Active 1999 - present Branch Tri-Service Role Rotary wing operations Allegiance Elizabeth II | Country United Kingdom Type Type command Founded 1999 | |
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Size 15,000 personnel
239 helicopters Similar Army Air Corps, Allied Rapid Reaction, Royal Wessex Yeomanry, Royal Electrical and Mech, Queen's Royal Hussars |
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Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) is a tri-service organisation uniting battlefield military helicopters of the British Armed Forces for command and coordination purposes. Joint Helicopter Command reports to Army Headquarters at Andover.
Contents
- Joint helicopter command apache lynx sea king chinook royal navy marines army air force
- Joint helicopter command clockwork training facility rnoaf bardufoss norway
- History
- Organisation
- Former Deployments Joint Helicopter Force Iraq
- Former Deployments Joint Helicopter Force Afghanistan
- Joint Helicopter Force Northern Ireland
- Senior Commanders
- References

Joint helicopter command clockwork training facility rnoaf bardufoss norway
History

Joint Helicopter Command was formed on 5 October 1999, from a recommendation in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review to consolidate the battlefield helicopters of the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy under a single command.

Joint Helicopter Command's largest operation to date has been Operation Telic, the invasion of Iraq. Following the invasion, Joint Helicopter Command maintained units in Iraq, in support of British and coalition forces deployed there. Another detachment was also maintained in Afghanistan, as part of Operation Herrick.
Organisation
As of 2006, Joint Helicopter Command had 243 aircraft available for operations. The majority of the United Kingdom's military helicopters come under JHC, although exceptions include the Royal Navy's fleet helicopters, the Defence Helicopter Flying School, and the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force's search and rescue helicopters.
An overview of formations from each service under Joint Helicopter Command:

Former Deployments: Joint Helicopter Force (Iraq)
When deployed on a major operational deployment the aircraft and supporting assets are assigned to a Joint Helicopter Force, for example Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan) during Operation Herrick in Afghanistan.
The following types were deployed to Iraq under JHF (I):
Former Deployments: Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan)
The following types were deployed to Afghanistan under JHF (A):
Joint Helicopter Force (Northern Ireland)
The following types are deployed in Northern Ireland based at JHFS Aldergrove as JHF (NI), in support of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and military units.
Senior Commanders
JHC is commanded by a two-star officer from either the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force.
Commander Joint Helicopter Command has been held by: