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 – … [Read more...]
HMS Kent helps carrier Queen Elizabeth deal with any foe
The seas around Britain’s biggest warship churned red as the Navy developed tactics to protect HMS Queen Elizabeth from all manner of attacks. For five days, the Portsmouth-based carrier worked side-by-side with frigate HMS Kent and her Merlin helicopter as every perceivable threat – air attack, submarine, surface fleet and terrorist strike – to ready the future flagship for … [Read more...]
Royal Navy completes hurricane season preparations in the Caribbean
A Royal Navy task group in the Caribbean is ready to help island communities after a series of intensive workouts demonstrating their ability to react to humanitarian disasters. The Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) capability brings together a coordinated team of commandos, engineers, aviators and sailors capable of bringing assistance to British Overseas Territories … [Read more...]
First aircraft touch down on the deck of HMS Prince of Wales
Not 24 hours after the second of the UK’s new aircraft carriers sailed into open waters for the first time, a Merlin helicopter was guided safely into land on the expansive deck. For the first time in 50 years the announcement: “Hands to Flying Stations” echoed throughout the 280-metre-long warship and specialist aircraft handlers, who’ve spent the past year practising for … [Read more...]
HMS Ocean leads Greek naval exercise
The Royal Navy’s helicopter carrier HMS Ocean has led a force of 20 ships and over 300 British, Greek and US Marines to ‘storm’ Crete for the Greek Navy’s main autumn war exercises. The Greeks host Exercise Niriis to test an international naval force and its ability to respond to a major crisis in the region – similar to the Turkish exercise HMS Ocean and the … [Read more...]
HMS Albion training for global duties
The crew of Britain’s future flagship HMS Albion are half-way through all-action autumn training to prepare them for duties around the globe. Three weeks into her operational sea training off the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, HMS Albion has already sent Royal Marines ashore to ‘storm’ West Country beaches, patched up a mock community affected by natural disaster, and … [Read more...]
Joint helicopter operations on Cougar 13
Army Apache helicopters have joined Navy Sea King, Merlin and Lynx helicopters onboard HMS Illustrious for two weeks in the Gulf as part of the ongoing Cougar 13 deployment. The Apache helicopters from 656 Squadron 4 Regiment Army Air Corps joined Illustrious in the waters off the United Arab Emirates as she took part in Exercise Sea Khanjar before then returning to the UK. … [Read more...]
HMS Bulwark and HMS Ocean exercise Olympic security
Plymouth-based Royal Navy warships HMS Bulwark and HMS Ocean have played a pivotal role in rehearsing the Olympic security operation in the South West. HMS Bulwark, the RN flagship and amphibious command and control vessel took part in Exercise Olympic Guardian earlier in the week, operating as the civil authority maritime command and control HQ at sea near the Jurassic … [Read more...]
A spot of wizardry from Navy’s trainee Merlin crews
Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose is about to receive the updated Merlin Mk2 helicopter which will bring the latest technology to the Merlin squadrons at the base. The latest batch of trainee Merlin aircrew, eighteen pilots, observers and aircrewmen from 824 Naval Air Squadron, are completing years of arduous training off the Cornish coast before the next-generation version of … [Read more...]
829 Naval Air Squadron Crew home for Christmas
Aircrew and engineers from 01 Flight of 829 Naval Air Squadron arrive back at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose after a six-month deployment East of the Suez Canal and the seas around the Horn of Africa. Embarked in HMS St Albans, a Type 23 Frigate, the Merlin helicopter of 01 Flight was a crucial asset to the success of the deployment as the ship transited the Gibraltar … [Read more...]
