815 Naval Air Squadron

Wherever you find a Type 45 or 42 destroyer – and to a lesser extent a Type 23 frigate – there’ll be an 815 Lynx on the flight deck, in the hangar, or, more than likely, in the sky.

Navy Lynx Aids Capture Of Suspected Pirates
Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
815 on Board the FLF Surcouf
Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
217 Flight joins FS Surcouf

Lundi 5 novembre 2012, un Lynx de la Royal Navy apponte sur la FLF Surcouf, Ã quai dans la base navale de Toulon.
Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa

UNIT DIARY

Surface Fleet

815 Naval Air Squadron

Le Jacquespeak15/02/13

217 Flight have been embarked in the French ship Surcouf for nearly three months now, and have successfully been conducting Counter Piracy operations in the Indian Ocean since the beginning of December.

Surrounded on every side by our French colleagues, you can imagine that language is a topic close to our hearts. After all, the Royal Navy is famous for its peculiar turns of phrase and expressions; a vernacular known as “Jackspeak”, and we’ve discovered that the Marine Nationale is no different.
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815 on the French Frigate FLF Surcouf17/01/13

“Le Chef du Détachement Aero est demandée au Centrale Operations” - I look up from my book – it’s just after lunch and I’m making the most of an opportunity for a Lima Lima Delta (Little Lie Down!) having been up since 0500 for a dawn sortie – that diffusion (‘pipe’ in the Royal Navy) was for me; I’m being summoned to the Ops Room.
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815 on the French Frigate FLF Surcouf27/12/12

Hello again from on board FLF Surcouf! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year celebrations. Here in Surcouf my team and I were working hard right up until Christmas Eve, continuing our Counter-Piracy efforts in the Indian Ocean. Luckily we were able to have a more relaxed day on the 25th without any flying, but of course the ship remained on patrol and all of us were ready to respond at a moment’s notice to any suspicious activity.
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815 on the French Frigate FLF Surcouf19/12/12

My name is Lieutenant Mike Curd, Royal Navy, and I am the "Flight Commander" of Surcouf's embarked helicopter detachment. I've been asked to 'blog' about my team and our life on board Surcouf, so I'll be posting updates here regularly.

In my first blog post I introduced you to our helicopter, the Lynx Mk8, and the guys in my team. This week I’ll explain a little about our day-to-day life on board Surcouf, and the similarities and differences to life on board one of our own, Royal Navy, warships.
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815 on the French Frigate FLF Surcouf16/12/12

"My name is Lieutenant Mike Curd, Royal Navy, and I am the "Flight Commander" of Surcouf's embarked helicopter detachment. I've been asked to 'blog' about my team and our life on board Surcouf, so I'll be posting updates here regularly.
Read more

COMMANDING OFFICER

Alastair Haigh

RANK:
Commander

JOINED:
1991

SPECIALISATION:
Warfare

PREVIOUS UNITS:
702 Naval Air Squadron, 22 (Training) Group

Military experience

Born and raised in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Commander Alastair Haigh entered Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth in 1991 as a direct entry graduate after reading Engineering and Management at Durham University. After flying training he was streamed to the front line as an Anti-Submarine specialist pilot flying the Sea King and joined 820 Naval Air Squadron in September 1995. Highlights of this appointment embarked in HMS Illustrious included operations off Bosnia as well as the global deployment Ocean Wave in 1997.

There followed an appointment as a staff pilot in 810 Naval Air Squadron during which time he qualified as a Squadron Test Pilot and Instrument Rating Instructor before being selected to attend the Qualified Helicopter Instructor Course. As a QHI, he joined the Defence Helicopter Flying School where he gained his A2 instructor status before volunteering for a non-flying appointment as Air Operations Officer in HMS OCEAN. Joining OCEAN shortly after 9/11, this appointment was challenging and rewarding in equal measure. With responsibility for planning all aviation activity in the Task Group during Operation TELIC, he was promoted to acting Lieutenant Commander shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

With his promotion made substantive in October 2003, Haigh completed the Initial Command and Staff Course (Maritime) then converted to the Maritime Lynx, following which he joined 815 Naval Air Squadron as a Flight Commander. During an enjoyable appointment in HMS ARGYLL, he returned to the Gulf region for operations protecting the Iraqi oil infrastructure. Following this he again volunteered for an out-of-cockpit appointment and joined Navy Command Headquarters as Staff Officer Fleet Air Arm, working direct to Rear Admiral Fleet Air Arm. Besides learning how the HQ functions, he spent two fascinating years being immersed in all aspects of Fleet Air Arm Heritage, a subject that has remained a passion ever since. A particular highlight was the honour of organising the 111th birthday party for Henry Allingham, who was a member of the Royal Naval Air Service during World War 1.

Selected as Senior Pilot of 702 Naval Air Squadron, Haigh returned to the Lynx Force in 2008. At the end of this tour of duty he was selected for both promotion to Commander and to attend the Advanced Command and Staff Course at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham. Upon graduating with a Master of Arts Degree in Defence Studies, he joined 22 (Training) Group, RAF, at MOD Abbey Wood, a post in which he gained an insight into the intricacies of Defence procurement, with responsibility for the transition of all flying training within the new Military Flying Training System. Selected for Command in 2012, Haigh took up his current post of Commanding Officer 815 Naval Air Squadron in April 2013.

Commander Haigh lives with his wife and three children in Somerset. He is a keen armchair sportsman, plays tenor saxophone to an adequate standard, serves on the committee of the Fleet Air Arm Officers’ Association, co-chairs Project Warneford VC and is Vice Chair of the gymnastics club that his daughters attend. What little spare time remains is spent on very amateur DIY and gardening.

OPERATIONS

Cougar 12

CURRENT STATUS: COMPLETED

MISSION SUMMARY

Cougar is an amphibious task force exercising in the Mediterranean. The Response Force Task Group (RFTG) is the Royal Navy’s High Readiness Task Group. It has a number of units assigned to it including a helicopter carrier, an assault ship, two frigates, as well as a Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship and Commando units, and several Fleet Air Arm squadrons.

Operation Olympics

CURRENT STATUS: COMPLETED

MISSION SUMMARY

Operation Olympics is the codename for the massive military effort to provide security and assistance to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Some 2,600 sailors, Royal Marines, Fleet Air Arm and RFA personnel are involved from flag raisers at medal ceremonies to venue security, floating command centres, eyes in the sky and helicopters and boats on patrol safeguarding venues.

Operational Flying Training

CURRENT STATUS: active

MISSION SUMMARY

Flying training conducted on board RFA Argus

ABOUT THE UNIT

KEY STATISTICS

Number of Pirate Skiffs Destroyed on Last Deployment: 7

Amount of fuel used 10/11: Nearly 600,000 Gallons

Number of counter narcotics seizures: 4 - £10 million total

Rounds of M3M heavy machine gun ammunition fired - 10/11: 43,000Rounds

Deck Landings achieved: over 2000

Number of People Rescued in SAR Ops: 24

Number of pilots/observers trained: 12

Fleet Royal Marine Sniper Teams Trained: 11

TAKE A LOOK

815 Naval Air Squadron

- Flight 217 815 NAS returns to base
  
  217 Flight return to RNAS Yeovilton in their Lynx from Op Atalanta and Surcouf
- Flight 217 815 NAS returns to base
  
  217 Flight return to RNAS Yeovilton in their Lynx from Op Atalanta and Surcouf
- Flight 217 815 NAS returns to base
  
  CPO Matthew Eccles is welcomed home by his sons
- Flight 217 815 NAS returns to base
  
  217 Flight arrived back at RNAS Yeovilton to a family welcome
- Flight 217 815 NAS returns to base
- Flight 217 815 NAS returns to base
- Flight 217 815 NAS returns to base
  
  CPO Matthew ‘Cakey’ Eccles and his two sons Lewis (4) and Ethan (8)
- Flight 217 815 NAS returns to base
  
  Lewis and Ethan are pleased to see their dad, CPO Matthew Eccles, return home
- Flight 217 815 NAS returns to base
  
  Standing L-R, AET Steve Arnold, PO Keith Armitage, Lt Chris Southworth (Pilot), Flight Commander Lt Mike Curd (Observer), CPO Matt Eccles and PO Richard Corbett. Kneeling L-R, AET Stefan Penney, AET Sam Dury and AET Matt Hughes
- Unique Anglo-French link-up hailed a success
- Unique Anglo-French link-up hailed a success
- Unique Anglo-French link-up hailed a success
- Surcouf visits the Seychelles
- Le Jacquespeak!
- Indian Dhow
- Navy Lynx Aids Capture Of Suspected Pirates
- Navy Lynx Aids Capture Of Suspected Pirates
- Navy Lynx Aids Capture Of Suspected Pirates
- Navy Lynx Aids Capture Of Suspected Pirates
- Libyan Operation Leads To Special Medal Recognition
  
  Lt Alistair Crawford – Flight Pilot, PO Paul Perry and Lt Craig Farquharson receive their medals.
- Libyan Operation Leads To Special Medal Recognition
  
  Lt Alistair Crawford – Flight Pilot, PO Paul Perry and Lt Craig Farquharson receive their medals.
- 815 on Board the FLF Surcouf
- 815 on Board the FLF Surcouf
- 815 on Board the FLF Surcouf
- 815 on Board the FLF Surcouf
- 815 on Board the FLF Surcouf
- 815 on Board the FLF Surcouf
- 815 on Board the FLF Surcouf
- 815 on Board the FLF Surcouf
- Christmas on board FLF Surcouf
  
  Surcouf's ship's company posing in Christmas hats next to Flight 217's (815 NAS) Lynx
- Christmas on board FLF Surcouf
  
  217 Flight (815 NAS) showing off their Christmas cards from French school children
- HMS Diamond flight returns home
- HMS Diamond flight returns home
- A Flight home for Christmas
  
  Lt Hugh Saltonstall with his son.
- A Flight home for Christmas
  
  Lt Hugh Saltonstall with his family.
- A Flight home for Christmas
  
  PO Dean Holdsworth and his family
- A Flight home for Christmas
  
  PO Carl Wise and his wife
- Surprise Visit From Navy Lynx Delights Schoolchildren
  
  LT Cdr Alex Sims & LET Marshall with some of the children from St Alban's Primary school.
- Lynx Mark 8
- Lynx Mark 8
- 217 Flight joins FS Surcouf
  
  Lundi 5 novembre 2012, un Lynx de la Royal Navy apponte sur la FLF Surcouf, Ã quai dans la base navale de Toulon.
- 217 Flight joins FS Surcouf
  
  Lundi 5 novembre 2012, un Lynx de la Royal Navy apponte sur la FLF Surcouf, Ã quai dans la base navale de Toulon.
- 217 Flight joins FS Surcouf
  
  Lundi 5 novembre 2012, un Lynx de la Royal Navy apponte sur la FLF Surcouf, Ã quai dans la base navale de Toulon.
- 217 Flight joins FS Surcouf
  
  Lundi 5 novembre 2012, un Lynx de la Royal Navy apponte sur la FLF Surcouf, Ã quai dans la base navale de Toulon.
- 217 Flight joins FS Surcouf
  
  Lundi 5 novembre 2012, un Lynx de la Royal Navy apponte sur la FLF Surcouf, Ã quai dans la base navale de Toulon.
- Dauntless Flight Back Home At RNAS Yeovilton After 7 Months
  
  239 Flight touch down
- Dauntless Flight Back Home At RNAS Yeovilton After 7 Months
  
  CPO Jon Pyrke, Wife Lisa & Bethany 13 months
- Dauntless Flight Back Home At RNAS Yeovilton After 7 Months
  
  CPO Jon Pyrke, Wife Lisa & Bethany 13 months
- Dauntless Flight Back Home At RNAS Yeovilton After 7 Months
  
  Pilot Lt James & girlfriend Tobie Roffey
- FS-SURCOUF
- 217 Flight
  
  Bottom Row kneeling from left to right: AET Stefan Penney, AET Sam Drury, AET Matt Hughes. Stood from left to Right: AET Steve Arnold, PO Keith Armitage, Lt Chris Southworth (Flight Commander), Lt Mike Curd (Observer), CPO Matt Eccles, (Flight SMR), PO Richard Corbett
- Lynx Fliers Honoured
  
  217 Flight
- Lynx Fliers Honoured
  
  The Royal Navy’s Fleet Commander Admiral George Zambellas at RNAS Yeovilton
- Lynx Fliers Honoured
  
  Lieutenant Alistair Crawford accepts the Osprey Trophy on behalf of 217 Flight
- Lynx Fliers Honoured
  
  217 Flight Bottom Row kneeling from left to right: AET Stefan Penney, AET Sam Drury, AET Matt Hughes. Stood from L to R: AET Steve Arnold, PO Keith Armitage, Lt Chris Southworth (Flight Commander), Lt Mike Curd (Observer), CPO Matt Eccles (Flight SMR), PO Richard Corbett
- Lynx Fliers Honoured
  
  Lieutenant Alastair Thompson accepts the Sandison Trophy at RNAS Yeovilton
- Lynx Fliers Honoured
  
  Admiral Zambellas awarded the Osprey Trophy to the members of 217 Flight, from L to R: PO Keith Arnold, CPO Mark Rayner, Lt Al Crawford (Flight Commander), PO Richard Corbett, AET Matt Parker, AET Matt Pilsworth
- Lynx Fliers Honoured
  
  Black Cats the Navy’s display team at RNAS Yeovilton for Osprey Trophy Presentation
- 815 NAS Lynx At Wilton House Supercars
  
  Lynx from 815 NAS at Wilton House Supercars day
- 815 NAS Lynx At Wilton House Supercars
  
  James Firth enjoying the Supercars and the Lynx
- 815 NAS Lynx At Wilton House Supercars
  
  The Stig helps out on the Lynx stand
- 815 NAS Lynx At Wilton House Supercars
  
  Lynx from 815 NAS at Wilton House Supercars day
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
  
  OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- Montrose’s Lynx goes on safari in South Africa
- 200 Flt celebrates 6000 Flying Hours
- Journalists from the national and local media interview First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope aboard HMS Liverpool
  
  StanhopeRoyal Navy warship HMS Liverpool returned home to cheering crowds in Portsmouth today following more than seven months working as part of NATO operations off the coast of Libya.The Portsmouth-based Type-42 destroyer sailed past the Round Tower at 9.45am and had Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond MP on board to welcome her home.HMS Liverpool sailed at the end of March to support Operation Unified Protector where her tasks included enforcing the No-Fly Zone and conducting embargo operations to prevent arms from reaching pro-Gaddafi forces by sea.Since taking on her high-tempo mission to protect the Libyan citizens, HMS LiverpoolÃ¢â¬â¢s shipÃ¢â¬â¢s company has spent 81 hours at Action Stations on 28 separate occasions, been fired at and returned fire ten times, and launched 211 rounds of illumination and high explosive shells from her 4.5 inch gun. These illumination or star shells were fired to light up pro-Gaddafi positions for NATO aircraft to identify and destroy.The shipÃ¢â¬â¢s company has witnessed the siege of Misratah and the fall of Tripoli, Zlitan, Al Khums and Sirte to the rebels and while enforcing the No-Fly Zone, LiverpoolÃ¢â¬â¢s Fighter Controllers spent 360 hours controlling 14 different types of aircraft from a number of NATO countries.During her deployment, HMS Liverpool worked alongside many other Royal Navy assets including minehunters HMS Brocklesby and HMS Bangor. On the occasions that the minehunters had to close the coast to search and destroy any mines that had been laid, HMS Liverpool stood by as protection to allow the ships to successfully complete their missions. Assault ship HMS Ocean and her embarked Apache helicopters were also on national tasking in the area, with HMS Liverpool able to provide assistance as an air defence platform and to give an intelligence picture from their position.
- A tender embrace for pilot Lt Al Crawford from his wife Stacy
  
  HMS Liverpool Flt Home Coming from OP EllamayLynx helicopter from 217 Flight,815 Naval Air Squadron returning from HMS Liverpool to RNAS Yeovilton where they were met by colleagues, friends and families at the squadron
- Families wait expectantly for 217 Flight to return to Yeovilton
  
  HMS Liverpool Flt Home Coming from OP EllamayLynx helicopter from 217 Flight,815 Naval Air Squadron returning from HMS Liverpool to RNAS Yeovilton where they were met by colleagues, friends and families at the squadron
- Flight Commander Lt Phil Barron holds his sons Samuel, two, and Thomas, three.
  
  HMS Liverpool Flt Home Coming from OP EllamayLynx helicopter from 217 Flight,815 Naval Air Squadron returning from HMS Liverpool to RNAS Yeovilton where they were met by colleagues, friends and families at the squadron
- 815 NAS and Royal British Legion Bruton forge new links
- Best Beard – AET Jones
  
  Beard growing competition for RN/RM Charity 815NAS Held a beard growing competition with whisker growth over the month of November. The competition was in support of the RN&RM Charity with the CO of RNAS Yeovilton presenting the prizes.
- Not the Best Beard – AET Smetana
  
  Beard growing competition for RN/RM Charity 815NAS Held a beard growing competition with whisker growth over the month of November. The competition was in support of the RN&RM Charity with the CO of RNAS Yeovilton presenting the prizes.
- Liz Ridgeway and Cdre Paul Chivers OBE judge the beard growing competition in 815 NAS hangar
  
  Beard growing competition for RN/RM Charity 815NAS Held a beard growing competition with whisker growth over the month of November. The competition was in support of the RN&RM Charity with the CO of RNAS Yeovilton presenting the prizes.
- Beard Competition winner
  
  Beard growing competition for RN/RM Charity 815NAS Held a beard growing competition with whisker growth over the month of November. The competition was in support of the RN&RM Charity with the CO of RNAS Yeovilton presenting the prizes.
- The Lynx helicopter from 815 NAS
- CPO ‘Elf’ Jason Finlayson with the excited children from Milford School in Yeovil
- CPO ‘Elf’ Jason Finlayson with the excited children from Milford School in Yeovil

UNITS IN TIME

815 Naval Air Squadron HISTORY

TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED 815 Naval Air Squadron

Formation

815 Naval Air Squadron was born as World War 2 began, formed at RNAS Worthy Down on 9th October 1939 with obsolete Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers.
The Greatest Victory

Despite its antiquated aircraft, 815 scored the Fleet Air Arm’s greatest victory, crippling the Italian Fleet at Taranto in November 1940 – for the loss of a single Swordfish. It is a victory celebrated by the squadron to this day.
In The Mediterranean

Flying Swordfish and Fairey Albacores, the squadron continued to support operations in North Africa and Sicily. 815 would later spend some time in the Far East and home waters flying Fairey Barracudas in an anti-submarine role.
Cape Matapan

815 remained a thorn in the Italian Navy’s side, torpedoing the cruiser Pola at the Battle of Cape Matapan in 1941, sowing the seeds for the subsequent routing of five enemy ships by the Mediterranean Fleet.
Changing Airframes

Through the 1950s the squadron operated Grumman Avengers and, finally, Fairey Gannets, before it converted to helicopters: the Westland Whirlwind in 1958 and from 1961, the more capable Wessex.
Tanzania

815 took part in operations off East Africa (Tanzania), Indonesia and Aden during the era of the ‘end of Empire’, flying from the carrier, HMS Centaur.
Disbanded

In 1966, the squadron was disbanded, not returning to the Fleet Air Arm fold for another 15 years when it recommissioned at RNAS Yeovilton in 1981 with the Lynx HAS Mk2 as the Headquarters Squadron for embarked Lynx flights.
In the Falklands

It moved to Portland in 1982 and was involved in the Falklands campaign, the Armilla patrol in the Gulf and relief operations off Lebanon, Aden and in the Caribbean.
Offensive Operations

Between August 1990 and February 1991 several flights were involved in offensive operations in the northern Gulf, using their Sea Skua missiles to knock out much of the Iraqi Navy.
Battle Honours

Kuwait 1991
Merging

Parenting of flights was shared with 829 Naval Air Squadron until 1993 when the two merged, making 815 NAS the largest helicopter squadron in the world.

1939
1940
1941
1941
1958
1964
1966
1982
1990
1991
1993

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815 Naval Air Squadron