On 15 December 1958, No. 199 Squadron RAF, operating Canberras and Vickers Valiants in the electronic countermeasures (ECM) role, disbanded, with the Valiant equipped C Flight being redesignated No. 18 Squadron. The squadron's seven Valiants were fitted with an array of powerful jammers to interfere with communications and radar. They were initially employed for training purposes, simulating hostile jamming in Fighter Command exercises (and occasionally inadvertently jamming TV reception over much of the United Kingdom), but later added a bomber support role. The squadron was disbanded on 31 March 1963, as the RAF's Vulcan and Victor bombers were now fitted with effective ECM equipment, while the training role could be performed more economically by smaller aircraft such as the Canberra.The Squadron was next operational in 1964, equipped with the Westland Wessex HC.2 at RAF Odiham, formed when the Wessex Intensive Flying Trials Unit was disbanded and re-designated No. 18 Squadron. It moved to RAF Gütersloh, Westphalia in support of the BAOR in Germany in August 1970 but disbanded again on 20 November 1980. The squadron was reformed on 4 August 1981 as a unit flying Chinooks HC.1s. 18 Squadron was the only Chinook squadron that took part in Operation Corporate during the Falklands War in 1982 with four detached and sent south. All were lost, except one, when the ship carrying them, the Atlantic Conveyor was sunk after being hit by an Exocet missile. The remaining aircraft (Bravo November, ZA718) flew almost continuously until the end of the conflict. Squadron Leader Richard "Dick" Langworthy AFC RAF was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his part in the air operations. In August 1983 the squadron returned to Gutersloh. 18 Squadron took part in the UK's deployment to the Gulf following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. After this the squadron was subject to the restructures from the Options for Change decisions which included the transfer of Gutersloh to the British Army, so December 1992 18 Squadron relocated to RAF Laarbruch. With the further drawing down of the British presence in Germany, 18 Squadron left the continent and returned to Odiham in August 1997. The Chinook HC.2, equivalent to the US Army CH-47D standard, began to enter RAF service in 1993. The squadron's Chinook HC.2s were deployed to Iraq for Operation Telic. In 2017, the Squadron participated in Operation Ruman: UK relief effort in the Caribbean after Hurricane Irma. In 2018, Chinook