The
Commando Helicopter Force (
CHF) is a part of the
Fleet Air Arm, and is an element of the
Joint Helicopter Command of the
British Armed Forces; which provides Rotary-Wing (helicopter) support to
3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and other elements. The CHF uses a combination of attack and transport
helicopters provided by the
Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm based at
Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in
Somerset,
England.
History
The Commando Helicopter Force was formed in 1997 to consolidate command and control of the various
Fleet Air Arm and
Royal Marines helicopter squadrons which supported
3 Commando Brigade under Flag Officer Naval Aviation.
In 1999, the CHF merged with various
Royal Air Force and
Army Air Corps force elements to become the
Joint Helicopter Command, whilst maintaining its status as a formed unit.
It is based at
Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, England; although aircraft are regularly deployed with 3 Cdo Brigade, overseas and to the ships of the Amphibious Ready Group;
HMS Ocean (
Landing Platform Helicopter),
HMS Bulwark and
HMS Albion (Landing Platform Docks).
Elements of the force have operated in
Northern Ireland to 2002,
Sierra Leone in 2000 and
Bosnia and it was an element of the amphibious force for
Operation Telic, the British involvement in the
2003 invasion of Iraq, notably supporting the landings to secure the
Al Faw Peninsula.
The force supports the 3 Cdo Brigade annual Cold Weather Warfare exercise in Norway.
In 2005 the
Gazelle reconnaissance helicopter was retired from service in the CHF.
Command and Control
The CHF is a Fleet Air Arm asset and as such remains under the Operational Command of
Commander in Chief Fleet, Operational Control is delegated to the Joint Helicopter Command, under HQ Land Command, who will task assets in accordance with
Permanent Joint Headquarters or Front Line Command requirements.
Organisation
The Commando Helicopter Force has four naval air
squadrons with separate roles:
845 Naval Air Squadron operates the Westland HC Mk.4 Sea King helicopter; a variant that has been specially modified for medium-lift and flying in all sorts of weather conditions and terrains. 845 has had at least two of it Sea Kings deployed to the Bosnian theatre since 1992. Besides
Bosnia, they have operated in
Albania,
Egypt,
Honduras,
Nigeria, and
Sierra Leone.
846 Naval Air Squadron operates the same aircraft as 845 NAS, but has not seen action in
Bosnia, being more focused on the Northern flank of the
Nato theatre. Until recently 846 maintained a base in
Northern Ireland that allowed it to become very proficient in cold weather and winter operations. Their operations are not limited to northern flying conditions, however. 846 Squadron has also operated in
South East Asia,
Australia, The
United States, and
Germany. Two Aircraft of 846 were sent to
Turkey following the major earthquake it suffered in November 1999.
847 Naval Air Squadron operates Army-owned
Westland Lynx AH7 helicopters, flown by Royal Navy and Royal Marines pilots . It is possible that the Royal Navy's
Commando Helicopter Force will also replace the Lynx in the anti-armour role with the Apache AH Mk1 (
WAH-64 Apache Longbow). However no other helicopter can match the Lynx for light-lift/assault during combat situations.
The Lynx AH.7 can also be outfitted for the anti-armour role, with the attachment of 2 pylons each carrying 4
TOW anti-Tank missiles.
In the light-lift role, it can also carry an Aircrewman armed with a cabin door machinegun and Marines for fastrope or rappelling insertions, or regular landings. It is also used to transport cargo.
848 Naval Air Squadron is the Commando Sea King HC4 training squadron for the group, and trains not only the aircrews but also the ground crews. In addition to the skills necessary to fly their missions, Commando Helicopter Force members are trained in small-arms weapons as well as tactics and survival fieldcraft. Being a naval unit that is directly tasked with supporting the Royal Marines, trainees are also schooled in shipboard and amphibious assault operations. A special unit with 848 Squadron, M Flight, is tasked with supporting the
Special Boat Service (SBS) in their operations.
Personnel
Squadron personnel are drawn from all three armed services, although the majority are from the Royal Navy.
Aircrew join the force, already trained in helicopter operations, from the
Defence Helicopter Flying School at
RAF Shawbury. Type training for the Sea King is conducted in 848 Squadron and type training for the Lynx is conducted with the Army Air Corps.
Technician and engineer training is conducted within the single services as appropriate for the aircraft type and supporting trades are filled by qualified single service personnel.
Squadrons conduct organic continuation training and life support and security continuation training is supported from within the force, each Squadron maintaining a complement of survival, military skills and
cold weather warfare instructors.
See also
