Pegasus Exchange: Heavy-lift Chinooks and agile French Fennecs team up at RAF Odiham
French Fennec helicopters flew alongside RAF Chinooks during Exercise Pegasus Exchange 26, as British and French crews trained together over southern England.
The drills took place from RAF Odiham, home of the UK Chinook Force, with aircraft and personnel from the French Air and Space Force joining 18 Squadron.
During one sortie, Chinooks lifted Royal Engineers from Tidworth Garrison while French Fennecs flew alongside them.
18 Squadron and the Chinook
18 Squadron, based at RAF Odiham, operates the Chinook as part of the RAF's heavy-lift helicopter force.
RAF Odiham in Hampshire has been home to the UK Chinook force since 1998. Squadron 18(B) was the first RAF squadron to form on the Chinook in 1981.
Since the 1982 Falklands War, the Chinook has been involved in every major conflict. This has included action in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
The twin-rotor heavy-lift helicopter is used for troop transport, resupply and casualty evacuation.
It can carry up to 55 troops or around 10 tonnes of cargo and was used to move Royal Engineers to and from Tidworth Garrison during the training.
EH 3/67 Parisis and the Fennec
The Chinooks were joined by AS555 Fennecs operated by EH 3/67 Parisis of the French Air and Space Force, based at Villacoublay Air Base, southwest of Paris. EH stands for Escadron d'Hélicoptères.
The unit was established in 1964 and operates Airbus Helicopters H125M Fennec (formerly Eurocopter AS550) and AS555 Fennec 2.
Two of the latter were involved in the Anglo-British exercise.
Named after the fennec fox, the Fennec 2 is a light helicopter used for Special Forces support and counterterrorism.
The British and French aircraft brought different strengths to the training. The Chinook handled the heavy lifting, carrying Royal Engineers, while the Fennec added a lighter, more agile presence alongside it.
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