TACTICAL WING
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The year is 1964. Tactical Wing or Khormaksar East, as it is colloquially called, is situated on the Eastern side of the airfield, next to the Civil Airport.
The Wing itself consists of a Headquarters and Operations Staff commanded by Wing Commander J. T. Jennings, who are responsible to the Station Commander for the co-ordination and control of Tactical Flying at Khormaksar.
The Units comprising Tactical Wing are Nos. 8, 43 and 208 Day Fighter Ground Attack Squadrons; No. 37 Maritime Shackleton Squadron; No. 26 Belvedere Squadron together with a S.A.R. Element of Sycamore Helicopters; No. 1417 Fighter Recce Hunter Flight, and No. 225 G. L. Section.
The main responsibility of Tactical Wing is to defend Aden and the Federation from external attack and to maintain internal order within the territory.
Units of the Wing may also be called upon to operate, as required, elsewhere within the area of military responsibility of Middle East Command. This area stretches from Kuwait in the North to Nairobi and Mombasa in the South, a distance of some 1,600 miles.
A most important aspect of this work is that of Search and Rescue Operations which may be flown far out in the Indian Ocean by Avro Shackleton aircraft of 37 Squadron or around the beaches of Aden by the now familiar Bristol 171 Sycamore helicopters soon to be replaced by Westland Whirlwinds of 26 Squadron Search and Rescue Flight.
Hawker Hunter Operations are rarely seen by the inhabitants of Aden as these are mainly confined to the "up-country areas". Nevertheless, many disgruntled tribesmen in the past have been persuaded, at the sight of a pair of low flying Hawker Hunters, to return to their village in peace. The Hawker Hunter squadrons are maintained at a constant state of readiness throughout the hours of daylight to either drop leaflets or "flag wave" an area of discontent.
The Operations Room in Headquarters controls and co-ordinates the activities of all tactical flying ordered by H.Q. Middle East. Briefing of pilots and crews of the Wing for Operational flying, crews of the many visiting aircraft of other commands, and visiting aircraft of the Royal Navy are part of its many duties.
No. 225 G. L. Section is a small Army Unit commanded by a Major whose prime task is to provide the vital link in the briefing of Hunter pilots in the intricacies of the many tribal feuds and warlike activities which occur from time to time within the Federation. To obtain this information, often very confused and involved, close liaison is maintained with the Federal Government, Federal Regular Army and Political Advisers.
A more peaceful aspect of Tactical Wing is the provision of aircraft for fly pasts at ceremonial parades and similar occasions involving a vast amount of detailed planning and organisation to achieve precision flying and timing.