The United Kingdom has established two hubs from which military helicopters will be able to provide assistance to civil authorities the length of the country during the coronavirus pandemic.
Military helicopters, such as the Puma HC2 pictured, will operate out of two newly established hubs to support the UK government’s efforts to combat the coronavirus. (Crown Copyright)
The hubs at Kinloss Barracks in Scotland and Royal Air Force (RAF) Benson in England will see Boeing Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, Westland-Aerospatiale SA 330E Puma HC2 medium-lift helicopters, and AgustaWestland Lynx Wildcat utility helicopters meet any requests for assistance from National Health Service (NHS) boards in the north and south of the country respectively.
“From [28 March] three RAF Puma helicopters will be stationed at Kinloss Barracks in Moray. The Pumas will work closely with a Chinook and a Wildcat helicopter based at RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire, to meet any requests for assistance from NHS boards and trusts across Scotland and northern England.
“A second helicopter facility will cover the Midlands and southern England, working out of the Aviation Task Force Headquarters at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire. Chinook and Wildcat helicopters normally based at RAF Odiham and [Royal Naval Air Station] RNAS Yeovilton respectively will support the southern areas,” the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
While the helicopter facilities have been set up specifically to support medical transports across Scotland and the rest of the UK, they will also be available for general support such as moving equipment and personnel across the wider UK.
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