824 Naval Air Squadron

824 Naval Air Squadron

824 Naval Air Squadron feeds the three front-line Merlin squadrons with the men and women needed to fly and maintain the world’s No.1 anti-submarine helicopter. With the aid of eight helicopters and state-of-the-art simulators, which are used not just by air crew, but also ground crew, the Culdrose-based squadron provides the qualified personnel our operational sister squadrons constantly need. Trainee pilots, observers and aircrewmen work together as a crew during the 44 week course, covering all aspects of Merlin operations – submarine hunting, boarding operations, search and rescue missions, counter-piracy, carrying cargo. Having successfully completed the course – which in some cases means the end of four years of training – they are awarded their coveted ‘wings’, and sent to front line squadrons: 814, 820 and 829.