[Mod.uk]IN PICTURES: HMS Ocean hosts Army's Apache helicopters

[Rudd]

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Training and Adventure | IN PICTURES: HMS Ocean hosts Army's Apache helicopters

A Training and Adventure news article

13 Oct 09

Two Apache helicopters from 4 Regiment Army Air Corps have recently been conducting maritime aviation training in the North Sea onboard the Royal Navy's largest warship.
An Army Air Corps Apache helicopter hovers inches above the deck of HMS Ocean
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An Army Air Corps Apache helicopter hovers inches above the deck of HMS Ocean
[Picture: LA(Phot) Bernie Henesy, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

The Apache aircrew, based at Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk, have recently returned from operations in Afghanistan and were onboard HMS Ocean learning to operate their aircraft from the ship's flight deck.

During the two-day embarkation, eight pilots conducted multiple day and night landings to achieve their deck qualifications. This now opens the way for further embarkations, increasing the operational capability of this already versatile aircraft.


See more photos from the training in the Gallery at Related Links>>>

HMS Ocean's Commanding Officer, Captain Simon Kings, said:

"Embarkations such as this will undoubtedly become more common in the future as current operations require the three Armed Services to co-operate more closely than ever before, with the flexibility to operate outside of their traditional roles.

"We were delighted to have the Army Air Corps back onboard, working alongside the Fleet Air Arm, and having now built up a pool of experienced Apache aircrew qualified to operate in the maritime environment, I look forward to seeing them onboard again in the near future."

An Army Air Corps Apache helicopter approaches the deck of HMS Ocean

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An Army Air Corps Apache helicopter approaches the deck of HMS Ocean
[Picture: LA(Phot) Bernie Henesy, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

Lieutenant Matt Punch RN is the maritime operations officer for 4 Regiment Army Air Corps at Wattisham. He said:

"This is the second time such training has been conducted, previously undertaken in 2005. Due to our commitments in Afghanistan the chance to carry out such training is limited, but with HMS Ocean sailing past our front door we were able to make the most of this opportunity.

"We concentrated on the qualification of instructors last week so we are in an excellent position to carry out further maritime training in 2010.

"Operating from a ship's deck is a new challenge for our pilots who are more used to the dust of Afghanistan, but is well within the Apache's capability.

"It has been very successful; to carry out 128 deck landings in order to qualify eight pilots in only two days is more than we could have hoped for."

The Apache is a twin-engined attack helicopter developed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). It entered service with the US Army in 1984 and has been in operation with the British Army since 2000. The Apache, more at home in the open desert than the open sea, has been used extensively during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
An Army Air Corps Apache helicopter

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An Army Air Corps Apache helicopter
[Picture: LA(Phot) Bernie Henesy, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

HMS Ocean is the Royal Navy's largest warship, with a displacement of 22,500 tonnes, and was built on the Clyde by Kvaerner Govan and fitted out at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilders Ltd. She was launched on 11 October 1995 and was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 30 September 1998.

As an amphibious assault helicopter carrier, she is capable of rapid deployment anywhere in the world; her primary role being to carry and deliver an embarked military force of up to 500 troops supported by twelve medium lift helicopters, six attack helicopters and four landing craft.

HMS Ocean returned from her 27,000-mile (43,500km) TAURUS 09 deployment to the Far East on 3 August 2009, but after only four weeks' leave it was all hands on deck for a busy autumn programme that has seen the warship visit Jersey and Sunderland as well as conducting intensive flying operations with 702 Naval Air Squadron (Navy Lynx helicopters), 848 Naval Air Squadron (Navy Sea King helicopters) and 4 Regiment Army Air Corps (Apache helicopters) embarked.

I always wondered, I know the British Apache can operate from Carriers in support of amphibious operations...but they aren't there as standard....so what happens if they are patrolling the Carribean and need to attack a shore target and they aint got no apaches?!

[Zrix]

Bad. Ass.


Needs moar Sea Apaches though

[[R-DEV]Eddie Baker]

Originally Posted by Dr2B Rudd

I always wondered, I know the British Apache can operate from Carriers in support of amphibious operations...but they aren't there as standard....so what happens if they are patrolling the Carribean and need to attack a shore target and they aint got no apaches?!

Last I heard they were looking at designating or rotating an AAC Apache squadron to support 3 Cdo Brigade. 847 NAS has Lynx AH7 with TOW, but I don't know for how much longer.

[driver-ch-driver]

Interesting...I was wondering what they would do if they needed apaches aswell

[[R-DEV]Rhino]

Ye its quite common for British Army and RAF helicopters to be used off both Royal Navy Assault Ships and Carriers

They just haven't had the opportunity to do any training for the Apache pilots for some time since HMS Ocean has been on a long deployment 1/2 way round the world for some time and most of the Apaches are in Afghanistan.

[Rudd]

Originally Posted by [R-DEV]Rhino

Ye its quite common for British Army and RAF helicopters to be used off both Royal Navy Assault Ships and Carriers

They just haven't had the opportunity to do any training for the Apache pilots for some time since HMS Ocean has been on a long deployment 1/2 way round the world for some time and most of the Apaches are in Afghanistan.

it was the basis of some messing around I did on Barracuda

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