854 Naval Air Squadron

854 Naval Air Squadron is one of two front-line ‘eye in the sky’ Sea King squadrons. We take in turns with our sister unit, 857, to provide vital airborne monitoring of insurgent activity in southern Afghanistan, supplying ground units with key pieces of intelligence. We also deploy with carrier task groups in our more usual environment keeping track of aerial activity and keeping tabs on movements on the ocean. In that latter role we’ve helped to bag drugs worth more than $120m by following smugglers in the Caribbean.

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 Bagger in Afghan
Sea King Shadow in Afghan
854 NAS Bagger over Afghan

COMMANDING OFFICER

Paul Harrison

RANK:
Lieutenant Commander

JOINED:

SPECIALISATION:
Warfare (Observer)

PREVIOUS UNITS:
849 NAS A Flight

Military experience

Lt Cdr Harrison spent ten years flying the Sea King Mk2. After tours at Boscombe Down, the MWC and then as SOBS of 849, A Flight, he then took a staff job at NCHQ prior to an Operational Tour in Kandahar and subsequently in Command of 854 NAS.

OPERATIONS

Operation Herrick

CURRENT STATUS: active

MISSION SUMMARY

Operation Herrick is the code-name for the work UK Forces have been doing in Afghanistan since 2002, working to bring about stability in the country and maintain the forces of law and order, pushing back the Taliban and preventing them from using the country as a base for terrorism.

LATEST NEWS

ABOUT THE UNIT

KEY STATISTICS

Value of drugs seized in last Caribbean deployment: $120Million

Number of Maintainers and Engineers: 50+

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 Bagger in Afghan
- Sea King Shadow in Afghan
- 854 NAS Bagger over Afghan

UNITS IN TIME

854 Naval Air Squadron HISTORY

TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED 854 Naval Air Squadron

Operations

We were formed in the United States in January 1944 and equipped with Grumman Avenger torpedo-bombers, taking part in operations supporting the Normandy landings.
Disbanded

The squadron was disbanded when it returned to the UK at the end of 1945 – and disappeared from the Fleet Air Arm inventory for 61 years.
Battle Honours

With the invasion secured, 854 was sent to the Far East with HMS Illustrious, striking at Japanese-held oil refineries in Palembang before supporting the invasion of Okinawa and living up to its motto 'audentes fortuna juvat', fortune favours the bold.
Resurrection

It was resurrected in December 2006 when the existing Airborne Surveillance and Control squadron, 849, was divided. 854 was formed from 849’s Aardvark Flight.

1944
1945
1945
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...

More info

854 Naval Air Squadron