Royal Navy Merlin helicopter crews from RNAS Culdrose have spent two weeks hunting Norwegian and German submarines on Exercise Green Eel.
More than 80 flyers, engineers and support staff from 814, 820, and 824 Naval Air Squadrons spent two weeks at Haakonsvern Naval Base near Bergen, Norway last month.
They were there to participate in an annual Norwegian ASW exercise: Gruner Aal, or Green Eel. During the fortnight away from their usual base in Cornwall, the British aircrews were scouring Norwegian fjords and offshore waters for German sub U-35 and Norwegian boat HNoMS Utvӕr.
Also pitting their wits against the Norwegian and German submarines were Royal Danish Navy frigate HDMS Esbern Snare and German support ships Main and Bonn.
Culdrose’s Commanding Officer Captain James Hall described the experience as “invaluable” and commented: “This exercise allows our aircrew and engineers to test their skills and lead by harnessing emerging technology, being ready to fight and confront global threats, and to win by thinking in an innovative mindset.
“These are the skills which are used every day by Merlin Helicopter Force to provide security and defence for the U.K. and our allies with adversary-submarine patrols in the North Atlantic.
“We are indebted to our hosts in the Norwegian Royal Navy, plus the other participating nations, and I thank them all for their hospitality, operational credibility, and exceptionally proactive attitude to warfighting readiness.”
- You can read more details on the Royal Navy website