No. 230 Squadron RAF

No. 230 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Squadron badge
Active20 August 1918 – 1 April 1923
1 December 1934 – 28 February 1957
1 September 1958 – 3 December 1971
1 January 1972 – 30 April 1992
4 May 1992 – present
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
AllegianceKing Charles III
BranchUnited Kingdom Royal Air Force
TypeFlying squadron
RoleHelicopter medium-lift support
Part ofJoint Aviation Command
Based atMedicina Lines, British Forces Brunei
Motto(s)Kita chari jauh
(Malay for 'We search far')[1][2]
AircraftWestland Puma HC2
Battles * Honours marked with an asterisk may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard[3]
Website230 Squadron RAF
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldryIn front of a palm tree eradicated, a tiger passant guardant.[1][2] The badge commemorates the squadron's association with Malaya, the travellers palm being a reference to the long flights undertaken and the tiger is said to have been inspired by the labels on the bottles on the local Singaporean beer.[4] Approved by King George VI in February 1937.
Squadron codesFV (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939)[5]
NM (Sep 1939 – Jan 1943)[6]
DX (1942 – Dec 1942)[7]
4X (Apr 1946 – Apr 1951)[8]
B (Apr 1951 – 1956)[9]
230 (1956 – Feb 1957)
D (carried on Pumas whilst at Odiham)[10]

Number 230 Squadron Royal Air Force is a Royal Air Force (RAF) flying squadron, currently based at Medicina Lines in Brunei Darussalam, part of British Forces Brunei, operating the Westland Puma HC2.[11][12] The squadron was previously part of Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG), operating the Puma HC1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown of the British Armed Forces in Germany at the end of the Cold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April 1992. This was short-lived however, and the squadron reformed at RAF Aldergrove on 4 May 1992, again with the Puma HC1.

The squadron is well experienced in night flying; almost a third of flights are undertaken after dark. The 2004 Future Capabilities chapter of the UK Defence White Paper, Delivering Security in a Changing World, announced a plan to reduce the squadrons Puma force by six helicopters. It was announced in late 2008 that the squadron was to move to RAF Benson by 2010. The Squadron re-equipped with Puma HC Mk2 in 2014 following removal from service of the Puma HC Mk1.[13]

  1. ^ a b Rawlings 1982, p. 156.
  2. ^ a b Halley 1988, p. 297.
  3. ^ Barrass, M. B. (2015). "No. 226–230 Squadron histories". RAFweb.org. Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  4. ^ Warner 2004, pp. 34–36.
  5. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
  6. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 76.
  7. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, pp. 31–32.
  8. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 116.
  9. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 126.
  10. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 199.
  11. ^ "Berita Parajurit, vol 9 – Air Capability static display – participating squadrons" (PDF). MinDef.gov.bn. Bolkiah Garrison, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei: Defence Information Technology Unit, Ministry of Defence, Brunei Darussalam. 31 May 2023. p. 8. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference 230Sqn was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Job cuts over RAF Aldergrove exit". News.BBC.co.uk. BBC News. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2011.