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Commando fliers complete Arctic mission with allies
17 March 2025
The wings of the Royal Marines have brought fire to the land of snow and ice as they bring their Arctic training to a close.
The Commando Helicopter Force provide vital battlefield support for the green berets – wherever in the world they operate, including the wilds of the Arctic, blizzards, temperature down to -30C, at times sleeping in tents and living off the land.
Operation Clockwork is used to train new air and ground crew first in the art of survival in the unforgiving environment of northern Norway, then operating state-of-the-art helicopters in them – potentially in wartime.
At the same time, it refreshes the skills of existing personnel who’ve spent the rest of the year operating in varied locations around the globe.
With the Norwegian air base at Bardufoss as their hub, personnel from 845 (Merlin Mk4 helicopters) and 847 (Commando Wildcat) built up to the climax of the winter training, Exercise Joint Viking, involving various NATO allies deployed to northern Norway, which concluded at the weekend.
Alongside their Dutch allies, the fliers staged aviation assaults – delivering commandos to a location so they can carry out a ground attack or raid – provided direct air support with machine-guns or called it in courtesy of British and American Joint Tactical Air Controllers.
The commando aviators also practised casualty evacuation, ferrying supplies and, one of the most demanding roles in any environment: rescuing downed aircrew from ‘behind enemy lines’ – in this instance two F15 pilots.
One key element of this year’s Arctic training was testing the pivotal role of small, specialist teams to provide support to the Merlins and Wildcats literally in the field.
Three Mobile Air Operations Teams deployed to Norway, charged with establishing makeshift landing sites to support helicopters in the most remote of locations, providing fuel and ammunition in the field, as well as basic support.
Joint Viking reached its climax around Harstad, where the Commando Helicopter Force worked over land and at sea, operating from the flight decks of Dutch assault ship HNLMS Johan de Witt and RFA Lyme Bay, the springboard for Royal Marines raids.
The training has been especially eye-opening for Sergeant Charlie Nicholson, an RAF exchange aircrewman with 847 Squadron.
“Having only flown in temperate UK conditions, it was a slight ‘trial by fire’, experiencing night-time snow landings on only my third sortie with 847!” he said.
“It has improved my capacity greatly and Norway is an incredible country to operate in.”
Commander Alex Hampson, who commanded the tactical air group for the climax of Joint Viking, said his personnel had benefited tremendously from their Arctic experience – and the breadth and scale of this year’s training.
“This year we have been included within a large-scale Dutch-led exercise which proves the essential nature of operating seamlessly with allies and partners. Here, the aircraft and people of CHF have successfully flown joint missions with our Dutch and Norwegian partners, to great effect.
“All of this sets the conditions perfectly for when we return next winter – we’ll maintain the relationships, operating procedures and hopefully, the effect delivered by commando rotary aviation, once again demonstrating the versatility of the Commando Helicopter Force.”