RNAS Yeovilton-based 847 Naval Air Squadron is conducting desert training at Naval Air Facility El Centro in California.
Having demonstrated their capability to operate the AH1 Wildcat in temperatures as low as -30°C in the mountainous and fjord-laden regions of Norway’s High North, 847 NAS are now showcasing their proficiency in extreme heat, dust, sand, and desolate scrub terrain at Naval Air Facility El Centro, in Southern California.
Naval Air Facility El Centro offer access to aerial and ground ranges for visiting formations to test air-to-air combat, practise bombing and other air-to-ground operations and will give 847 NAS a worthy test of its personnel and its machines.
Wildcat pilot Lieutenant James Parker said: “Operating in the desert environment is crucial for Commando Helicopter Force Aviators”
“In the past year, 847 NAS has seen its aircrew deployed to the Arctic, embarked on ships, and now to the desert, preparing to support Commando Forces anywhere.”
“That means landing in the dust as well as training crews and engineers to operate in the intense heat.”
In addition to the pilots and their supporting ground crews, the Mobile Air Operations Team (MAOT) has also been deployed to the desert. This team traverses the sandy terrain in search of appropriate locations that could function as temporary forward refuelling, rearming, and repair sites for commando helicopters.
Like the Royal Marines Commandos they support, when deployed on the front line, all 847 NAS personnel must be able to sustain themselves in the harshest of conditions. Once they have mastered the fundamentals of living and operating in desert conditions, the squadron can then shift to focusing on the business end: flying in support of ground operations.
“Operating in the 48-degree (118°F) heat of the Sonoran Desert requires hard work and mental resilience from all involved, both on the ground and in the air,” Lt Parker added.
“We’ve operated in two extremes this year,” Lt Parker said. “The squadron thrived in the High North and is now firmly established in the Sonoran Desert.
“Practising in the heat of the desert, by day and by night, flying in close formation requires trust and a great deal of skill.”
The squadron will remain at El Centro for several more weeks as it builds up its desert skills.
Equipped with the AugustaWestland Wildcat AH1 helicopter, 847 NAS provides reconnaissance, air support and anti-armour capabilities to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and is permanently held at Readiness State 2, meaning that it can deploy anywhere in the world within five days.
