RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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SKB
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RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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^ RNAS Culdrose

Introduction
Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose (RNAS Culdrose, also known as HMS Seahawk; ICAO: EGDR) is a Royal Navy airbase near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall UK, and is the largest helicopter base in Europe. It currently has three major roles: serving the Fleet Air Arm's front line Sea King and Merlin helicopter squadrons; providing search and rescue for the South West region; and training divers for the Royal Navy.


History
1940–1999
Admiralty surveyors first started preliminary surveys of land near Helston in 1942. RNAS Culdrose was built by John Laing & Son[3] and commissioned as HMS Seahawk five years after these initial surveys. The station was originally designed to be a wartime airfield lasting about ten years.

The initial plans were for Culdrose to serve as a Naval Fighting School, it soon developed other roles. These varied roles included such things as the trials of the Navy's first jets, training of airborne early warning crews and as a home base for carrier based aircraft. Over the years the station's emphasis changed from fixed wing aircraft to rotary wing, although its main role remains largely the same.

2000 onwards
On 18 May 2012, British Airways flight BAW2012 carrying the Olympic Flame, from Athens International Airport, landed at RNAS Culdrose. The aircraft, an Airbus A319 painted yellow and named 'The Firefly', carried dignitaries including Seb Coe, Princess Anne, and David Beckham. The following day the Olympic Flame started its first leg from Land's End, through Cornwall, to Plymouth. Its final destination was the Olympic Stadium in time for the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The airbase puts £100 million into the Cornish economy and is the largest single-site employer in Cornwall.


Squadrons based at Culdrose
Squadrons currently based at RNAS Culdrose:

736 Naval Air Squadron - Hawk T.1 (Airborne threat simulation) 736 NAS Thread: http://ukdefenceforum.net/viewtopic.php ... 983#p25983
The Hawks of 736 NAS provide a maritime aggressor squadron for Royal Navy ships and vessels of other foreign navies, simulating missile attacks and fast jet attacks on warships in the naval exercise areas south and west of Plymouth. The unit is an evolution of the previous 'Fleet Direction and Requirements Unit', and is supported by the defence contractor SERCO.

750 Naval Air Squadron - Avenger T.1 (Observer Training)
Provides training for the Fleet Air Arm's observers.

814 Naval Air Squadron - Merlin HM.2 (Carrier Based Anti-Submarine Warfare)

820 Naval Air Squadron - Merlin HM.2 (Carrier Based Anti-Submarine Warfare)
Equipped with a Merlin helicopter, fitted with an advanced sensor suite of active/passive sonics, Orange Reaper Electronic Support Measures and Blue Kestrel radar, 820 NAS provides a strong force in under-water warfare and anti-surface unit warfare. Its various roles include protecting the Royal Navy against surface and sub-surface threats, command and control, transport, evacuation and Search and Rescue capabilities.

824 Naval Air Squadron - Merlin HM.2 (Merlin Operational Conversion Unit, incorporating OEU flight)

829 Naval Air Squadron - Merlin HM.2
829 normally provides up to six "flights" capable of deploying with the following Type 23 frigates: HM Ships Somerset, Lancaster, Monmouth, Montrose, Westminster, Northumberland, Kent, Richmond, and Portland.

849 Naval Air Squadron - Sea King ASaC.7 (Airborne surveillance and control)
849 NAS provides the Royal Navy with airborne early warning radar. 854 NAS & 857 NAS were merged back into 849 NAS in 2014 with the draw-down of the Sea King force and the return of British forces from Afghanistan.

700X Naval Air Squadron
The Royal Navy's first squadron of unmanned aircraft (drones) using ScanEagle aircraft. In 2014 700X Naval Air Squadron was one of the smallest naval units with twelve personnel but numbers could double the following year.


Other Units
Maritime Aviation Support Force (MASF)
The MASF was established in December 2007 to provide suitably qualified specialist officers and ratings to man, operate and maintain all Royal Naval controlled systems in all aviation capable platforms in both the Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The concept is to provide a 'one-stop shop' to meet the personnel requirements to support naval aviation operations worldwide. Put more simply, MASF provides tailored manning for the Rotary Wing of the Fleet Air Arm. They operate mainly on RFA Argus - providing roughly 50% of the ships company (not including medical staff when embarked). Although MASF HQ is located at RNAS Culdrose they are seen as a separate unit from the rest of the base and once commissioned in the latter part of 2010 all junior ratings will start wearing MASF on their seamen caps rather than the current HMS Seahawk. Their motto: Auxilio Ad Alta (Reaching The Heights With Help)

RN School of Flight Deck Operations
The Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations provides professional training for all naval aircraft handlers. The school also trains other Navy personnel and personnel from the RAF and Army who will be involved in operating aircraft at sea.

Trainees are trained in activities they will be required to carry out during their career, such as tackling aircraft fires and aircraft deck handling. Equipment used includes; mock-up can be produced and adjusted at the instructors control and the "Dummy Deck", a full-sized replica of an Invincible class aircraft carrier's deck allowing trainees to practice their roles in realistic environments, experiencing training with live aircraft with reduced risk and danger compared to operating on a real aircraft carrier. Their motto: Nostris in Manibus Tuti (Safe In our Hands)

Merlin Training Facility
The Merlin Training Facility (MTF) is part of 824 Sqn, and is a first in that it encompasses pilot, observer, aircrewman and engineering training under one roof. The facility comprises a Cockpit Dynamic Simulator (CDS), 3 Rear Crew Trainers (RCT), 6 Part Task Trainers (PTT), computer based training (CBT) classrooms, a Mechanical Systems Trainer (MST) and a Weapon Systems Trainer (WST).

Fleet Requirements Air Direction Unit (FRADU)
FRADU is operated by the contractor Serco Defence and Aerospace as part of the RN MAC 2004, using 13 BAE Hawk T1 advanced jet trainer aircraft on lease to the Royal Navy from the RAF and based at RNAS Culdrose. Two of these aircraft are permanently detached to Naval Flying Standards Flight (Fixed Wing) at RNAS Yeovilton where they are flown by RN pilots, but maintained by Serco engineers.

Engineering Training Section
The Engineering Training Section (ETS) at RNAS Culdrose is a small unit of the Air Engineering Department that is dedicated to the instruction of Sea King and generic air engineering training.

The primary task of the ETS is to train sufficient air engineering personnel to enable the front line to achieve operational capability. It comprises approximately 20 personnel including both service and civilian instructors and is headed by a lieutenant who is responsible to Commander of Air Engineering.

Naval Flying Standards Flight (Rotary Wing)
All rotary wing (helicopter) pilots, observers and aircrewmen are assessed annually by NFSF(RW) examiners. This covers all helicopter squadrons at RNAS Yeovilton as well as Culdrose. The assessment consists of a ground exam and a check flight, and may also occur if a squadron has referred them to NFSF(RW).

Predannack Airfield
Image
RNAS Culdrose has a satellite airfield at Predannack which it uses primarily as a relief landing ground for helicopter pilot training; it also houses a small arms range and aircraft fire fighting facilities.

Merlin Depth Maintenance Facility
The Merlin Depth Maintenance Facility (MDMF) performs depth maintenance on AW101 Merlin helicopters of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. MDMF is located at RNAS Culdrose, and is a partnership between the UK Ministry of Defence, AgustaWestland, Serco and Lockheed Martin.

For UK Merlin helicopters depth maintenance is centred on a 3-year cycle. MDMF is based upon a pulse line system, similar to a production line; each Merlin "pulses" through 9 phases in turn - removal of major components, inspection, structural repair, fault rectification (3 phases), rebuild, systems test and flight test.

HMS Seahawk Volunteer Band
The Band is the smallest Volunteer band of the nine bands and performes regualy at in Base and out of Base events. On the 7th of June 2016 the band performed a dawn fanfare on the King Harry Ferry to honour the official birthday of HM Queen Elizabeth II. They also perform at RNAS Culdrose's annual Air Day.


Former Squadrons based at RNAS Culdrose
700 Naval Air Squadron
The squadron was disbanded on 31 March 2008. With two Merlin helicopters, Squadron 700M carried out trial modifications and developed tactics and operational procedure. The Motto was : "Experienta Docet" – "Experience Teaches"

771 Naval Air Squadron
771 was responsible for search and rescue in Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and the western English Channel, in total an area of approximately 200 nmi (370 km; 230 mi). It also administered the Sea Kings on detachment at HMS Gannet. The squadron was stood down on 1 January 2016, decommissioned on 22 March 2016 and was responsible for saving over 15,000 lives on more than 9,000 missions

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Re: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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Re: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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CULDROSE GEARS UP FOR DEEP BLUE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
Naval helicopter squadrons will take a big step towards operating from Britain’s new carrier during three weeks of intensive training with HMS Ocean in the Mediterranean this month.



Deep Blue 2 will test the ability of crews from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose to protect an aircraft carrier task group from attack by air and sea – as will become second nature when HMS Queen Elizabeth enters service in four years’ time.



Deep Blue was run out for the first time in 2014 using HMS Illustrious in the Channel as the Fleet Air Arm re-learned the art of sustained submarine from a carrier – something it had not practised on a large scale since the Cold War. Two years down the line and Deep Blue 2 moves into the realm of perfecting the carrier air group – the mix of helicopters and F-35B Lightning II jets which will give Queen Elizabeth and her sister Prince of Wales their fighting punch.



So in addition to submarine hunting from HMS Ocean, with the ‘Flying Tigers’ Merlins of 814 NAS there will be surveillance Sea Kings from 849 NAS embarked and Hawk T1 Jets of 736 NAS operating from Gibraltar.



“The first Deep Blue was about remembering how an anti-submarine squadron can operate at sea,” explained Lieutenant Commander Ian ‘Reg’ Varley, Deputy Commander of the Merlin Force based at Culdrose. “Deep Blue 2 is a stepping stone towards HMS Queen Elizabeth and protecting the carrier task group.”



Primarily an anti-submarine warfare exercise with Merlin Mk 2, Deep Blue also offers an ideal chance for Sea King from Culdrose’s Surveillance Force to work up their maritime force protection role. Lieutenant Jonathon Duke, of 849 NAS is keen to get as much out of the exercise as possible. “We deploy on operations to the Gulf region pretty soon and it’s a great chance for Okinawa Flight to work with Fast Jets and fly to a large and busy deck. Having all these assets available in one place, at the same time as well as operating at a fast tempo is more than invaluable to us.”



HMS Ocean as the United Kingdom’s flagship will command Ex Deep Blue. As the specialist aviation platform for the Royal Navy she is capable of embarking up to 12 aircraft making-up a Tailored Air Group (TAG) as well as a Royal Marines Commando Unit.



"I am delighted that we are embarking ASW Merlins and 849 Sea Kings onto HMS Ocean to prove, once again the versatility of the Fleet’s Flag Ship,” said Captain Steven Moorhouse, Commanding Officer of HMS Ocean. “The Flying Tigers will provide a major ASW capability to this platform and the Task Group. Proving that we can act in a multitude of combat environments, it also reinforces a broad range of military tasks that HMS Ocean can achieve when augmented by a Tailored Air Group."
http://fleetairarmoa.org/news/culdrose- ... iterranean

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Re: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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Re: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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Culdrose Air Day has been cancelled. Officials say the event will not take place this year so they can "focus on existing operational commitments and deployments".
http://www.piratefm.co.uk/news/latest-n ... cancelled/
http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/201 ... y-in-2017/

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Re: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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Re: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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(Forces TV)
Royal Navy deck handlers have been training for the introduction of the F-35 onto Britain's new carrier - using life-size replica aircraft. They're helping teach them how to safely move the stealth jets, at RNAS Culdrose's dummy deck. Interviewed in this report are Leading Airmen and F-35B student aircraft handlers Christian Kershaw and Sam Bennett and embarked training manager Chief Petty Officer Paul Ranson.

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Re: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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Re: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) (RN FAA)

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Nice training model. Notice that the flight deck has removable top with an actual hangar under it!
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