No. 230 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Active	20 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 – 16 October 2025
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	King Charles III
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Flying squadron
Role	Helicopter medium-lift support
Part of	Joint Aviation Command
Based at	Medicina Lines,British Forces Brunei
Mottos	Kita chari jauh (Malay for 'We search far')[1][2]
Battles	Home Waters (1918)* Mediterranean (1940–1943)* Egypt and Libya (1940–1943)* Greece (1940–1941)* Malta (1940–1942)* Eastern Waters (1943–1945)* North Burma (1944)* Burma (1945)* Gulf (1991) Iraq (2003–2011)* * Honours marked with an asterisk may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard[3]
Website	230 Squadron RAF
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldry	In front of apalm treeeradicated, a tigerpassant guardant.[1][2] The badge commemorates the squadron's association withMalaya, thetravellers 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 byKing George VI in February 1937.
Squadron codes	FV (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 atOdiham)[10]

Number 230 Squadron Royal Air Force was aRoyal Air Force (RAF)flying squadron, currently based atMedicina Lines inBrunei Darussalam, part ofBritish Forces Brunei.^[11][12] Thesquadron was previously part ofRoyal Air Force Germany (RAFG), operating the Puma HC1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown of theBritish Armed Forces in Germany at the end of theCold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April 1992. This was short-lived however, and the squadron reformed atRAF Aldergrove on 4 May 1992, again with the Puma HC1.

The squadron is well experienced innight flying; almost a third of flights are undertaken after dark. The 2004Future 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 toRAF Benson by 2010. The squadron operated the Puma HC Mk2 from 2013 until the aircraft's retirement in 2025.^[13]

No. 230 Squadron was formed on 20 August 1918; 107 years ago (1918-08-20), atFelixstowe, consisting of threeflights. Nos. 327 and 328 Flight usedFelixstowe F.2 and F.2A flying boats andFairey IIIs for maritime reconnaissance, whilst No. 487 Flight flewSopwith Camels on escort duties. At the end ofWorld War I, the squadron was retained as one of the few RAF coastal units. In 1920, the squadron gotFelixstowe F.5 flying boats, and it moved toRAF Calshot in May 1922, where on 1 April 1923, it was renumbered to 480 Flight RAF.^[14]

On 1 December 1934, No. 230 Squadron was reformed atRAF Pembroke Dock withShort Singapore flying boats. The Squadron used the Singapore until 1938, serving fromAboukir,Alexandria,Lake Timsah, and after a short return to the UK,RAF Seletar. On 22 June 1938, the firstShort Sunderland flying boat arrived,^[15] the aircraft the squadron would be equipped with for the next 20 years, in fact until 28 February 1957, when the squadron was disbanded at Pembroke Dock.^[16]

On 1 September 1958,No. 215 Squadron RAF at Dishforth was renumbered 230 Squadron, flyingScottish Aviation Pioneer light transport aircraft in support of theBritish Army.^[2] In November that year, the squadron moved toRAF Nicosia inCyprus as a response to theCyprus Emergency, flying reconnaissance operations againstEOKA Greek Cypriot nationalistguerrillas, as well as its normal communications duties. The squadron returned to Britain in April 1959, with its new base beingRAF Upavon in Wiltshire.^[17] In 1960, the squadron supplemented its Pioneers with largerScottish Aviation Twin Pioneer aircraft, and in May that year the squadron moved toRAF Odiham.^[18] In September 1960, the squadron's 'A' Flight was detached toBritish Cameroon, flying internal security patrols as the colony prepared for the1961 British Cameroons referendum. The flight returned to its parent formation in September 1961.^[2][17]Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 helicopters began to arrive in June 1962, becoming the squadron's standard equipment by the end of the year.^[2]

In January 1963, No. 230 Squadron moved toRAF Gütersloh in occupiedWest Germany, with a detachment at Nicosia. The squadron returned to Odiham in December 1964, before being transferred toBorneo, due to theIndonesia–Malaysia confrontation in February 1965. In October 1966, the squadron again returned to Odiham, resuming its detachment at Nicosia.^[17] In November 1971, began to convert to theWestland Puma HC1 atRAF Odiham. On 14 October 1980, the squadron moved back to RAF Gütersloh, West Germany, where they remained until being disbanded and reformed atRAF Aldergrove,Northern Ireland in April 1992.^[14]

230 Squadron was one of twoNorthern Ireland based squadrons of theRoyal Air Force, the other being72 Squadron (equipped withWestland Wessex HC2s). 230 Squadron's eighteen Puma aircraft were rotated withNo. 33 Squadron's fifteen Pumas to even out flight hours amongst the fleet (Northern Ireland based helicopters had a much higher operational tempo). The main role of the squadron was tactical transport of the Security Forces, including theRoyal Ulster Constabulary (RUC),Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), and theBritish Army.^[19]

On 17 November 2009, 230 Squadron eventually left Northern Ireland for RAF Benson in Oxfordshire (together with 33 Squadron from RAF Odiham) after 17 years in the province.^[20]

On 11 October 2015, one member of the squadron was killed in an accident inKabul, Afghanistan, whilst landing at theNATO Training and Support Mission HQ. AMinistry of Defence spokesman said the crash was "an accident and not the result of insurgent activity".^[21] Thecrewman was named a day later, and was repatriated back to the UK on the 20th. The Flight Lieutenant's CO commented saying "A man with exceptionally high standards, he was never afraid to remind anyone when he felt they could have done better. However, this advice was always delivered with his characteristic wry smile and good humour. The Support Helicopter Force has lost not only an outstanding operator but a good friend to so many... his lasting legacy will be the professionalism and courage he passed onto all who flew with him. A loving husband and father, our thoughts are with his wife and children at this most difficult of times."^[22] Apost mortem found he died of severe head injuries. The inquest was adjourned indefinitely until the conclusion of separate inquiries being undertaken by the Ministry of Defence were completed.^[23]

The squadron was awarded a new squadronstandard in February 2019 by RAF Benson'sHonorary Air Marshal,Prince Michael of Kent. The standard, the third to be awarded to the squadron, is made of silk, and features thebattle honours awarded to the unit since its formation.^[24]

On 18 May 2023, No. 230 Squadron returned to the island ofBorneo, relocating from RAF Benson toMedicina Lines inBrunei Darussalam, as part ofBritish Forces Brunei.^[11][12]

The squadron's Puma HC.2s were retired from service in March 2025.^[25] They are to be replaced by newJupiter HC2 helicopters in 2026 though in the interim theChinook helicopter took over the role.^[26]

• List of RAF squadrons

Notes

Bibliography

• Bowyer, Michael J. F.; Rawlings, John D. R. (1979).Squadron Codes 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd.ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
• Deller, Alan W. (2004).The Kid Glove Pilot: A Personal Account of Flying Sunderlands in World War Two. Newtownards, Northern Ireland: Colourpoint Books.ISBN 1-904242-20-0.
• Docherty, Tom (2003).Hunt Like a Tiger: 230 Squadron at War, 1939–45. Bognor Regis, UK: Woodfield Publishing.ISBN 1-903953-37-5.
• Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003).Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd.ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
• Halley, James J. (1980).The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd.ISBN 0-85130-083-9.
• Halley, James J. (1988).The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd.ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
• Jefford, C. G. (2001).RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing.ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
• "Operation Tiger 9".Air International. Vol. 78, no. 1. January 2010. p. 7.
• Rawlings, John D. R. (July 1969). "History of 230 Squadron".Air Pictorial. Vol. 31, no. 7. pp. 242–244.
• Rawlings, John D. R. (1982).Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd.ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
• Warner, Guy (2004).No. 230 Squadron Royal Air Force "Kita chari jauh – We search far". Newtownards, Northern Ireland:Colourpoint Books.ISBN 1-904242-33-2.

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