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...]
Culdrose aircraft fly from HMS Illustrious again
Merlins of 820 Naval Air Squadron from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose have joined HMS Illustrious in the Channel for seven weeks in the hands of the Navy’s most exacting training organisation, Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST). Fresh from a £40m refit, HMS Illustrious has begun two months of intensive training off the South Coast and when the training is complete, the … [Read more...]
Culdrose squadron on exercise off French coast
Merlin helicopters from 829 Naval Air Squadron at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose will be deploying to France on Exercise SPONTEX during May. Two of the helicopters will be operating from the French Naval Air Station Lann-Bihoué in Lorient, and the Merlin helicopter from the Type 23 Frigate, HMS Westminster will also be taking part in the exercise. Exercise SPONTEX is a … [Read more...]
Royal Navy Helicopters Anti-Submarine Training
814 Naval Air Squadron from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall has just returned home from two weeks of intense Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) training in Exercise Proud Manta 2011. This was the first time a Royal Navy helicopter squadron had taken in part NATO’s largest annual Anti-Submarine Warfare exercise. Three Merlin Mk1 maritime patrol helicopters, five crews … [Read more...]
