Twelve naval aviators have successfully completed a rigorous week-long assessment in preparation to deploy Commandos into combat situations worldwide as required.
The Commando Helicopter Force is tasked with executing missions globally, delivering essential aerial support to the Royal Marines as they engage in operations across diverse and challenging environments, ranging from the Arctic to deserts and jungles.
In preparation for their challenging missions, students, instructors, engineers, and survival equipment specialists from 846 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) were deployed to Okehampton battle camp, located on the outskirts of Dartmoor in Devon. This deployment involved an intensive week of rapid planning and real-time tasking with three Merlin Mk4 helicopters. The squadron focuses on training pilots and aircrew for frontline operations, and for some participants in the Commando 4 Operational Conversion Flight course, this final assessment follows over seven years of flying training.
Exercise Merlin Storm immerses students in a demanding environment of continuous operational sorties, evaluating their skills, determination, and resourcefulness as they adapt to constantly evolving scenarios. Additionally, they endure challenging living conditions, residing in basic accommodations consisting of two tents on a hill exposed to near gale-force winds, while establishing a forward operating base from the ground up.
Ultimately, to earn the title of Junglie – derived from the troops who supported operations in the jungles of Malaysia and Borneo during the 1960s – students are deliberately placed outside their comfort zones, a preparation that will benefit them in their roles alongside the frontline fliers of 845 NAS.
Lieutenant Commander Tom Morris, 846’s Warfare Officer, said: “Sometimes you’ll find yourself briefing off scribbles on the back of a cigarette packet after plan A, B and C have fallen apart.
“As Junglie pilots and aircrew, it is paramount to know no plan survives first contact and oftentimes some infamous Junglie cunning must be applied in order to make a sound plan and achieve the task at hand.”
After establishing their own operational base, the students are immediately engaged in various activities, including the movement of loads across the moors, troop transportation, and executing any assignments typical of a support helicopter in a frontline scenario. While this may appear to be standard procedure, the students frequently have a mere 90 minutes from the moment they receive their assignments to the completion of a detailed set of orders, which encompasses precise timings and fuel management strategies. Additionally, the instructors derive considerable satisfaction from introducing unexpected challenges to evaluate the students’ capacity for rapid adaptation.
Captain Elliott Graham, a Royal Marines student pilot, said: “The best part of Exercise Merlin Storm 24 was the real time tasking that had been generated which enabled realistic and challenging scenarios and the ability to utilise the aircraft in an operational capacity for the first time.”
For student pilots, the journey to earning their wings begins at Dartmouth, where they undergo a brief evaluation at Yeovilton on Grob Tutors to assess whether they possess the essential qualities expected of all aviators. Following this, they complete Elementary Flying Training, which involves mastering the fundamentals of flight on a fixed-wing aircraft. The next phase involves helicopter pilot training on the Juno HT1 at RAF Shawbury, covering general handling, hovering – often described as “easy once you’ve got the hang of it” – and advanced manoeuvres such as instrument flying, low-level navigation, and landing and taking off from confined spaces.
Additionally, training includes night flying with Night Vision Devices, mountain flying, and operations involving under-slung loads. The capabilities of the Merlin helicopters were prominently showcased during an exercise, with all three aircraft remaining fully operational and successfully completing a significant amount of real-world tasks, including the transport of over 800 passengers over four days of flying.
Notable moments included the simultaneous landing of two Merlins at Scraesdon Fort in Cornwall to deliver a contingent of 42 Commando Royal Marines, as well as the retrieval of Royal Marine recruits who had just earned their green berets after the challenging 30-miler. Furthermore, a Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) was executed involving cadets, coordinated by a formation of three aircraft. The Commando 4 students are now preparing for their eagerly anticipated wings ceremony at Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton, after which they will join 845 Naval Air Squadron.
