A WOMAN from a North Yorkshire airbase is one of a team of all-female engineering officers keeping helicopters airborne in Afghanistan.

Captain Kate Redfern, who is based with 9 Regiment Army Air Corps at Dishforth Barracks, is part of a team of five women with Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) on active service in the war zone.

The JHC provides support to operations in Afghanistan as part of a NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Each of the women commands a unit of technicians and engineers whose role is to service and repair one type of helicopter.

Capt Redfern is the officer commanding the engineering detachment of the Lynx Mk9A helicopters. The five women are in command of 200 men at Camp Bastion, Britain’s main base in Afghanistan.

Capt Redfern said: “It’s really challenging – we get some realy scratchy-head problems.”

The other four officers are: Lieutenant Nicki Wallace, Royal Navy, officer commanding of the combined engineering detachment of 846 and 848 Royal Naval Air Squadrons operating the Sea King Mk4.

Captain Charlotte Joyce, 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps, Wattisham Airfield, Suffolk, officer commanding the Apache attack helicopter engineering detachment.

Flight Lieutenant Laura Morfee, junior engineering officer on the 1310 Flight Chinook detachment leading personnel from 18/27 (Engineering) Squadron, RAF Benson and Flight Lieutenant Katie Muldoon, junior engineering officer on 78 Sqn, RAF Benson, currently leading the men of the engineering detachment of 1419 Flight operating the Merlin helicopter.