Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 Crowsnest Airborne Early Warning Helicopters Reach Full Operational Capability
The Royal Navy says its Merlin Mk2 Crowsnest Airborne and Control helicopters have reached full operational capability, with the milestone taking place before the start of the CSG25 deployment of the HMS Prince of Wales carrier strike group.
The Merlin Mk2 Crowsnest will provide airborne early warning and command and control for the carrier strike group, using a radar lowered underneath the fuselage to search for incoming threats at ranges of up to 100 miles. For CSG25, HMS Prince of Wales will have 3 Crowsnest equipped Merlins from 820 Naval Air Squadron stationed on board, with six other Merlins from the squadron configured for anti-submarine warfare.
The CSG25 deployment, codenamed Operation Highmast by the UK military, will see HMS Prince of Wales lead a multinational carrier strike group to the Indo-Pacific for an eight month deployment, training with allied militaries in the Mediterranean, Middle East, South East Asia and the Pacific.
In a press release, the Royal Navy said full operational capability was achieved at the end of March. In addition to operations of the helicopters themselves, other goals met to achieve full operational capability include a new data link to share live tactical information with the ships below, the logistics of maintaining a fleet of aircraft at sea, and the creation of a training programme, including a new simulator at RNAS Culdrose, to prepare a corps of experienced aircrew of observers and pilots to run the system.
“Now the capability is right where we need it to be,” said Captain Colin McGannity, Carrier Air Wing and Strike Warfare Commander, adding:
“The capability is so, so important and I admire the programme team who have been focused on the mission, focused on their importance to the Carrier Strike Group and pressed on through some of the difficulties.
We need an airborne early warning capability to meet the threats and extend the range of what ships can see. We’ve got to do that to meet the threats we face.”
Crowsnest programme director Commander James Stone added:
“The Merlin Mk2 ASaC helicopters have now reached full operating capability and this is a hugely significant milestone.
It now means the ‘eyes of the fleet’ are back, doing their core job with the full ability to deliver maritime force protection from air and surface threats.
ASaC is one of three pillars of carrier strike. You have the carrier itself, the F35 jets that deliver the strike capability and ASaC which provides the overarching coordination and maritime force protection.”