Commando Helicopter Force - Organisation

Organisation

The Commando Helicopter Force has four naval air squadrons with separate roles:

• 845 Naval Air Squadron - Medium-lift - Sea King HC4
• 846 Naval Air Squadron - Medium-lift - Sea King HC4
• 847 Naval Air Squadron - Light-lift, anti-armour and reconnaissance - Lynx AH7
• 848 Naval Air Squadron - Sea King HC4 training unit

845 Naval Air Squadron operates the Westland HC Mk.4 Sea King helicopter; a variant that has been specially modified for medium-lift and flying in all sorts of weather conditions and terrains. 845 has had at least two of it Sea Kings deployed to the Bosnian theatre since 1992. Besides Bosnia, they have operated in Albania, Egypt, Honduras, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

846 Naval Air Squadron operates the same aircraft as 845 NAS, but has not seen action in Bosnia, being more focused on the Northern flank of the Nato theatre. Until recently 846 maintained a base in Northern Ireland that allowed it to become very proficient in cold weather and winter operations. Their operations are not limited to northern flying conditions, however. 846 Squadron has also operated in South East Asia, Australia, The United States, and Germany. Two Aircraft of 846 were sent to Turkey following the major earthquake it suffered in November 1999.

847 Naval Air Squadron operates Army-owned Westland Lynx AH7 helicopters, flown by Royal Navy and Royal Marines pilots . It is possible that the Royal Navy's Commando Helicopter Force will also replace the Lynx in the anti-armour role with the Apache AH Mk1 (WAH-64 Apache Longbow). However no other helicopter can match the Lynx for light-lift/assault during combat situations.

The Lynx AH.7 can also be outfitted for the anti-armour role, with the attachment of 2 pylons each carrying 4 TOW anti-Tank missiles.

In the light-lift role, it can also carry an Aircrewman armed with a cabin door machinegun and Marines for fastrope or rappelling insertions, or regular landings. It is also used to transport cargo.

848 Naval Air Squadron is the Commando Sea King HC4 training squadron for the group, and trains not only the aircrews but also the ground crews. In addition to the skills necessary to fly their missions, Commando Helicopter Force members are trained in small-arms weapons as well as tactics and survival fieldcraft. Being a naval unit that is directly tasked with supporting the Royal Marines, trainees are also schooled in shipboard and amphibious assault operations. A special unit with 848 Squadron, M Flight, is tasked with supporting the Special Boat Service (SBS) in their operations.