Lewin of Greenwich Naval History & Forum

Fly with Royal Navy helicopter along river at Dartmouth Devon

Jump into the back of a Merlin Mk2 helicopter from RNAS Culdrose’s 820 Naval Air Squadron as the crew take part in a navigation exercise down the River Dart in south Devon, culminating in a flypast of Britannia Royal Naval College.
The squadron is dedicated to protecting the aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales and is working up for the carrier strike group’s major operational deployment next year.

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Not the best of reports but no doubt something better will follow soon:


Royal Navy's critical Crowsnest radar plagued by delays fixed in time to protect HMS Queen Elizabeth


PROBLEMS plaguing a cutting-edge radar system built to protect the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers have been fixed in time for HMS Queen Elizabeth’s maiden mission in spring, The News can exclusively reveal.

See:
https://www-portsmouth-co-uk.cdn.amppro ... G4bq8w55XE

Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose

Recent training on HMS Queen Elizabeth: Merlin helicopters from (back) RNAS Culdrose’s 820 Naval Air Squadron and (front) 845 Naval Air Squadron from RNAS Yeovilton work with an Apache from 4 Regiment Army Air Corps. Readiness training by the Royal Navy is taking place now ahead of the carrier’s maiden deployment to the Far East later in the spring. Taking a major role in the carrier strike group are RNAS Culdrose’s 820 and 1700 squadrons - for most personnel it will be their longest time at sea.

First Crowsnest-equipped airborne surveillance and control helicopter goes into service with the Royal Navy
Just in time for the operational Carrier Strike deployment in May, the first Merlin Mk2 aircraft equipped with a Crowsnest kit has gone into service with the RN.


The Crowsnest project has not gone smoothly and there was some doubt as to whether any aircraft would be ready by May. The first radar flight trial was made in February 2020 and under growing pressure, the contractors, Lockheed Martin, Leonardo and Thales, allocated extra resources to the project. The three Crowsnest Merlins that will accompany the CSG21 deployment will carry pre-IOC sets which are not fully certified, although this should give at least basic capability – any limitations are obviously classified. Full IOC is scheduled for September 2021, with FOC in May 2023.

Each helicopter has a crew of three, two observers who are the mission and tactical specialists and one pilot. When at altitude, they extend the radar horizon to give early warning of air or surface threats. The operators are nicknamed ‘baggers’ and provide airborne surveillance and control (ASaC) for other aircraft in the carrier’s strike group, including the F-35s.

The distinctive-looking ‘bag’ containing the radar is attached by an arm to the fuselage and after take-off, is lowered to the vertical position. When not in use the radome is is lifted 90º to the horizontal position and the bag deflated.

Continues with 'bags' of photos here:
https://www.navylookout.com/first-crows ... CxA8KYfjzA