page_title: No. 202 Squadron RAF
section_title: Search and Rescue
hierarchical_section_title: No. 202 Squadron RAF / History / Post-war / Search and Rescue
caption_attribution_description: English: Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 XD165 of 202 Squadron RAF at RAF Coltishall in 1971
context_page_description: No. 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the maritime and mountains training element of the Defence Helicopter Flying School, operating Airbus Helicopters H145 Jupiter.
  It previously operated the Sea King HAR.3 in the Search and rescue role at three stations in the northern half of the United Kingdom. It was originally formed as one of the first aeroplane squadrons of the Royal Naval Air Service before it became part of the RAF.
context_section_description: No. 202 Squadron was reformed on 1 September 1964 by the renumbering of No. 228 Squadron RAF at RAF Leconfield. The squadron began operating in its search and rescue role using the Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 helicopter with flights at RAF Acklington, RAF Ouston, RAF Coltishall and RAF Leuchars. The squadron moved to RAF Finningley during September 1976 with flights at RAF Boulmer, RAF Leconfield, RAF Coltishall, RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Brawdy. The squadron re-equipped with Westland Sea King HAR.3s from July 1978 (operating the Westland Wessex HAR.2 as an intermediate type while its Sea Kings were sent to the Falklands War), moving its HQ to RAF Boulmer on the closure of Finningley in 1989, and then to RAF Valley during April 2008.
  The primary role of RAF search and rescue is the recovery of downed military aviators, but in peacetime, its aircraft are available all year round for use in civilian distress incidents. Since 1973, over 95% of the rescues carried out by 202 Squadron have been civilian incidents. The rescues carried out over the years by 202 Squadron have included a wide variety of incidents involving rescuing casualties from aircraft, fishing trawlers, ferries, oil rigs, mountainous terrain, cliffs and the waters surrounding Scotland.
  The squadron usually had two aircraft at each of its detached flight locations:
  HQ – RAF Valley
  'A' Flight – RAF Boulmer (ceased October 2015)
  'D' Flight – RAF Lossiemouth (ceased April 2015)
  'E' Flight – RAF Leconfield (ceased March 2015)
caption: Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 of 202 Squadron at RAF Coltishall in 1971
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