduring operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Cyprus (RAF Akrotiri – Operation Shader) have shaped the squadron. Squadron Leader Adam Benton, Flight Commander Training, with responsibility for all C-17 aircrew training, explained: “Initial flying tasking and operational focus on the RAF’s C-17s moulded how we operate today. As a consequence, we train all frontline skillsets whilst students are part of our OCU [operational conversion unit]. There are very few restrictions as to what our aircrew can do when we release them from our training system. They then gain experience during live tasking although we employ LCR/ CR [limited combat ready/combat ready] qualification status as the supervision tool to ensure crews are appropriately experienced and qualified for a task; inexperienced aircrew aren’t paired together and safety is optimised. Through-life training then takes place as pilots become more experienced adding other core competencies, for example NVGs [night-vision goggles].”
Aircrew
The Royal Air Force’s C-17 unit currently has a full complement of crews. Retention is strong given the variety of flying opportunities available, but the squadron does face the ongoing challenge of recruiting pilots with appropriate experience and then training them quickly enough to meet the diversity of its tasking, as Sqn Ldr Benton explained: “The squadron currently runs four pilot and three loadmasters initial qualification course per year. Of these, threequarters would be transfers from other fleets; heavy transport, fast jet and rotary. We must practise our core competencies regularly to ensure we can operate as safely as possible on challenging tasking. Our objective on the training flight is to train and mentor all our aircrew to meet the operational requirement placed on the squadron. We aim to vary their flying serials in terms of destination and load carrying, Africa, Oceanic, Middle East, Operation Shader routes, to ensure aircrew achieve a broad spectrum and variety of flying to practise their skill sets. We also ensure the crew construct is appropriate to ensure we are optimising the training benefit and balancing any inherent risk associated with military operations.”
Training
Boeing Defence UK delivers 99’s initial flight and engineering training at its C-17 International Training Facility in Farnborough, Hampshire. Training on a range of high-fidelity synthetic and virtual training devices, pilots complete eight weeks in the simulator plus four weeks Royal Air Force bespoke training following which they are deemed pilot initial qualified, if successful. They then complete two additional weeks’ basic flight training at Brize Norton followed by three hours of instrument and visual flying base trainers to become certified qualified on type. Pilots then enter their line orientated flight training (LOFT) phase, which involves both simulator and live tasking training with a complete crew using representative flight segments to Afghanistan, Africa or on Oceanic routes. Initial pilots (ab initio, multi-engine re-role from other fleets, multi-engine cross over from rotary and fast jet), complete approximately 20 LOFT flight segments to become LCR if successful. This means they can fly with CR captains. CR status for ab initio pilots is usually achieved 12 months after arriving on the squadron, but this may be quicker for those with a more experienced flight background.
The learning curve has always been steep as Sqn Ldr Benton explained: “Our approach to training has developed out of necessity. If we hadn’t adapted traditional training methods to complete this during live operational flying tasking, the squadron wouldn’t be the success story it is today. The C-17 provides a lot to defence and we’ve had to make sure we take every opportunity to train when we can.
Our flying training has changed over time to reflect present operational tasking, but the foundations are still there. Whilst the operation names and countries have changed, we still have to ensure our training strategy meets the modern tasking environment. The variation of flying has increased, and we ensure our guys complete their Atlantic and Oceanic procedures, which are very different skillsets to those required to service Operation Toral and different again from Operation Shader.”
Typical operational tempo
The squadron’s current flying programme includes regular routes into Afghanistan (Operation Toral), Cyprus (Operation Shader) and Africa (Operation Barkhane) supporting French, German and United Nations forces, and now the Royal Air Force itself with Chinooks deployed. From a freight perspective, Royal Air Force C-17s carry all types of freight required to support those operations; Apache, Chinook, Wildcat helicopters, armaments, medical supplies, plus an array of armed vehicles for British armed forces.
From late 2017, a new route has opened up into Oman following the signing of a memorandum of understanding and services agreement between the UK and Oman governments secures the use of facilities at the Duqm Port by British armed forces, especially the Royal Navy, ahead of the construction of a new UK Joint Logistics Support Base at the port. Once the base is completed, the UK will have a permanent military base in Oman, enlarging its military footprint in the area. Exercise al-Saif al- Sareea 3 or Swift Sword 3 involving Oman and the largest deployment of British forces since the Gulf War, finished in November 2018, and 99 Squadron has been heavily involved in deployment and recovery. Other frequent tasking includes supporting Typhoon deployments to the United States, Romania and Oman: for example, F-35B Lightnings on delivery to RAF Marham. The squadron also completes other bespoke tasking to Europe, the Far East and Australia.
Block 21 upgrade
Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast Out (ADS-B Out), is a next generation, platform-based surveillance service technology, incorporating both air and ground aspects. The goal is to provide air traffic control (ATC) with a more accurate picture of the aircraft’s three-dimensional position in the en route, terminal, approach and surface environments by providing airborne position in the form of a continuous broadcast of its identification, position, altitude, velocity, and other information. ADS-B ground stations receive the broadcasts and direct them to ATC automation systems for presentation on a controller’s display. The ADS-B Out mandate is for C-17s to be modernised by January 1, 2020. Boeing is retrofitting the C-17 aircraft with new wiring, new avionics equipment and technology and new avionics software upgrades. As of mid-September 2018, Boeing had completed upgrade of 81 aircraft on schedule with a further 193 aircraft to go.
Sqn Ldr Benton said: “If you consider what UK Defence is doing now, there are general trends in our operations, but in any given month, our operations take us to all sorts of locations. For example, Operation Barkhane in Mali could also take us to Niger or Chad.
For us, it’s all out there and we support all of it. Ten years ago, our tasking was almost exclusively in support of Operation Herrick in Afghanistan, whereas now it is split between three operational areas and worldwide exercise tasking on top. In my personal opinion comparing the Operation Herrick air bridge to the situation now, the variety of our tasking has changed, but the tempo has not.
We are delivering the same service. Thankfully, we undertake less aeromedical evacuations than we used to. This was the task that everyone would drop what they were doing to do. It’s a very difficult experience to describe. It’s a task we all pride ourselves in doing, albeit we’d rather not have to do it.”
Tactical development
The opportunity for 99 Squadron to undertake bespoke tactical tasking has not yet presented itself, but this is on the horizon and preparations are being made. Because the C-17 is such a key asset for UK Defence, 99 Squadron must strike a balance between current tasking, which comes first, and its preparations for future tasking. The latter cannot happen without completing the appropriate training and development. Both were more easily achievable during Operations Telic and Herrick when less experienced aircrew could achieve their tactical training competencies working alongside more experienced aircrew and instructors during live tasking as Sqn Ldr Benton explained: “When 99 first commenced operations into Camp Bastion in 2002, the base had a gravel runway which was approximately 7,000ft long by 90ft wide, with a handful of lights. Operating into this austere landing zone using NVGs and tactical approach techniques, aircrew regularly practised these core competencies, which were quickly removed when Camp Bastion was developed into a more recognisable configuration. Intra-theatre operations became the domain of the C-130 Hercules fleet, whilst the C-17 retained inter-theatre operations and aeromedical flights from Camp Bastion. In the past, we have had to protect our tactical air land training operations, managing them within our UK operations.
For example, the runway at Brize Norton has a full tactical strip painted on it which we light accordingly to conduct NVG training in conjunction with the Hercules fleet. As demand for tactical operations increases, we are looking more closely at our future training allocation to derive more value from it. We must be shrewd about how we accomplish this in the current climate as the opportunities to conduct live tactical operations is not there presently. Our instructors must create these learning environments whilst delivering an operational output.”
In recent years, the squadron attended Exercise Mobility Guardian in the United States as observers, but this will likely change with the aspiration to participate with an aircraft. The squadron will also participate in Exercise Hungary Puma, a tactical event held at Papa Air Base in Hungary. The Papa-based exercise is designed to specifically develop tactical procedures, which includes night operations and assault procedures. The squadron is also looking to conduct specific training serials in 2019 with the Royal Canadian Air Force C-17 fleet based at CFB Trenton, some of whom visited Brize Norton in 2018 to conduct ground-based training. The C-17 remains the airframe of choice for aeromedical evacuation and this is unlikely to change. A recent exercise held at Brize Norton involved a US Air Force C-17 unit during which information on medical evacuation procedures was shared.
Other nations, including most notably the United States, use their C-17s to air drop cargo and paratroopers if a suitable landing zone is not available.
Standout operations
In early September 2017, Hurricane Irma swept across the Caribbean causing catastrophic damage to the British Overseas Territories Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the British Virgin Islands. On September 7, the British government announced that HMS Ocean (L12) would divert to the region to provide assistance, and the following day Royal Air Force C-17, A400M and Voyager aircraft departed Brize Norton carrying medical supplies and aid. A further C-17 departed Brize on September 9 carrying a Puma helicopter.
Sqn Ldr Benton recalled events: “We were actually doing some semi-prepared runway training at Alexandria International Airport, Louisiana, when we received a call from OC 99 Squadron who told us to stop what we were doing and go to the British Virgin Islands to pre-position and plan. Tactical air traffic controllers were with us so we planned using maps and charts whilst other crew members rested. As we didn’t have our normal planning tools available which enable us to check freight weights, we went out to the aircraft, booted it up, plugged in the numbers, which we then fed back to higher command. We knew what we could carry, but we had no idea what the state of the runway was, or if fire cover and air traffic control were in place. With no answers to these questions, we devised a plan which involved flying to the Virgin Islands, dropping off the air traffic controllers and then flying to Barbados.
This plan changed while airborne due to new information and we repositioned to the American Virgin Islands joining US forces who were set up there. We were the first UK airframe into that theatre and it all happened within 24 hours of the first call. The disaster relief collaboration at Brize Norton involving A400M, C-130, C-17 and Voyager during the next few weeks was amazing. This really stands out during the ten years I’ve been involved on C-17.”
Similar circumstances prevailed in March 2015 when Cyclone Pam slammed into the Pacific Island of Vanuatu with 185mph (298km/h) winds displacing the population and causing destruction. A C-17 was diverted from training in Arizona to provide disaster relief.
In 2002, 99 Squadron completed its first trip into Afghanistan and 16 years later that route is still supported. This reflects the scale of the operation 99 Squadron and its personnel are involved with 24/7, 365 days of the year. Its continuing effort has perhaps been forgotten by mainstream media, but should not detract from the sheer scale of the service provided by the squadron; team effort and personal self-motivation is abundantly clear. It remains to be seen how 99 Squadron’s role will change over time, especially as the Royal Air Force’s A400M tasking develops, which in turn may enable the C-17 squadron undertake more bespoke operations; 99 Squadron will remain at the heart of the UK’s global operations.
