22 Squadron
	Motto:	Ut-Mare-Liberum-sit.
	Meaning:	That the sea may be free.

The Sqdn operates both the Oryx Mk.1 and Mk. 2 and the new Super Lynx 300 Mk64.

The No. 22 Squadron has for a number of years co-operated extremely closely with the South African Navy, but there is nothing new about this - since its earliest days this unit has had an intimate association with maritime warfare and rescue work. It was formed as No. 22 (Torpedo-Bomber-Reconnaissance) Squadron in Durban on July 1,1942, from the SAAF's 31 Flight, its assigned role being coastal reconnaissance, air-sea rescue operations, convoy escort and anti-submarine patrols.

For these demanding tasks it was equipped with such of the SAAF's militarized Junkers Ju-86 converted airliners as still survived, and 31 Flight's ageing Avro Ansons. In spite of its second-rate equipment, from its earliest days the squadron embarked on training and operational flights - some lasting up to five hours. The position began to improve in August 1942, when eight Lockheed Ventura light bombers arrived to replace the Ju-86s. One of the new arrivals brought No. 22 Squadron its first success when it detected and identified a Vichy French ship which was subsequently captured. Both 1942 and 1943 saw much German submarine activity in the Indian Ocean, and the squadron flew many Ventura and Anson patrols on convoy duties. More Venturas arrived to keep pace with the expanding convoy duties, and by November 1942 the squadron had no fewer than 23 of the stubby little bombers, all of them in constant use, particularly from May 1943 onwards. It was hard work, with little to show for all the trouble taken. No. 22 Squadron never actually managed to sink a U-boat, but it certainly cramped the style of many by forcing them to stay off the surface - an important factor in the non-nuclear submersibles of those days.

In July 1944 the squadron moved to Gibraltar to operate in its assigned role in the Mediterranean, and at one stage late in 1944 was in sole charge of all anti-submarine patrols from the famous mountain fortress. During this time only three aircraft were lost on operation, in spite of day and night patrols - some lasting almost nine hours - alone or in co-operation with British or American forces; in one month, January 1945, more than 1 000 hours of operations were flown. The war in Europe over, the squadron lingered on at Gibraltar for a little while and on June 4,1945, made its last official-appearance when some of its members tried their hand at a traditional `army' pastime - by providing the troops for the ancient Ceremony of the Keys. In July 1945, No. 22 Squadron was posted to Gianaclis, in Egypt, and in August moved to Idku, where it was disbanded on October 24. It was re-formed with Venturas in 1954 but later disbanded once more. 

Then, in the early 1960s, the SAAF acquired a quantity of Westland Wasp helicopters and a unit known as No. 22 Flight was formed on January 1,1964. This became a full squadron in May 1976 when enough additional Wasps were received to bring it up to full strength. The squadron also operates a number of Alouette III's. Important to note that this has always been a SAAF squadron and not a SA NAVY squadron. The Wasps were withdrawn in 1990, but the unit received Pumas from no. 30 sqdn when it disbanded in 1991. The unit received it last Oryx by 1995, by which time the Pumas was withdrawn from service. 22 Sqdn also operate the two Department of Environmental Affairs, SA330J Pumas on Antarctic operations. These two Pumas has been withdrawn from service and offered for sale, but was used in the flood relief operations of Mozambique. The brightly coloured Oryx Mk. 2, fitted with additional de-icing equipment, replaced the two Pumas.