For the first time an F-35B Lightning stealth fighter belonging to 809 Naval Air Squadron, flown by an 809 pilot, maintained, dispatched and recovered solely by 809 personnel, has conducted an operational sortie.
The squadron stood-up after a four-decade-long absence at the end of last year, joining the RAF’s legendary 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron as one of two front-line formations delivering fifth-generation fighter punch via the nation’s most advanced aircraft… and the sword of the UK’s two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
When not embarked on the flattops, the two stealth fighter squadrons – both comprising RN and RAF pilots and personnel, making them interchangeable when 809 is fully operational – call RAF Marham near King’s Lynn their home.
Since re-forming in December, 809 has been growing in number, its men and women working hard alongside 617 Squadron to expand the number of personnel and complete training to allow them to operate independently.
Commandos have been put through their paces with raid, insertion, and rescue techniques in a range of scenarios both at sea and on land. Personnel from Commando Helicopter Force’s 847 Naval Air Squadron worked with Commando Forces from a range of units during a week of intense training across the south coast.
A Wildcat helicopter from 847 NAS and Chinooks from 7 Squadron RAF were used for a 4-aircraft aviation raid near Goodwood and then helicasting off Portland before CHF 847 NAS completed Joint Personnel Recovery serials near Exeter with the Royal Marines and 29 Commando.
Poor weather precluded getting into the objective area of the aviation raid, however this was used as a training evolution. It tested the formation commander’s captaincy decisions and the skills of the handling pilots as they battled through heavy rain under a low cloud base in falling light.
Next up was helicasting in Portland with UK Commando Forces practising the insertion technique at sea before being recovered by boats. It’s a skill which gets Commandos into the action quickly, dropping them from the back of helicopters into the ocean.
The Royal Marines from M Company, 42 Commando, leapt from the Wildcat and Chinook helicopters into the water below.
HMS Trent will deploy to the Cayman Islands to offer support following damage caused by Hurricane Beryl.
Royal Navy warship HMS Trent will deploy to the Cayman Islands to offer UK support following the devastation brought this week by Hurricane Beryl.
HMS Trent, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, is scheduled to arrive in the Cayman Islands this weekend, where her crew will be ready to offer assistance with equipment and support to help communities affected by flooding and storm damage.
The hurricane, which has previously been rated Category 5, could bring winds of more than 155mph and has already caused a large amount of destruction in the region this week.
HMS Trent is crewed by more than 50 sailors and departed from Puerto Rico yesterday, carrying bottled water, basic emergency supplies, and equipment.
The ship has a Crisis Response Troop embarked, comprising members of 24 Commando Royal Engineers and their equipment, and further augmented with personnel to support planning, information operations, meteorological forecasting, and image capture.
A UNIQUE team of naval aviation engineers swapped the workshop for Bramley training area in Hampshire as they tested their ability to fix helicopters in the field.
1710 NAS is one of two naval air squadrons which has no aircraft but is crucial to the safety and effectiveness of operations by the UK’s military helicopter fleet.
Its repair department – one of five in the squadron alongside teams dedicated to modifications, data and digital, materials, and condition monitoring – carry out repairs above and beyond what flight/unit/squadron air engineers can accomplish, to meet operational requirements.
Another facet of the squadron, located in Portsmouth Naval Base, is aviation forensic support, courtesy of expert scientists and engineers, who advise not just military through the Defence Accident Investigation Branch (DAIB) but also civilian authorities through the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) the event of serious incidents or accidents.
To hone and maintain their skills to provide deployable scientific support, the team headed to Bramley, just outside Basingstoke in north Hampshire for Exercise Black Cat and test their ability to move out at short notice and successfully work in the field.
The crux of the exercise tested their skills at collecting liquids such as greases, oils or paints, in a more realistic aircraft accident environment.
Much of 1710’s core work is conducted in its labs and workshops – but the very nature of military aviation means they could face a ‘downbird’ (stricken aircraft) anywhere, with limited support and facilities.
Two vintage naval aircraft brought traffic to a halt (briefly) in the Falklands as they completed an 8,000-mile journey to their new home.
Sea Harrier ZH801 and Lynx XZ725 were moved by low-loader on the final leg of the odyssey – a slow 40-mile transit from remote Mare Harbour – the military port serving East Falkland – to the islands’ capital.
Given the size and weight of the two machines, there was something of a rush-hour jam (which is about half a dozen vehicles in the sparsely-populated British territory).
And given the aircrafts’ role in the 1982 conflict, islanders didn’t mind too much, describing it as “the best traffic jam in the world”.
The team overseeing the move in the Falklands were the same ones who’d carefully prepped the machines for the voyage south: the military’s experts in such delicate moves – the Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Squadron (JARTS), a combined RN-RAF unit at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire (they took the quicker flying option down to the Falklands... not available to the old warbirds).
Six naval personnel from JARTS, led by Chief Petty Officer Stewart Wright, were on hand to ensure the final stage went as smoothly as all the rest.
Also waiting to greet the aircraft were two veterans of the 1982 conflict for the islands: Commodore Michael Clapp and Commander Tim Gedge – who, respectively, were in charge of the amphibious task group and the Harriers of 809 Naval Air Squadron.
“They did a magnificent job in what was a potentially tricky operation and I was impressed with the way they handled everything that came their way in the best traditions of the Fleet Air Arm,” said Mr Gedge.
“The transit along the road drew large crowds and there was great interest from everyone we met. The islanders are hugely grateful to have these two aircraft for display.”
The two former naval officers made the long trip south again (Cdre Clapp is a spritely 92) to see the machines reach their final destination and also remember fallen comrades, laying wreaths at memorial services for destroyer HMS Glamorgan (June 12) and then at the islands’ Liberation Day parade in Stanley two days later.
The two veteran naval aircraft were on display to the public at their final destination, a plot of land allocated for the Lookout Gallery and Exhibition Hall, for two days before they were ‘wrapped up’ by the JARTS team to preserve them from the Falklands elements (it’s midwinter now in the Southern Hemisphere) until the new exhibition hall is completed in spring next year.
They and the new exhibition hall, which allows museum curators to better tell the story of the 1982 conflict for the islands, are expected to help pull in as many as 100,000 visitors every year – double current figures and more than 30 times the Falklands’ population – through the ever-growing cruise ship trade visiting Stanley.
Only the Lynx saw service in the 1982 campaign; the Sea Harrier, ZH801, was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm after the war and served until 2004 then acted as a ‘hangar guardian’ on display at RAF Cottesmore and, more recently, RNAS Yeovilton.
XZ725 on the other hand had an interesting war.
Operating from the frigate HMS Brilliant, she attacked and crippled the Argentine submarine Santa Fe in South Georgia during the opening moves of Operation Corporate.
Constantly upgraded and overhauled, the aircraft finally evolved into a Lynx Mk8 – she still bears the marking and cockpit art left by the last flight to operate her from the deck of the frigate HMS Iron Duke.
To better tell the stories of both machines – and the wider role of the Fleet Air Arm in Falklands – Mr Gedge and the Lynx’s observer in 82, Nick Butler, have provided the museum with detailed accounts. Commander Tim Gedge said: "The transit along the road drew large crowds and there was great interest from everyone we met. The islanders are hugely grateful to have these two aircraft for display."
The Royal Navy’s Wildcat maritime attack helicopters have demonstrated their ability to hunt down and engage enemy forces during a game of cat and mouse in the Norwegian fjords.
Yeovilton-based 815 Naval Air Squadron have been exercising with four of the Royal Navy’s P2000 patrol ships, two Norwegian corvettes and frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen off Bergen, in one of the world’s most challenging environments, for Exercise Tamber Shield.
Alongside the P2000s, the Wildcats were tasked with finding and targeting the Skjold-class corvettes amongst the many inlets and narrow waterways of the fjords.
In one particular scenario, HMS Biter and HMS Exploit, part of the Royal Navy’s Coastal Forces Squadron, headed north from Bergen, while fellow P2000s HMS Trumpeter and HMS Blazer headed south to use their skills and expertise to locate the Norwegian vessels before relaying that information to 815 NAS who were charged with making simulated attacks.
Capable of 60 knots, the Skjolds are fast and agile – using their camouflage to blend into the landscape, which their crew knows like the back of their hand.
However, aircrew from 815 NAS were more than up for the challenge, employing newly developed tactics to fend off the fast attack craft threat.
Deploying at short notice to locations across the globe is something all Commando Helicopter Force aircraft and personnel must be ready for.
So pilots, aircrew and engineers left their base at RNAS Yeovilton for a day-long journey to Gibraltar via France, Spain and Portugal with two of the green Merlin Mk3 helicopters of 846 Naval Air Squadron (NAS).
The Royal Marines flying wing was taking part in Exercise Barbary Commando 16, the aim of which is to train students from the Operational Conversion Flight and complete one of the final elements they need to become qualified Commando Merlin pilots and aircrew.
“This has been yet another first for the Commando Merlin,” said Detachment Commander Lieutenant Commander Alex Hampson.
“We have proved the utility of range and speed available with Merlin by deploying at short notice to an airfield over 1,400 flying miles away with just two stops for fuel in a single day.”
While in Gibraltar, the Junglie squadron also teamed up with the Gibraltar Boat Squadron for some winching training.
HMS Scimitar, her sister ship Sabre and three Pacific Rigid Inflatable Boats crewed by Royal Navy, Royal Marine and Royal Naval Reserve personnel together make up the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron.
Marshalled on the deck of HMS Prince of Wales off the US East Coast, this is an F-35B fully loaded. To the max. Topped out. Maximum effort.
It’s known in naval aviation parlance as ‘beast mode’: every pylon occupied by a weapon, the internal bomb bay bristling. Fully loaded, the F-35B can deliver 22,000lb of destructive and defensive power: air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and conventional and laser-guided bombs.
If you’re struggling to imagine a 22,000lb payload… it’s the equivalent of the heaviest bomb carried by a WW2 Lancaster bomber (the Grand Slam or ‘earthquake’ bomb). And it’s nearly three times more than the UK’s last carrier-borne strike aircraft, the Harrier GR9, over a decade ago. In this instance, the specially-modified F-35B from the US Navy’s Integrated Test Force was loaded with a combination of inert 500lb Paveway IV laser-guided bombs and inert 1,000lb Paveways in the weapons bay.
To date, F-35s have been taking off from the 350ft marker on the deck (roughly in line with the end of the forward island). Depending on a whole host of factors (including weather, wind over the deck, humidity) a fully loaded Lightning might need a full run-up to the ski jump to get airborne… which means starting all the way back at the 850ft marker… not too far from the rear end of the flight deck.
It’s the first time a full run-up has been tested on either carrier. And it’s also the first time bombs (albeit inert, practice models) have been dropped by aircraft launched from HMS Prince of Wales.
Captain of the Flight Deck Warrant Officer 1 John Etherington – who has experience of deck operations on Nimitz-class US carriers – was the sailor giving the ‘go’ to the pilots.
“It was impressive, launching the jet, all bombed up from the back of the flight deck,” he said. “It’s exciting to see us pushing the boundaries of UK naval aviation.”
At the controls of F-35s in beast mode were US Marine Corps pilots Major Paul Gucwa and Lieutenant Colonel Mike Lippert.
This is the fourth time the latter has worked with the UK’s carrier force – three times helping HMS Queen Elizabeth develop her Lightning capability, now with Prince of Wales.
“It’s a pleasure to see the continued progress in operating capability - there has been undeniable growth and progress,” he said.
“Major Gucwa and I took great pleasure in continuing to expand the warfighting capacity of Britain’s biggest warship. We were a small part of an immense, cross-functional, integrated team which spanned every corner of the ship, the F-35 ITF mission control rooms, and our worldwide F-35 Lightning II partnership – all focused on increasing the interoperability and lethality of our front-line fighter.”
This is the impressive sight of an MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor lifting off at dusk from the deck of Britain’s biggest warship. And at the controls one Fleet Air Arm pilot – on exchange with the US Marine Corps.
His crew was one of 14 from 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing who qualified to operate from the deck of HMS Prince of Wales – one element of a key theme of the Portsmouth-based warship’s autumn deployment to the USA: interaction and cooperation with our US allies.
The MV-22 Osprey has a similar payload capacity to the Merlin Mk4 used by the Royal Marines – a couple of dozen troops fully kitted out – but can carry them higher, faster (up to 150mph) and further (upwards of 400 miles) into battle.
“The key difference is that the US Marine Corps views the MV-22 as a fixed-wing asset which can land and take off vertically – as opposed to a helicopter that can fly faster and further,” explained the pilot whom we cannot identify for security reasons.
He’s a wealth of front-line experience in Merlin Mk2s and trained Fleet Air Arm pilots of the future at RAF Shawbury and 705 NAS before coming the exchange on the MV-22.
With the Osprey flying 90 per cent of the time in ‘aeroplane mode’, it’s treated and flown as such (the fast jet community had a lot of influence on how it is operated, especially low-level tactics and formation flying).
Nine newly qualified Royal Navy helicopter aircrew were handed their wings at a recent parade – including two from a new training programme in ‘Crowsnest’ airborne surveillance and control.
The pilots, observers and aircrewmen were handed the winged badges by Commodore Andrew Rose to show they have completed their training to join the navy’s frontline helicopter squadrons.
Family and friends watched with pride at a special parade held in an aircraft hangar of 824 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Culdrose.
The new aviators have all trained how to fly and operate the Merlin Mk2 maritime patrol helicopter, spending many months in the classrooms and simulators as well as the squadron’s aircraft.
Two of the observers have come through a new programme to train the next generation in airborne surveillance and control (ASaC).
They will now join 820 Naval Air Squadron, which is dedicated to protecting the navy’s aircraft carriers, to operate the helicopters adapted for ASaC with a radar fitted to their side. Flying high above the carrier strike group, these helicopters will look for airborne dangers ‘over the horizon’.
Meanwhile, the others will now join anti-submarine warfare crews either with 820, or 814 Naval Air Squadron, which operates off frigates and other ships.
Commander Chris Jones, the commanding officer of 824 Naval Air Squadron, said: “I want to congratulate each of these newly qualified aviators on their achievement in reaching this point today. Gaining their wings is a huge step in their careers in the Fleet Air Arm.
“As an ASaC observer myself, I am also immensely pleased to see the progress of our two latest ASaC observers. They are the first to complete a new training programme which includes many hours in our new ASaC Mission Trainer here at Culdrose.
“They now join an elite corps of specialist aviators, and alongside their submarine hunting colleagues, they go to the front line now with the skills needed to fight and win. Our standards here at 824 are absolute and I have some of the best instructors in any military flying unit, so to have passed the course shows an extraordinary degree of dedication and talent.”
Several of the Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk2 helicopters have been adapted for ASaC through a programme with industry known as Crowsnest.
Alongside one of the squadron’s helicopters at the parade was an iconic World War Two Fairey Swordfish from Navy Wings. 824 Naval Air Squadron includes the Taranto Raid by Swordfish bombers in its list of battle honours.
UK Armed Forces aircraft take part in final rehearsal before Queen's Platinum Jubilee Flypast
Photo RAF / Crown copyright
An amazing airborne spectacle occurred yesterday, 26 May as aircraft from across the UK Armed Forces soared over RAF College Cranwell in a rehearsal for the Platinum Jubilee Flypast over Buckingham Palace on Thursday 2 June 2022.
The Royal Air Force, British Army and Royal Navy were all represented in the 22 aircraft that took to the skies to practice the formations which will form part of the Queen’s Birthday Parade celebrations next week. The full flypast will see 70 aircraft, including the iconic Red Arrows and historic Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, put on a spectacular show over London.
The formation flew over RAF Cranwell’s iconic College Hall yesterday, which stood in for Buckingham Palace. The first aircraft of the Flypast flew over College Hall at 13:00BST. The display was reviewed by Air Commodore Mike Baulkwill, the Combat Air Force Commander for the RAF’s No 1 Group. Air Commodore Baulkwill was standing in for Air Vice-Marshal Ian Duguid, Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group, who is the Senior Responsible Officer for the Flypast.
Dedication, concentration and supreme skills needed to fly in the flypast Photo RAF / Crown copyright
Commodore Mike Baulkwill, Combat Air Force Commander, No 1 Group said: "I was reviewing the Flypast from a safety and execution point of view, to make sure the timings, spacings, and the broad structure of the flypast was looking good for next week. It went really well, we’ll have to make some minor adjustments, but the timing was perfect, and the line-up was good."
"We are very proud to be able to show Her Majesty The Queen, our Commander-in-Chief, on this unique occasion for the longest-serving monarch and her 70 year Platinum Jubilee, our capability and present that as a fitting and appropriate tribute for her 70-year reign. It should be a good spectacle for the country, the union, and the Commonwealth."
Squadron Leader Greenhowe
Project Officer for the Flypast
The variety of aircraft that will take part in the flypast will highlight the armed forces' different roles and abilities. Photo RAF / Crown copyright
Squadron Leader Longland, RAF Puma Pilot said: "The flypast today went really well. We made our time on target over the top of College Hall which was standing in as Buckingham Palace. It has been in preparation for months and requires detailed coordination between all the different aircraft which fly at different speeds. I feel hugely privileged and excited to get to fly over the Palace for The Queen on this momentous occasion."
The flypast on Thursday 2 June 2022 will follow the Queen’s Birthday Parade, known as Trooping The Colour, a major display of military pageantry involving 1,500 officers and soldiers and 250 horses from the British Army’s Household Division on Horse Guards Parade. The Flypast will take place subject to weather, serviceability, and operational commitments.
THE ARMED FORCES PLATINUM JUBILEE FLYPAST WILL TAKE PLACE FROM COLLEGE HALL AT 13:00BST, ON THURSDAY 2 JUNE 2022
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More than 3,000 sailors and Royal Marines were deployed deep inside the Arctic Circle – ashore, at sea and in the skies of Norway – to demonstrate the UK’s commitment to safeguarding Europe’s ‘northern flank’ against any aggressor.
They joined more than 27,000 personnel, warships, armour, and air power from more than two dozen NATO allies and partners for Cold Response 2022, the largest military exercise hosted in Norway since the Cold War.
Britain’s biggest warship, HMS Prince of Wales, led the naval fleet, demonstrating her ability to act as NATO command ship – a role she will hold for the rest of 2022.
This was the first time one of the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers has been so far north, with more than 1,000 sailors gaining their first experience of operating in the Arctic region.
Royal Navy sailors pushed the boundaries of what the 65,000-tonne flagship can do, as the crew developed new ways of working and coping with temperatures as low as -30 Celsius.
HMS Prince of Wales commanding officer, Captain Steve Higham,“As we continue to operate in and around the Arctic with our allies and partners, the sailors on HMS Prince of Wales are continuing to learn the skills, and build the experience that allow the Royal Navy to push the boundaries of UK carrier operations in the cold, harsh environment.”
Photo Royal Navy / Crown Copyright
The ship’s role in the exercise saw her work side-by-side with a breadth of British and Allied air power from F-35B Lightning stealth fighters to the Americans’ unique Osprey MV22 tiltrotor aircraft and Sea Stallion helicopters.
The fortnight-long exercise – on top of several months of preparatory training both in the UK and Arctic – allowed the Royal Navy to demonstrate some of its unique capabilities, from launching commando raids from submarines to operating a fifth-generation aircraft carrier in sub-zero conditions for the first time.
The Royal Marines practised and honed new raiding tactics for stealth missions on the treacherous Norwegian coastline, supported by host nation forces, as well as conducting more regular manoeuvres and drills honed over more than half a century as the UK’s experts in Arctic warfare.
Meanwhile, divers from HMS Grimsby plunged into the icy fjords to neutralise mines and pave the way for task forces to sail through safely.
Ships, aircraft and personnel from six JEF nations resupplied the UK-led NATO Battlegroup in Estonia and conducted freedom of navigation patrols and exercises.
Royal Navy vessels have joined ships, aircraft and personnel from six Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) nations to provide support to NATO and bolster security in the Baltic Sea.
HMS Northumberland and sister ship HMS Richmond joined Danish frigate HDMS Niels Juel and warships from Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for maritime patrols in the strategically important region.
JEF naval vessels escorted Danish and British supply ships as they delivered military vehicles and equipment to resupply the UK-led NATO Battlegroup in Estonia, where troops from the UK and Denmark are serving side by side. The UK recently doubled the number of troops in Estonia as part of wider NATO efforts to strengthen its eastern defences following Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
As well as patrolling and delivering the vital supplies, the warships and aircraft conducted a series of joint exercises to demonstrate and hone their seamless interoperability. Danish F-16s and Swedish Gripen fighter jets rehearsed air defence tactics with the vessels, while one of the UK’s new RAF Poseidon P8A submarine hunter aircraft practiced working with the ships to spot enemy vessels.
Major General Jim Morris DSO, the Commander of the UK Standing Joint Force HQ (SJFHQ) which leads the JEF, said: “Activities such as these in the Baltic Sea are routine business for us and our JEF partners, in one of our principal areas of geographical interest.
“Given the current level of aggression being displayed by Russia, there has never been a more important time to ensure that freedom of navigation is maintained in the Baltic Sea.”
This region is of vital strategic importance as we seek to ensure stability and freedom of navigation in the Baltic Sea.
The JEF is a UK-led force, comprising 10 nations working together to deliver forces at high readiness, across a range of roles, complementing NATO and European security. The coalition focuses on security in the Baltic Sea region, the High North and the North Atlantic, where its members are located.
In March, the Prime Minister hosted JEF leaders in London for the first-ever leader-level summit. At the leaders’ summit, JEF members committed to supporting Ukraine with defensive military aid and ensuring that JEF continued to play a credible role in contributing to defence and deterrence in the region. The meeting followed meetings of Defence Ministers and Chiefs of Defence in February.
The coalition is complementary to NATO’s wider strategic posture which originated from the 2014 NATO summit in Wales. Led by the UK as framework nation, it is agile and responsive, acting flexibly either in smaller groupings or as ten nations communicating with one voice.
Rear Admiral Torben Mikkelson, Chief of the Royal Danish Navy, said: “The current situation calls for increased focus on security of the Baltic Sea and stability of our region. The Danish Navy will, with our partners in the JEF alliance, do our utmost to contribute to that.”
A busy schedule of activity over the coming months and years will see the JEF operating across its core areas of the North Atlantic, High North and Baltic Sea Region, with a particular focus on the upcoming Command Post Exercise Joint Protector later in 2022, followed by the Live Exercise JEF Warrior in 2023.
Airbus get a contract extension from the UK's Royal Navy for the continued provision of satellite-based maritime surveillance services for the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC).
The contract follows the successful completion of a proof of concept phase, and will ensure the continued monitoring of areas of interest in UK waters and ultimately protect UK sovereign borders from suspicious vessel activity. Using optical and radar imaging as well as AIS (Automatic Identification System) data, Airbus will provide reports about vessels within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone, as well as information that will help in the prevention of potentially illegal activities.
JMSC, which is the UK government’s centre of excellence for maritime security, required a series of services that would provide intelligence to augment their own surveillance activities. Under the agreement, JMSC will benefit from a large range of Airbus’ surveillance and analytics capabilities.
The contract includes: Vessel Detection Reports using SAR data analysis, either delivered in emergency mode for urgently required satellite tasking to monitor suspicious vessels of interest across the globe or on a twice-daily basis for general vessel identification as well as the classification of ‘dark’ vessels in key areas of interest. In addition, the Defence Site Monitoring service, using automated algorithms applied to optical imagery, for the detection, recognition and identification of vessels will detail the evolution of port activity and raise alerts whenever abnormal activity occurs.
The Airbus surveillance services will give JMSC a greater understanding of the various activities across UK waters, especially with a focus on potentially uncooperative vessels, helping to better address security challenges and allowing resources to be rapidly deployed to intercept.
RAF F-35B fighters from the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth have been flying in a major international air exercise for the first time since the Carrier Strike Group sailed from the UK on its seven-month-long deployment.
The eight aircraft from 617 (Dambusters) Squadron flew with and against crews from France and the U.S. in simulated combat off the South West French coast. The International Exercise called 'Atlantic Trident' is aimed at increasing understanding and the ability to fly and operate together.
Supporting the exercise was the RAF’s 101 Squadron flying Voyager tankers refuelling not only UK F-35Bs but those flown by the U.S. Marines, Rafale Jets from France and RAF Typhoons operating from RAF Coningsby.
Amphibious ship RFA Mounts Bay has become the first Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel to operate with the US military’s unique Osprey ‘tiltrotor’ aircraft during missions off the Scottish coastline.
The MV22 Osprey from the US 7th Special Operations Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk landed on Mounts Bay while she took part in the Littoral Strike Group (North) deployment.
The iconic warbird takes off and lands just like a helicopter, then rotates its propellers to fly like a conventional aircraft.
RFA sailors worked with personnel from 1700 and 847 Naval Air Squadron to land the Osprey, which was providing air support to Royal Marines from 45 Commando during amphibious exercises.
Flight Deck Officer Mick Burton RFA was delighted to make his own little bit of history in landing the aircraft on deck, supported by Officer of the Watch 3/O(X) Chris Hancock and Cadet Jack Davies who were responsible for ensuring the ship safely operated the aircraft from the bridge.
Navy helicopters designed for surveillance and submarine hunting operations have arrived on HMS Queen Elizabeth as they prepare to be the carrier’s airborne guardians during her landmark maiden deployment.
Specialist Merlin Mk2 Crowsnest helicopters – which scour the skies with powerful radar looking for potential adversaries – are now on board the 65,000 tonne carrier along with fellow Merlins equipped for anti-submarine warfare.
The Crowsnest Merlins are responsible for airborne surveillance and control (known as ASaC) and will fly up to a mile and a half above the carrier group to look over the horizon for possible threats, while the sub hunters monitor activity beneath the waves.
Joining the carrier along with the helicopters are 190 men and women - the aircrew and engineers of 820 Naval Air Squadron - who will keep the aircraft flying for the duration of the deployment.
Commander Ian Varley, the commanding officer of 820 Naval Air Squadron, said: “This is a proud moment today. A tremendous amount of work has gone into getting us ready for this.
“Airborne surveillance and control is a new capability inserted into the existing Merlin Mk2 helicopter fleet. We are now embarking that in the carrier strike group, so we can have constant surveillance of the sea and airspace around the ships. This will protect the carrier and her escorts from any potential threat, be that missiles, aircraft or other warships.
RAF personnel deliver the vaccines to HMS Forth within minutes of landing in the Falklands Photo MoD
The Royal Navy delivered vaccines to one of the most remote community in the world after a race against time in the South Atlantic.
HMS Forth landed doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine on Tristan da Cunha after a 2,500-mile journey from the Falklands to beat winter storms.
With no airport and no ships able to offload on the island during the austral winter, the 200-plus inhabitants of the British Overseas Territory are cut off from the world for months on end.
Forth, crewed by Portsmouth-based sailors and the Royal Navy’s permanent presence in the Falklands, acted as the last ‘baton carrier’ in a 10,000-mile race to get the vaccine to islanders.
The Royal Air Force delivered the vaccine from RAF Brize Norton to Mount Pleasant in the Falklands.
Within an hour, the tiny phials were safely stored in Forth’s sickbay and the ship was leaving her base to sail across the ocean.
Torpedoes raced through Falmouth Bay as the helicopter crews stepped up training to protect the Navy’s most important deployment in a generation.
Aircrew from 820 Naval Air Squadron made the short flight from their base at Culdrose to the nearby bay to launch dummy versions of Sting Ray, the RN’s mainstay lightweight torpedo for the past three decades and more.
It’s carried by Merlins and Wildcats, plus Type 23 frigates such as HMS Kent and Richmond… not just to arm their helicopters, but also to launch from tubes built into the superstructure.
As the principal submarine hunter, Merlin carriers depth charges or four Sting Rays – although the latter will be replaced by a new 21st-Century lightweight torpedo announced in the recent Defence Review.
The first of the Royal Navy’s new ‘eyes in the sky’ has entered service – getting ready to protect the nation’s flagship.
The first Merlin ‘Crowsnest’ helicopter – which scours the heavens with its radar looking for potential foes – will now begin operational training, ahead of the maiden deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth this spring.
The distinctive-looking helicopter – a large radar dome or ‘bag’ sticks out from the fuselage, earning the aircraft the affectionate nickname of ‘baggers’ – will provide airborne surveillance and the control of other aircraft (known as ASaC) in the carrier’s strike group.
The new generation of ‘baggers’ pick up the mantle of the Navy’s veteran Sea Kings of 849 Naval Air Squadron (now retired) – and like their predecessors will be based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, which also provides anti-submarine Merlin aircraft to protect the Fleet.
The phoenix has risen.
.jpg "Nine newly qualified Royal Navy helicopter aircrew were handed their wings at a recent parade – including two from a new training programme in ‘Crowsnest’ airborne surveillance and control. The pilots, observers and aircrewmen were handed the winged badges by Commodore Andrew Rose to show they have completed their training to join the navy’s frontline helicopter squadrons. Photo Royal Navy")
