Standard colours of RAF/RN search and rescue helicopters

Standard colours of RAF/RN search and rescue helicopters

For many years military and civil search and rescue role on the UK waters was shared between RAF Search and Rescue Force (a successor to RAF Air Sea Rescue Services, renamed after 1986 when last RAF Marine Branch vessels were retired), the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm and HM Coastguard.

RAF SAR Force operated Westland Whirlwind HAR.2/4/10, Westland Wessex HAR.2 and Westland Sea King HAR.3/3A helicopters, while detachment to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus also used Griffin HAR.2. The RAF Search and Rescue Force was disbanded in 2016 after transferring the SAR role to civilian contractor Bristow.

Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm operated similar types for SAR duties - Whirlwind HAR.1/3/5/9, Wessex HAS.1/HU.5 and recently Sea King HAR.5/HU.5. Its Search and Rescue operations also ended in 2015 with above mentioned privatization of the entire service.