Sutherland Flight - The heroes of Auriga

Supporting the Fleet in operations around the world, 829 Naval Air Squadron dispatched 01 Flight to join HMS Sutherland and the Carrier Strike Group for the Auriga deployment, in order to take part in large-scale multi-national task group exercises.

Leaving Devonport on the 6 April, HMS Sutherland initially sailed to Scotland in order to take part in the UK-led Joint Warrior exercise which involved land, maritime and air forces from a variety of nations. During the exercise HMS Sutherland and its Merlin began to build their formidable partnership as they battled enemy surface and subsurface threats.  

Following their success in Joint Warrior, HMS Sutherland met with the rest of the Auriga Task Group to cross the Atlantic, honing her ASW skills by hunting down the French Nuclear Attack Submarine FS Perle and the US Hunter Killer Submarine USS Dallas in a game of “cat and mouse”. 

Although the submariners were of an extremely high standard, HMS Sutherland and her Merlin were more than up to the match, tracking both submarines on their advanced sonar systems and carrying out multiple simulated attacks. 

Since crossing the Atlantic, HMS Sutherland and 829 NAS Merlin have been tested to the limit in a multi-threat environment with the Ship coming under attack from Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC), Submarines, Aircraft and Surface Ships. 

The Naval Flying Standards Flight and Aviation Assurance teams have also paid a visit in order to test the embarked Merlin aircrew and ensure that aviation standards have been upheld.  Both the Ship and the Merlin flight have passed every test with flying colours.

Flight Commander, Lt Cdr Hamish McKee, is proud of his flight’s integration with the Ship: “My team is ready to go, we’ve proved that we can operate with HMS Sutherland to the highest level and now we are ready to take on anything that is thrown at us”.

During one of the exercises, the Merlin closed the enemy task group at low-level under radar coverage and provided HMS Sutherland with accurate targeting information for her Harpoon missiles, allowing the ship to successfully engage and destroy the enemy. Following the daredevil raid, one of the US Ships dubbed the Merlin flight the “Heroes of Auriga!”    

The Merlin provides the Ship and Task Group with a multi-role capability.  Specialising in anti-submarine warfare, the aircraft can also be used for anti-surface warfare, search and rescue, trooping and lifting heavy cargo.  Throughout the deployment HMS Sutherland has been able to draw upon the aircraft engineering and spares support onboard RFA Fort George which has its own Merlin Squadron 814 NAS embarked, allowing Sutherland’s Merlin to achieve the highest levels of Merlin availability within the Task Group.

Cdr John Payne, Commanding Officer of HMS Sutherland, said: “I’ve been really impressed with the high reliability of the Merlin and the support we’ve received from the task group has ensured that our aircraft is always available to the Ship.  The Merlin itself has really expanded our operational capability as a unit.  With the aircraft’s advanced sensors and weapons, we can track and attack the enemy from long range.  The aircraft in conjunction with the frigate’s 2087 sonar combine to create a first-class submarine hunting force.”

HMS Sutherland and its Merlin are now building up to the final exercise which will involve large numbers of NATO units and will take place across the entire east coast of the USA.  The duo will also take part in the Canadian Navy Centennial Celebrations at the end of June as part of the Royal Navy contingent during the International Fleet Review by Her Majesty the Queen.

AURIGA is the major Royal Navy deployment of 2010, exercising on the Eastern Seaboard of North America and in the Western Atlantic. 

Deploying from the UK in April of 2010, the Carrier Strike Lead Task Group will initially consist of approximately 2,000 UK, US and French personnel in 4 Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships, a French nuclear powered submarine, an American Destroyer and several rotary and fixed wing aircraft.  Later on in the deployment the Amphibious Task Group consisting of approximately 2,000 personnel and 3 ships will join for the final exercise.

The deployment will focus on a series of US and Canadian exercises with the principal aim of enhancing our Operational Capability by training with our coalition partners in traditional warfighting areas of Carrier Strike, Amphibious Assault and Anti-Submarine Warfare operations.  Elements of the Task Group will also participate in the International Fleet Review taking place in Halifax to celebrate the Centennial of the Canadian Navy.

Source: Fleet Air Arm