849 Naval Air Squadron

849 Naval Air Squadron is the parent unit of the Airborne Surveillance and Control family – the Baggers (so called because of the distinctive large sack on each helicopter). We’re based at Culdrose in Cornwall with our sister squadrons, providing them with trained pilots, observers and ground crew ready for front-line operations around the world. Trainee observers – who operate the helicopter’s vital Searchwater 2000 radar – first have to learn the basics of the Sea King and its systems, including radar handling, helicopter navigation, and grapple with secondary roles, such as winching. Once that is complete, they move on to operational conversion to learn to ‘fight the aircraft’: anti-air and surface warfare, fighter control, surveillance and close air support.

Sea King ASaC Mk7
Sea King ASaC Mk7
Sea King ASaC Mk7
Sea King ASaC Mk7
Sea King ASaC Mk7
Sea King ASaC Mk7
Sea King ASaC Mk7

COMMANDING OFFICER

Chris Trubshaw

RANK:
Lieutenant Commander

JOINED:
1984 and 2001

SPECIALISATION:
Warfare (Pilot)

PREVIOUS UNITS:
705, 771, 814, 820, 810 NAS

Military experience

Chris joined the Navy in 1984 and has served as a Pilot since 1989.
Tours have included 705, 771, 814, 820 and 810 Squadrons, Sea King Flight Commander in Type 22 frigates as well as a Police Helicopter Pilot upon leaving the service. Rejoined in 2001; subsequently seeing service in the Gulf and then qualifying as an Instructor. After two staff appointments, Chris assumed command of 849 NAS in December 2010.

LATEST NEWS

ABOUT THE UNIT

KEY STATISTICS

Aircrew trained in night vision use each year: 25

Number of refresher courses given each year: 24

TAKE A LOOK

- Sea King ASaC Mk7
- Sea King ASaC Mk7
- Sea King ASaC Mk7
- Sea King ASaC Mk7
- Sea King ASaC Mk7
- Sea King ASaC Mk7
- Sea King ASaC Mk7

UNITS IN TIME

849 Naval Air Squadron HISTORY

TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED 849 Naval Air Squadron

Formation

For nearly 60 years, 849 Naval Air Squadron has provided the Fleet with early warning – hence our motto primus video, the first to see. The squadron actually started life in 1943 as a torpedo-bomber unit flying Grumman Avengers.
World War II

849 saw first action in support of the Normandy invasion as a submarine patrol squadron, after which it was re-assigned to the carrier, HMS Victorious, to support operations in the Far East.
Battle Honours

It partook in the famous raid on Japanese-held oil refineries at Palembang and strikes in the Okinawa campaign as well as attacking the belly of the beast by bombing the Japanese mainland in the final weeks of the war.
Early Warning Roles

849 stood down shortly after the conflict’s end, reappearing in 1953 in the airborne early warning role, first in Skyraiders, subsequently in Gannets.
The Falklands

The squadron bowed out when HMS Ark Royal IV did the same three decades on in 1978, but the Falklands conflict reaffirmed the need for airborne early warning, so 849 returned in 1984, this time in Sea Kings with their distinctive bags.
Against Saddam Hussein's Regime

The original early-warning Sea King was phased out at the beginning of the 21st Century, replaced by the current Mk7 with its more potent radar. The squadron earned its most recent battle honour during the 2003 campaign in Iraq.
'Eyes in the sky'

Until 2006, 849 Naval Air Squadron was the Fleet Air Arm’s only ‘eyes in the sky’ squadron, providing both training and front-line units, the latter in the form of Aardvark and Bee Flights.

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1953
1978
2003
2006

Current Jobs

Air Engineer Officer

In this technically demanding job, you’re ultimately responsible for the people who keep the Royal Navy flying. On an operational squadron, you’ll lead a team maintaining, updating, fitting and testing sophisticated propulsion, weapons, navigation, communications and control systems and keeping...

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Air Engineering Technician

As a vital part of our air operations team, you’ll take charge of scheduled maintenance and pre- and post-flight servicing and inspections for the Fleet Air Arm’s aircraft. You could serve on board a frigate, destroyer, helicopter carrier, at a...

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Aircrew Officer Pilot

You must have the commitment and physical and mental stamina to cope with the long and demanding training. You’ll need to be calm, confident and decisive under pressure. But you’ll need to develop more than just flying and tactical skills...

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849 Naval Air Squadron