RAF Chinook helicopters flew out to Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as she sailed towards Gibraltar to hone joint operations skills.
The drills took place under the latest iteration of Exercise Hathi Pol, which translates from Hindi as ‘elephant gate.’ It’s a long-standing RN-RAF cooperation designed to ensure that if needed, heavy-lift helicopter crews are familiar with the requirements of operating from British carriers.
The 12-tonne dual-rotor machines need to be stored away from the elements if inclement weather arrives, and the drills give teams the chance to practise transferring the 99ft-helicopters from the flight deck to the hangar via the aircraft lift: a tight squeeze.
Hathi Pol also afforded HMS Queen Elizabeth’s flight deck teams a chance to learn how to work with airframes they don’t regularly operate.
Chinooks could be needed to operate at sea from carriers for missions including Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) or Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO).
In mid-October, two Chinooks from 27 Squadron, based out of RAF Odiham in Hampshire, completed a two-week workout on the carrier. Hathi Pol wrapped up last week with the Chinooks on deck as the carrier arrived in Gibraltar for a seven-day visit.
And 300 lucky locals had the opportunity to see the carrier up close on Sunday during a ticketed open day.
- You can read more details on the Royal Navy website
