Illustrious is Arctic-bound for major war games

HMS Illustrious leaves the icy Solent today bound for northern Norway – where temperatures are currently about -15˚C – to play a key role in the Navy’s winter war games.

Britain’s on-call helicopter carrier – ready to respond to global events immediately – is sailing for two months of training in the North Sea and fjords of Norway.

Later this winter she’ll join HMS Bulwark, Liverpool, the Commando Helicopter Force and the Royal Marines for Exercise Cold Response, the biggest test of NATO’s armed forces in Arctic conditions, played out in the fjords and mountains around Narvik and Harstad.

Before then there’s the fearsome sight of Apache gunships on the flight deck: the attack helicopters of 656 Squadron Army Air Corps will conduct training with Lusty’s team, as will the Sea Kings of 848 Naval Air Squadron from Yeovilton, in the North Sea.

From there it’s all change as the Sea Kings of 848 – the Commando Helicopter Force’s training squadron – are replaced by their front-line counterparts of 845 and 846, plus commando Lynx of 847 NAS. Also joining the ship for Cold Response will be the green berets from 42 Commando.

As well as the British and Norwegian input to Cold Response, which reaches its climax in the second week of March, warships from Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden and Dutch and American troops will be taking part.

“The government has reaffirmed the need for the UK’s armed forces to be capable of responding to a wide variety of potential crisis anywhere in the world,” said Illustrious’ Commanding Officer Capt Martin Connell.

“Operating and fighting in extreme weather is just one part, but a vital one, of a global capability and it is important that we exercise it from time to time.

“This exercise inside the Arctic Circle will be a stiff test but it marks a significant milestone in preparing to take over as the UK’s sole high readiness helicopter carrier later in the year.

“I very much look forward to supporting our NATO Allies and to demonstrating Illustrious’ abilities in a challenging multi-national exercise.”