814 NAS, The Flying Tigers, have been A'hunting

From the very beginnings of Exercise Auriga, 814 Naval Air Squadron has been honing its Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) skills from exercising in the South Coast Exercise Areas off Plymouth, to hounding the Dutch submarine Walrus during the Submarine Command Course off Ayrshire Scotland, and now to operations against the French Submarine FS PERLE.

“The Hunt for Rouge October” as our RFA hosts put it, or “The Curse of the Black Perle” to others – even an Icelandic Volcano could not stop us.

The Squadron is operating its Merlin helicopters from HMS Ark Royal and RFA Fort George and has enjoyed the tactical interplay that Auriga has offered so far, particularly against our nemesis the submariner.  Operating mid Atlantic was a first for some and certainly concentrated the mind towards the end of a long mission in the black of night. 

The early sorties were simply to get our deck skills up to scratch by day and night and build up good working practices with the deck crews and operations teams in HMS Ark Royal and Fort George.  The aircraft themselves have tested our patience on a few occasions as well but the maintainers have done a sterling job and kept us flying.  They have also provided excellent support to our fellow Merlin operator, HMS Sutherland.

Beyond ASW, the Squadron has carried out other activities such as submarine transfers; a rare opportunity to winch people to and from a submarine and a most enjoyable one, unless you’re the one on the end of the wire of course – which Commodore Simon Ancona (Commander Strike Group)was briefly!  It is certainly a test of good flying, and coordination between the aircraft and the submarine as well as within the crew. 

Once safely onboard, Commodore Ancona said: “…Thoroughly enjoyed it – took me back to Cliff Winching although I can’t recall landing astride a periscope while walking down a Cornish Cliff all those years ago.

"The US don’t do these transfers unless it’s an emergency. They don’t know what they are missing - what doesn’t kill you merely makes you greyer.”

Two of our number; Lieutenant Keith Esliger (our Canadian Exchange Observer) and Leading Aircrewman ‘Final’ Furlong spent 72 hours on the FS Perle. As devote aviators, the both exclaimed: “It was an interesting experience but neither of us are keen to spend a 73rd hour onboard.”

Other missions have included an “encounterex” which is a task to find and destroy the enemy (the American surface forces in this case) before they do the same to you; can’t tell you the result – but we didn’t lose!

Back on board RFA Fort George, Squadron fitness has been run by Chief Petty Officer Stu Nanson who maintains a gruelling regime not for the faint-hearted but he will give you a T Shirt after your 21st session, although oxygen may be a more welcome present.

RFA Fort George’s main task is to Replenish At Sea (RAS) the warships of the task group.  Tradition dictates that a RAS flag should be hoisted during this manoeuvre so the Squadron decided to donate one. 

The Tiger Print Duvet perhaps wasn’t quite what the Captain was expecting but it flew anyway.

The AURIGA Carrier Strike Task Group is made up of the following units:

HMS Ark Royal is the Royal Navy Fleet Flagship

HMS Sutherland is a Type 23 frigate

USS BARRY is an Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyer

HMS Liverpool is a Type 42 destroyer

RFA Fort George is a Fleet Replenishment ship

FS PERLE is a French SSN

The Amphibious Task Group will join AURIGA in June and include:

HMS Albion is a assault ship with a landing platform dock

HMS Ocean is an assault ship to deliver EMF

RFA Largs Bay a Landing Ship Dock (Auxillary)

USS Kerasage is an amphibious assault ship

Source: 814 NAS - Fleet Air Arm