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JOINT HELICOPTER COMMAND (JHC)
The UK armed forces' Joint Helicopter
Command (JHC) became operational on 1 April 2000. During late 2013 the
JHC had about 190 aircraft from the Royal Navy, Army Air Corps and Royal
Air Force under command.
Royal Air Force helicopters deployed with the JHC include Chinook
HC4/HC4A/HC5; Puma HC2; Merlin HC3; Sea King HAR3.
More detail relating to the JHC >>
The majority of UK service helicopters are
assigned to the Joint Helicopter Command, a formation under the command
of Commander Land Forces. The primary role of the JHC is to deliver and
sustain effective Battlefield Helicopter and Air Assault assets,
operationally capable under all environmental conditions, in order to
support the UK's defence missions and tasks. Major formations under JHC
command are as follows:
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All Army Aviation Units
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RAF Support Helicopter Force
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Commando Helicopter Force
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16 Air Assault Brigade
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Combat Support Units
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Combat Service Support Units
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Joint Helicopter Command and Standards Wing
Our estimate for the JHC service personnel total is approximately 13,000
from all three services. During operations elements of the JHC would
probably be assigned to formations/units under the command of the Joint
Forces Command (JFC)
Our figures suggest that the JHC appears to have about 195 aircraft
available as follows.
Possible UK Helicopter types available during 2014
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|
Royal Navy |
|
|
Sea King Mk4 |
22 |
| |
|
| Army Air
Corps |
|
| Apache |
49 |
| Gazelle |
12 |
| Lynx /
Wildcat |
30 |
| Defender /
Islander |
9 |
| |
|
| Royal
Air Force |
|
| Chinook |
29 |
| Merlin
Mk3/3A |
20 |
| Puma Mk2 |
24 |
| |
|
| Note: These
figures suggest numbers of aircraft available for operations
and not the total inventory which includes aircraft being
used for training or being upgraded etc. |
In a normal non-operational environment
(with the exception of Lynx), each individual aircraft is resourced to
fly approximately 400 hours per year. The Lynx fleet is generally
resourced for 23,900 hours, which averages about 405 hours per aircraft.
Helicopters not under the command of the JHC include the Royal Navy's
fleet helicopters (in support of ships at sea), and the Royal Air Force
and Royal Navy’s search and rescue aircraft.
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