A Sample Feature From Aviation News

Neptune's Trident 1
– Developing a Joint Force

Today, when a Tailored Air Group embarks aboard one of the Royal Navy's CVS carriers or assault ships they will be embarking aircraft crews and maintainers from either the Royal Air Force or the Army Air Corps as likely as they will Fleet Air Arm personnel. Maritime aviation is very much becoming a joint affair, and this starts early on in the training system with the Tri-Service Defence Helicopter Flying School, responsible for the training of all helicopter pilots for the three services in the UK. British military aviation in general is undergoing a period of change with prestigious programmes, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, Nimrod MRA.4, the A400M, the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft and the Future Joint Combat Aircraft, all grabbing the headlines. But there are other programmes effecting the UK's legacy platforms and training practices, all of which will have an effect on the Fleet Air Arm, working hard and out of the limelight. Dave Billinge begins a major review of maritime aviation today and in the future with a look at a turbulent period for rotary-winged naval aircraft.

In the first of this series, Gerry Sweet looks at the origins of the government’s first aeroplane factory that did so much to advance the state of manufacturing, providing stimulus for constructors and some of the first aircraft operated by the Royal Flying Corps, predecessor to the RAF.

Above: HMS Illustrious (R06) the present Fleet Flag Ship was re-commissioned in 2005 after undergoing a re-fit at Rosyth, which saw her emerging after being reconfigured as a strike carrier when she took over the role from HMS Invincible following her decommissioning. Below: The oldest of the three Fairey Swordfish which are part of the Royal Navy Historic Flight, W5856 flies in the colours of 810 Naval Air Squadron during 1939. A Swordfish Mk.I, it is based alongside the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton. The Flight has three of these aircraft on strength, a Swordfish Mk II (LS326) is the second which is nearing the end of restoration work at BAE Brough and the third, a Swordfish Mk III (NF319) is to be restored to flying condition. (Photos, Dave Billinge unless stated otherwise).

Changes that have already taken place embrace the Fleet Air Arm’s Sea King Commando and Lynx helicopters, which have become part of Joint Helicopter Command, and the Sea Harriers, becoming part of the Joint Force Harrier (JFH). The latter was finally withdrawn at the end of March 2006 as part of the Government’s plan to transition to the Joint Combat Aircraft through the Harrier GR.9. Joint Helicopter Command became the first change when, on October 1, 1999, the Fleet Air Arm’s Sea King, HC Mk 4 of the Commando Helicopter Force joined the support and battlefield helicopters of the Royal Air Force and the Army Air Corps as part of the new Joint Helicopter Command (JHC). The JHC is a single authority under Commander-in-Chief Land, which is now responsible for the tasking of all UK-based support and battlefield helicopters. The RN contribution consisted of all the aircraft (plus about 1,000 personnel) of No’s 845, 846, 847 and 848 Naval Air Squadrons, plus nine further aircraft from an attrition reserve. The RAF has been providing Chinook HC Mk 2/2A heavy lift helicopters for shipboard operations to support Royal Marine littoral operations. The RAF has three squadrons of Chinooks based at RAF Odiham No’s 7, 18 and 27, with No 7 Sqn primarily working with Special Forces.

Joint Force Harrier was established on April 1, 2000, and brought together the Sea Harrier FA.2 squadrons, previously under Naval Air Command, and the RAF's Harrier GR.7 squadrons in a new command within No 3 Group, RAF Strike Command. That day also marked the first time that a naval officer had been given charge of an RAF Group. The previous Flag Officer Naval Aviation became Air Officer Commanding No 3 Group, running JFH, plus Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft and RAF search-and-rescue (SAR) Sea King helicopters. The Harrier force has since been moved to become part of No 1 Group, the RAF’s Air Combat Group, whilst the Search and Rescue (SAR) and Long Range Maritime Patrol (LRMP) assets have stayed within 3 Group. Joint Force Harrier is in the process of reinventing itself as a Strike Force, allowing for the political decision to dispense with a shipboard interceptor capability pending the arrival of the future Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA), although problems in the programme could well see this slip. There have been indications that the Harriers could be kept operational until 2020, as an all Harrier GR.7/9 fleet.

The implementation of the 2002 government decision to see the transition to the Lightning II through a single type force in 2012 has seen the FAA’s fast jet pilots leaving Yeovilton to the Sea King and Lynx of the Commando Helicopter Force, taking up residence at RAF Cottesmore. The Force has now transitioned to two Dark Blue squadrons, No’s 800 and 801 Naval Air Squadrons, and two Light Blue squadrons, 1 and 4. The Harrier Operational Conversion Unit is based at RAF Wittering.

Above: HMS Endurance’s 212 Flight, part of 815 NAS, operates a pair of Lynx HAS Mk 3(ICE) which have been modified for operations in Antarctica. Due to international treaties the aircraft are unarmed and carry high visibility panels for their SAR role. Below: A Squirrel HT Mk 1 of the Defence Helicopter Flying School. Formed in 1997, the school has been conducting joint basic helicopter training at RAF Shawbury for all three branches of the Armed Forces since its inception ten years ago. From there, trainee naval aviators pass on to complete advanced training on operational types and observers go to No 750 NAS for further training on the Jetstream T Mk 2.

CVF or not?
There continues to be a lack of firm orders from the government on both the JSF and the future CVF programmes and current planning assumptions are based upon the acquisition of the F-35B Lightning II STOVL version of the Joint Strike Fighter, to be operated from both carriers and shore bases by a joint force comprising both Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force personnel. Within the JSF programme there are continuing doubts on numbers to be ordered both in the US and the Netherlands, which will have an effect on the programme as a whole. The question remains unanswered, but can the UK Defence Budget afford parallel funding of CVF, JCA and the replacement for the Vanguard Class submarines and their Trident missile systems? It already looks like this is being trimmed, with only a limited number of Type 45 destroyers ordered and rumours of further frigates being mothballed in order to save money. If some or all of these programmes are cut the Royal Navy is going to have a lesser capability than the Indian Navy which, although currently operating an ex-Royal Navy carrier, has acquired the Admiral Gorshkov from the Russians. Latest reports would suggest that the entry into service of this ship with the Indian Navy has now been delayed until 2010 and that India is building its own indigenous Air Defence Ship.

The FAA’s maritime helicopters still remain under fleet control with the Merlin HM Mk1 helicopters providing the Fleet Air Arm with ASW and ASuW and the Lynx HAS Mk 3 and HMA Mk 8 providing the small ships flights assets from the bases at Culdrose and Yeovilton. There are three operational Merlin squadrons and an Operational Training unit based at RNAS Culdrose, Nos 814 and 820 NAS’, providing carrier-based ASW and ASuW assets for the fleet with 829 NAS, whose aircraft form the Merlin small ships flights and the Operational Training Squadron 700NAS. The Lynx are based at Yeovilton with operational training squadron 702 NAS and 815 NAS Lynx operating from the Royal Navy’s frigates. The Lynx HAS Mk 3 is the mount of the ‘Black Cats’ the ‘RN's elite aeronautical display team.’ The team consists of a pair of Lynx helicopters drawn from 702 NAS, whose aerial ballet has become a regular sight on the UK air show circuit since their formation in 2001.
The 30 helicopters from the Merlin fleet will shortly begin modernisation as part of the Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme, under the auspices of Lockheed Martin UK Ltd acting as the prime contractor. Supported by the aircraft’s manufacturer AgustaWestland in the role of a strategic sub-contractor, LM UK are acting as the industry lead partner to sustain Merlin's capabilities through to its planned retirement in 2029. The MoD contract will see an evaluation of the complete Merlin weapons system to determine obsolescence issues centred around the aircraft and software which were first specified back in the 1980s. The existing closed architecture systems will require significant re-engineering to accept change. The programme will also look at how the mission systems can be improved to allow migration to lower cost, commercially available open system architecture. It will also look at capability upgrades to improve performance and reduce life cost. It is likely that the Merlin of the future will be equipped with an electro-optical sensor, identified as one of the deficiencies for the identification of radar targets at long range, along with an improved defensive aids suite, improved electronic support measures and an expanded data link. As part of the CSP it is hoped that the aircraft’s time on station and payload carrying capability can be improved by achieving weight savings in addition to those that will be achieved by the introduction of the newer, lighter weight, mission systems. The capability of equipping the Merlin with air-to-surface missiles will also be explored. The MoD is looking to enhance value for money from the programme and will be comparing the enhanced capability with the whole life cycle cost of the helicopter upgrade programme, in order to allow the Merlin to continue to weave its magic.

Below: 2005 saw the decommissioning of HMS Invincible, seen here entering the River Mersey. The lead ship of the class of three, the carrier was built at Vickers shipbuilding yard at Barrow in Furness and launched in 1977. The move to extended readiness was part of the MoD’s plans to introduce the CVF Aircraft Carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince Of Wales, while retaining the ship until 2010.

For the rest of this feature please see the July 2007 issue.