22 Squadron SAAF

22 Squadron
AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300 Mk.64
Active	1 July 1942 to present
Country	South Africa
Branch	South African Air Force
Role	Maritime helicopter squadron
Garrison/HQ	AFB Ysterplaat
Motto(s)	Ut Mare Liberum Sit (That the Seas may be Free)
Colors	1942–1945 East African coast, 1944–1945 Gibraltar, 1945 Egypt
Equipment	Atlas Oryx M2, Westland Super Lynx 300
Insignia
22 Sqn Badge

22 Squadron is a squadron of the South African Air Force. It is currently a maritime helicopter squadron operating Lynx and Oryx helicopters for the South African Navy.

History

The squadron was formed in Durban on 1 July 1942 by renaming 31 Flight to 22 (Torpedo-Bomber-Reconnaissance) Squadron. It was equipped with ex-SAA Junkers Ju 86s as well as a number of Avro Ansons, and was assigned to anti-submarine, coastal reconnaissance and convoy support duties.^[1]

It had a relatively unremarkable period of duty in World War II, being engaged mainly in coastal patrols as part of Coastal Command SAAF.^[2] In mid 1945 it was flying Lockheed Venturas from Gibraltar, under the control of AHQ Malta at Valletta, but it left for home in July.^[3] It was disbanded at Idku in Egypt on 24 October 1945. Following the war, it was briefly recreated in 1954 and equipped with Lockheed Venturas, but disbanded again soon thereafter.

The latest chapter in the squadron's history began on 1 January 1964, when it was recreated at AFB Ysterplaat as 22 Flight and equipped with the newly delivered Westland Wasp helicopter, becoming a full squadron in May 1976. In 1978, it received a complement of Aérospatiale Alouette IIIs.

At the end of the 1980s, the Westland Wasps were withdrawn from service, but the squadron received a number of Aérospatiale Pumas in 1991 when it was amalgamated with 31 Squadron. The Pumas were later replaced with the Atlas Oryx M2.

This squadron is the sole maritime helicopter squadron of the SAAF, and therefore provides all helicopters, air and ground crew for operation aboard South African Navy vessels. It has previously been tasked with supporting South Africa's Antarctic research station, and therefore operated two specially modified Atlas Oryx M2 helicopters, suitable for use in the extreme conditions. One of the M2s was written off after a crash landing in July 2004.

Wasp helicopters from the squadron were involved in the rescue of South African Navy personnel in the South Atlantic following the sinking of the SAS President Kruger in 1982. The squadron also gained international recognition in 2002 during the high-profile rescue of the Magdalena Oldendorff which was trapped in the Antarctic ice. 22 Squadron's two Oryx M2s were embarked aboard the S. A. Agulhas for the successful operation.

Apart from official military support the squadron is involved in mountain rescue and air-sea rescue operations, fire fighting, crime prevention and humanitarian relief in the event of disasters.

The squadron's Alouette IIIs were retired in August 2007. The first of four Westland Super Lynx 300 helicopters for use aboard the South African Navy's new Valour class frigates, was delivered on 13 July 2007. It was accompanied to AFB Ysterplaat on its first flight in South Africa by two Oryx and an Alouette III.

Previous Aircraft Operated

Notes

↑ Green 1968, p.42.
↑ Martin and Orpen, (1979) p.275
↑ Sir David Lee, Wings in the Sun, 1989, 197.

References

Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War: Volume Ten Bombers and Reconnaissance Aircraft. London:Macdonald, 1968.
Martin, H.J. (Lt-Gen); Orpen, N.D. (1979). South Africa at War: Military and Industrial Organisation and Operations in connection with the conduct of War: 1939–1945 (South African Forces World War II: Volume VII). Cape Town: Purnell. p. 282. ISBN 0-86843-025-0.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 22 Squadron SAAF.

South African Air Force

Leadership	Chiefs of the Air Force Sergeants Major of the Air Force

Active squadrons	2 15 16 17 19 21 22 28 35 41 44

Training and development units	68 Air School 80 Air Navigation School 85 Combat Flying School 87 Helicopter Flying School Central Flying School Test Flight and Development Centre South African Air Force College

Formation aerobatic teams	Silver Falcons

Territorial reserve squadrons	101 102 104 105 106 107 108 110 111

Disbanded air and training squadrons	1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 18 20 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 40 42 43 50 60 103 109 112 114 86 Multi-Engine Flying School 88 Maritime Training School 89 Combat Flying School

Disbanded air defence squadrons	120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129

WW2 Wings of the SAAF	2 3 5 7 21 24 25

Bases	AFB Bloemspruit AFB Durban AFB Hoedspruit AFB Langebaanweg AFB Makhado AFB Overberg AFB Swartkop AFB Waterkloof AFB Ysterplaat AFS Port Elizabeth

List of training areas of the South African Air Force	Roodewaal Bombing Range Ditholo Training Area TAB Upington Vastrap Weapons Area

Equipment	List of current and historical SAAF aircraft List of weapon systems of the South African Air Force

History	History of the South African Air Force List of obsolete weapon systems of the South African Air Force South African Air Force Memorial South African Air Force Museum Military history of South Africa SAAF squadron identification codes

Official website: www.af.mil.za

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