Page 21 - A4 Journal 2022

Our Military Affiliations

5001 Squadron (RAF)

5001 Squadron is based at RAF Wittering and falls under 42 Expeditionary Support Wing of
the Support Force. The Squadron enables ground engineering functions to support deployed
Air Operations, by providing temporary working environments such as hangars for RAF fast
jets and rotary aircraft, or portable aircraft arrestor gear and environmental conditioning.
5001 Squadron also leads Trade Group 5 Spearhead capability for contingent operations; a
highly responsive airfield support engineering capability across all three Services within the
UK and overseas.

The squadron badge is formed from a Bezant gold coin which alludes to the Desert where the Unit operates;
while a black ant symbolises the hard industrious work the Squadron performs to erect temporary structures;
and its motto is “Fit via vi” or “A way made by force”.
5001 Squadron was originally formed to build airfields, but its role has changed over the years and it has now
evolved into a valuable general engineering unit. Temporary hangars, aircraft shelters, power supply, vehicle
maintenance and equipment repair are all part of the Squadron’s role.
Squadron Ldr Andrew Parkin, the Commanding Officer has sent the following:

“Despite the tumultuous nature of 2021 and 2022, 5001 Squadron have continued to provide expeditionary
airfield facilities and mobile engineering support for many Royal Air Force operations and exercises.

Expeditionary Airfield Facilities Flight (EAFF) has been at the forefront of deployed operational support to
defence over the last few years. A highly deployable team, they have been all over the world supporting all
major RAF operations, fulfilling the saying “first in, last out”. Following the drawdown of operations in
Afghanistan in 2020 and as the world was struck by the COVID pandemic, EAFF maintained and even
increased its operational tempo, going so far as to be recognised as one of the most deployed Squadrons in
the RAF. Despite lockdowns, isolation, and a changing geopolitical picture the team was still able to deliver
the successful expansion of flying detachment hangars in Mali, supporting our NATO French partners
throughout 2021, and the subsequent dismantle of all equipment at short notice in late 2022. Whilst the
construction tasks garner most of the attention, the team has been kept busy travelling around the world in
support of operations, such as Op SHADER in Akrotiri, carrying out essential maintenance on the hangars
that directly impact the airworthiness of aircraft conducting operations in the Middle East. Alongside this a
team specialised in environmental conditioning have been key in the modernisation of the UK radar
coverage, decommissioning old radar cooling systems in a way that helps to protect the environment whilst
not impacting the vital cover provided by each radar. Finally, for their efforts in 2021 the Flight was
recognised in the New Year’s Honours list with an Air Officer Commanding Number 2 Group Commendation.
Mobile Engineering Support Flight (MESF) have
supported a wide range of defence tasks over the past 2
years both at home in the United Kingdom and further
afield on worldwide operations. MESF are allocated one
of only two specialist vehicles in the RAF used for
recovery work, which has been utilised on numerous
occasions to support the Joint Aircraft Recovery Team
with the movement of damaged aircraft. This essential
asset has proved highly beneficial and the bespoke
trained team within MESF have found it a joy to operate
the vehicle and work with fellow RAF units. Furthermore,
it provides a critical capability for the RAF to deal with
downed aircraft in an efficient manner.
MESF personnel have also been heavily tasked to support numerous exercises, ranging from relatively simple
electrical installations for field kitchens used by 3 Mobile Catering Squadron at a joint exercise in Denmark,
through to more complex and large scale exercises setting up a deployed Headquarters.
5001 Sqn continue to provide agile, deployed support around the world and look forward to supporting the
RAF and partner nations on exercises and operations in the future.”

Autumn 2022 | The Journal of the Worshipful Company of Constructors | Page 21