702 Naval Air Squadron

702 Naval Air Squadron trains all ground and air crew for our sister front-line maritime Lynx squadron, 815 NAS. Based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, our squadron feeds 815 Naval Air Squadron with more than a dozen aircrew and in excess of 100 maintainers, courtesy of our 160 experienced personnel. The training unit also provides refresher instruction annually for up to 50 fliers who’ve spent some time away from the Lynx community. For Lynx newcomers fresh from basic helicopter training at RAF Shawbury, or from the observer training squadron 750 NAS, there are 12 months of hard graft ahead as they learn how to fly – and fight – the world’s fastest helicopter.

Lynx Mk8
Lynx Mk8
Lynx Mk8

COMMANDING OFFICER

Anthony Rimmington

RANK:
Commander

JOINED:
1991

SPECIALISATION:
WARFARE

PREVIOUS UNITS:
HMS Boxer, Brocklesby, Illustrious, NAS 702, 815, NCHQ

Military experience

Commander Anthony Rimington joined the Royal Navy as a University Cadet in September 1991. Following Fleet Training in HMS Boxer, which included the Orient 92 Far East deployment, he went to Durham University and studied Geography, graduating in 1995. His first complement appointment was as the Navigating Officer of the Hunt Class MCMV, HMS Brocklesby, and included the full array of mine warfare operations around the UK, north-west Europe and the Mediterranean.

Selected for flying training as a sub-specialist, he was awarded his Wings at 702 Naval Air Squadron as a Lynx Pilot in 2000. Frontline flying tours were completed in the Caribbean conducting counter-narcotic operations, and two deployments to NATO’s Standing Naval Force Mediterranean in support of Op Active Endeavour. This included a staff role in support of the Commodore during the second period.

Having trained as a Qualified Helicopter Instructor in 2003, he returned to 702 Naval Air Squadron on the instructional staff. He spent two highly enjoyable years on the squadron, the second as Senior Pilot. In 2006 he completed the Principal Warfare Officers course, qualifying as an Above Water specialist. He then joined the Fleet Flagship, HMS Illustrious, and deployed for operations East of Suez in the Gulf of Oman. Rolled initially for Carrier Strike with the GR9 Harrier embarked, Illustrious then supported helicopter operations during the evacuation of UK entitled personnel from Beirut (Op Highbrow).

He returned to flying when selected as Senior Pilot and then Executive Officer of 815 Naval Air Squadron in 2007. Two rewarding years of support to the frontline Flights were followed by a year of study when he attended the Joint Service Command and Staff College at Shrivenham for the Advanced Command and Staff Course, and completed the MA in Defence Studies.

Selected for promotion to Commander in 2009, he was assigned to the Navy Command Headquarters. He was the desk officer responsible for Carrier Strike and Aviation within the Fleet Resources and Plans division during the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. Moving to become the lead SO1 Planner in January 2011, he led work across the Navy Command’s budget for Planning Round 12.

Cdr Rimington is married with a young family, who are very much the centre of life outside work. His wife is a lawyer who works in the City, and they base themselves in London as a consequence. A now long-retired RN Oarsman, he is an enthusiastic sports fan, following rugby, rowing and cycling in particular, and stays fit on his road bike and through running. His passions for sailing and sports cars receive rather less family enthusiasm.

ABOUT THE UNIT

KEY STATISTICS

Hours flown by squadron in 2010: 2,742

Number of ratings: 170

Fuel used in 2010: 825,600Kg

Distance flown by 702 crews in 2010: 330,000 nautical miles

Hours flown by a student in a Lynx before earning their wings: 160 / 40 Aircraft / Simulator

Average number of deck landings before qualifying: 25

Number of students per year: 12

M3M machine-gun rounds fired last year: 16,499

Personnel: 203

Number of Officers: 33

TAKE A LOOK

- A double take for 702 Naval Air Squadron
  
  Rear Admiral Russ Harding OBE and Lt Amy Webb
- A double take for 702 Naval Air Squadron
  
  Lt Joshua Overn United States Navy, Lt Amy Webb, Lt Alex Tuckwood, Lt Lee Holborn
- A double take for 702 Naval Air Squadron
  
  702 Wings parade Please see attached press release for further information.
- A Rare Milestone for Royal Navy Aircraft Engineer after 42 years of Service
  
  John Turuta and Commander Anthony Rimington
- A Rare Milestone for Royal Navy Aircraft Engineer after 42 years of Service
  
  Cdre Jock Alexander, John Turuta and Cdr Kev Flemming
- A Rare Milestone for Royal Navy Aircraft Engineer after 42 years of Service
  
  John Turuta and Commander Anthony Rimington
- ‘Full Set’ And Match To The Royal Navy For Movember!
  
  left to right LAET Charlie Cole, AET Angie Fairbairn (22) and LAET Emma Janowski
- ‘Full Set’ And Match To The Royal Navy For Movember!
  
  'Charlie' Chesters (40), Steve Church (36)
- ‘Full Set’ And Match To The Royal Navy For Movember!
  
  The finalists with Commander Anthony Rimmington
- Old CO Cdr Peter Hoare & New CO Cdr Anthony Rimington
- Cdr Anthony Rimington CO 702 NAS
  
  IN-SITU PORTRAIT OF CO 702 Images taken in front of Blackcat Lynx at 702 naval air squadron of the new Commanding Officer. Images taken by LA(PHOT) Abbie Herron
- Restored Saddam-busting Lynx
  
  HISTORIC ROYAL NAVY LYNX RETIRES AFTER OUTSTANDING SERVICE A Royal Naval Lynx Mk 3 Helicopter, XZ720 will be handed over to the Fleet Air Arm Museum at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, on Thursday 26th April 2012. XZ720 entered service with the Fleet Air Arm at Yeovilton and 815 Naval Air Squadron in 1980 and has had a remarkable record. She saw active service with HMS Alacrity in the Falklands War, where she was on the receiving end of machine gun fire from an Argentinian gun boat. The Pilot Lieutenant Rob Sleeman fortunately avoiding a bullet, which came through his window screen only by turning his head. Attachments on many Royal Navy Frigates post 1982 followed until she joined 216 Flight onboard the Destroyer HMS Gloucester. Flown by Lieutenant Commander David Livingstone and Sub Lieutenant Florry Ford, XZ720 was to have her finest hour during Operation Granby. It was during Granby that XZ720 was responsible for attacking and sinking up to five Iraqi Gun Boats with Sea Skua missiles. She has been an active member of the Lynx fleet right up until her retirement and it would seem only right and proper that the aircraft should show off her fighting prowess in the Fleet Air Arm Museum. On Thursday 26th April XZ720 will be formally handed over to the Museum with due ceremony. Both David Livingstone and Florry Ford will attend the event as well as the CO of Yeovilton Commodore Paul Chivers OBE, himself a Lynx Observer, the Royal Navy engineers who have helped prepare the aircraft and senior members of the Museum staff. image shows Lynx XZ720 prior to being moved from Yeovil's airfield into the Fleet Air Arm museum
- Restored Saddam-busting Lynx
  
  HISTORIC ROYAL NAVY LYNX RETIRES AFTER OUTSTANDING SERVICE A Royal Naval Lynx Mk 3 Helicopter, XZ720 will be handed over to the Fleet Air Arm Museum at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, on Thursday 26th April 2012. XZ720 entered service with the Fleet Air Arm at Yeovilton and 815 Naval Air Squadron in 1980 and has had a remarkable record. She saw active service with HMS Alacrity in the Falklands War, where she was on the receiving end of machine gun fire from an Argentinian gun boat. The Pilot Lieutenant Rob Sleeman fortunately avoiding a bullet, which came through his window screen only by turning his head. Attachments on many Royal Navy Frigates post 1982 followed until she joined 216 Flight onboard the Destroyer HMS Gloucester. Flown by Lieutenant Commander David Livingstone and Sub Lieutenant Florry Ford, XZ720 was to have her finest hour during Operation Granby. It was during Granby that XZ720 was responsible for attacking and sinking up to five Iraqi Gun Boats with Sea Skua missiles. She has been an active member of the Lynx fleet right up until her retirement and it would seem only right and proper that the aircraft should show off her fighting prowess in the Fleet Air Arm Museum. On Thursday 26th April XZ720 will be formally handed over to the Museum with due ceremony. Both David Livingstone and Florry Ford will attend the event as well as the CO of Yeovilton Commodore Paul Chivers OBE, himself a Lynx Observer, the Royal Navy engineers who have helped prepare the aircraft and senior members of the Museum staff. image shows Lynx XZ720 prior to being moved from Yeovil's airfield into the Fleet Air Arm museum along with the decals showing her tally of Iraqi gunboats claimed during the conflict
- Restored Saddam-busting Lynx
  
  HISTORIC ROYAL NAVY LYNX RETIRES AFTER OUTSTANDING SERVICE A Royal Naval Lynx Mk 3 Helicopter, XZ720 will be handed over to the Fleet Air Arm Museum at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, on Thursday 26th April 2012. XZ720 entered service with the Fleet Air Arm at Yeovilton and 815 Naval Air Squadron in 1980 and has had a remarkable record. She saw active service with HMS Alacrity in the Falklands War, where she was on the receiving end of machine gun fire from an Argentinian gun boat. The Pilot Lieutenant Rob Sleeman fortunately avoiding a bullet, which came through his window screen only by turning his head. Attachments on many Royal Navy Frigates post 1982 followed until she joined 216 Flight onboard the Destroyer HMS Gloucester. Flown by Lieutenant Commander David Livingstone and Sub Lieutenant Florry Ford, XZ720 was to have her finest hour during Operation Granby. It was during Granby that XZ720 was responsible for attacking and sinking up to five Iraqi Gun Boats with Sea Skua missiles. She has been an active member of the Lynx fleet right up until her retirement and it would seem only right and proper that the aircraft should show off her fighting prowess in the Fleet Air Arm Museum. On Thursday 26th April XZ720 will be formally handed over to the Museum with due ceremony. Both David Livingstone and Florry Ford will attend the event as well as the CO of Yeovilton Commodore Paul Chivers OBE, himself a Lynx Observer, the Royal Navy engineers who have helped prepare the aircraft and senior members of the Museum staff. image shows Lynx XZ720 prior to being moved from Yeovil's airfield into the Fleet Air Arm museum
- Restored Saddam-busting Lynx
  
  HISTORIC ROYAL NAVY LYNX RETIRES AFTER OUTSTANDING SERVICE A Royal Naval Lynx Mk 3 Helicopter, XZ720 will be handed over to the Fleet Air Arm Museum at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, on Thursday 26th April 2012. XZ720 entered service with the Fleet Air Arm at Yeovilton and 815 Naval Air Squadron in 1980 and has had a remarkable record. She saw active service with HMS Alacrity in the Falklands War, where she was on the receiving end of machine gun fire from an Argentinian gun boat. The Pilot Lieutenant Rob Sleeman fortunately avoiding a bullet, which came through his window screen only by turning his head. Attachments on many Royal Navy Frigates post 1982 followed until she joined 216 Flight onboard the Destroyer HMS Gloucester. Flown by Lieutenant Commander David Livingstone and Sub Lieutenant Florry Ford, XZ720 was to have her finest hour during Operation Granby. It was during Granby that XZ720 was responsible for attacking and sinking up to five Iraqi Gun Boats with Sea Skua missiles. She has been an active member of the Lynx fleet right up until her retirement and it would seem only right and proper that the aircraft should show off her fighting prowess in the Fleet Air Arm Museum. On Thursday 26th April XZ720 will be formally handed over to the Museum with due ceremony. Both David Livingstone and Florry Ford will attend the event as well as the CO of Yeovilton Commodore Paul Chivers OBE, himself a Lynx Observer, the Royal Navy engineers who have helped prepare the aircraft and senior members of the Museum staff. image shows the Commanding Officer of RNAS Yeovilton along with the head of the Fleet Air Arm Museum and previous aircrew of Lynx XZ720 *** Local Caption *** Commodore Chilvers
- Lt Cdr Dave Turner
  
  In situ portraits were taken on the 4th Aug 2010 of the HOD's at 702 Sqn, RNAS Yeovilton. Images are to be used for administrative purposes.
- Lynx Mk8 helicopter from 702 NAS
  
  HMS OCEAN is back at sea three weeks after the TAURUS 09 deployment. She is at sea to train new aircrew of 702 NAS which are embarked till 28th September. OCEAN will visit Jersey and her affiliated city of Sunderland where her ships company will parade through the city.HMS Ocean visit to Jersey, unfortunately it had to be cut short for 702 Sqn to continue their training but we didn't go without participating in their international air show. Images by LA (PHOT) Bernie Henesy HMS Ocean.
- Lt Rob Dixon receives the Augusta Westland Trophy from Augusta Westland Business Strategy Manager Rick Wellesley OBE
- Naval Air Squadron sailors hard at work
- Naval Air Squadron sailors hard at work
- The White Horse with 702 NAS Lynx above
- Lt Rob Gleave Royal Navy receiving The Westland Trophy from Mr Rick Wellesley
- Lt John Phillips Royal Navy receiving the keys to an Audi TT from Mr Brian Keene BSc from Loders Audi
- HIGH FLYING STUDENTS WIN THEIR ‘WINGS’ WITH THE ROYAL NAVY

UNITS IN TIME

702 Naval Air Squadron HISTORY

TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED 702 Naval Air Squadron

Formation - Second Battle Squadron

702 Naval Air Squadron traces its history back to July 1936 and 702 Flight, which flew Walrus and Seal aircraft with 2nd Battle Squadron before flying Fairey Seafoxes from armed merchant cruisers during World War 2.
War in the Far East

The Squadron was disbanded in 1943, but stood up again towards the war’s end to support the war in the Far East. Unfortunately, they arrived in the Pacific three weeks after the Japanese threw in the towel.
The Next Incarnation

The next incarnation of the squadron was as the RN’s Jet Evaluation and Training Unit flying Sea Vampires, Meteors and, latterly, Supermarine Attackers, until it was re-badged as part of 736 NAS in 1952.
A Training Squadron

After a brief reappearance in the late 50s as a training squadron giving non-Fleet Air Arm Navy personnel a taste of flight, the most recent variant of 702 was formed in Yeovilton in 1978.
Yeovilton

Has been a training unit at Portland (1982-99) and today at Yeovilton with the motto 'cave ungues felis': beware the claws of the cat.

1936
1943
1952
1978
1981

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702 Naval Air Squadron