Culdrose fly into another action-packed year

2017 was tremendously busy for Royal Naval Air Station and with a recent drugs bust in the Indian Ocean under their belt, and other operations to protect home waters, 2018 is promising more of the same for Cornwall’s Air Station.

From the first ever deck landing onto HMS Queen Elizabeth, the seizure of huge amounts of drugs in the Gulf, and involvement in operations around the World including the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean and disaster relief in the Caribbean, it was a none-stop year for the flying sailors of Culdrose.

On top of the operational action, around 5000 personnel were trained at the establishment last year.

The future is bright for RNAS Culdrose and the base will continue to deliver to a high operational tempo both across the UK and overseas in 2018.  

Sea Kings from 849 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) continue to be deployed to the Gulf, personnel from 1700 NAS are supporting aviation from ships across the globe, and the Merlin Force continues to protect home waters and train for future operations.

820 NAS is getting ready to embark on HMS Queen Elizabeth for the very first time. Culdrose has an essential link to the new aircraft carrier, both in providing aircraft and personnel for her ‘Air Group’, but also in training personnel to deliver safe aviation from her deck.

As part of wider plans to ensure that the Air Station is ready to deliver to HMS Queen Elizabeth (and to existing Defence commitments), new buildings will start to emerge and the redevelopment of some of the existing real estate. 

When the aviators and engineers are not deployed on operations to protect our Nation’s interests, they are always training so that they are always.