Trident Juncture
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PLEASE TAKE YOUR FREE ISSUE 4, 2015 COPY THE JHC DELIVERING JOINT SUCCESS ON OPERATIONS Wildcat cuts it’s teeth on Exercise Trident Juncture German Honour for Army Air Corps Commando Fliers in Baltic Exercise JOURNAL OF THE JOINT HELICOPTER COMMAND CONTENTS Contents Issue 4, 2015 COVER STORY Wildcat cuts its teeth on Exercise Trident Juncture ......... 10 PEOPLE Vector Aerospace Commemorates final UK Lynx Helicopter depth Maintenance event ..................... 5 Op GRITROCK, TSW Personnel parade through London ............. 8 CAPABILITY Looks like a Merlin, 16 22 flies like a Merlin ......................... 9 27 Sqn find their sea legs on COUGAR 15 ...........12 Capability Begins Exercise Demon Gunner ...........14 Signed, sealed and delivered, final Chinook MK6 arrives at RAF Odiham ..........................15 Arrcade Games for With Training… Commando fliers in the Baltic ...16 Return of the Pegasus Aviation Training International Limited (ATIL) is a 50:50 joint venture marks a new future for 16X .......18 between AgustaWestland Limited and The Boeing Company. Ex PEREGRINES It was formed in 1998 as a special purpose vehicle to deliver LANDING 15 .............................. 20 the Attack Helicopter Training Service contract for the UK Army. Honours and Awards ................ 21 The contract was financed under a PFI arrangement. SPORT ATIL holds a unique position as a training organisation in being able A busy but successful season ... 22 to provide total synthetic training solutions in the areas of Aircrew, Groundcrew and Maintenance training. A range of equipment is 9 employed to represent the sophisticated systems that reside within an aircraft of the complexity of the Apache. 12 From weapons to avionics, each device allows students to familiarise themselves with some of the most advanced technology in the world. The equipment is based on full size aircraft systems and provides a high degree of fidelity offering the necessary tactile and visual cues, greatly reducing the need to use operational aircraft for training purposes. Constant investment by the MoD and ATIL in technology insertions has ensured that the training 18 system remains one of the most up to date in the world. Aviation Training International Limited EDITORIAL SUBMISSION DATE… View this publication Coldharbour Business Park, TH online please scan the FRIDAY 25 MARCH 2016 QR code using your Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4JW smartphone or tablet. Please submit all entries for the next issue by no later than the date stated above. Tel: 01935 810300 This publication is copyright Lance Publishing Limited and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without prior written permission of Lance Publishing Limited. Email: [email protected] While every care has been taken during the preparation of this magazine, Lance Publishing Limited cannot be held responsible for accuracy of the information herein or for any consequence arising from it. Views Expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Royal Air Force or the Ministry of Defence. All images © Crown Copyright unless otherwise stated. Web: www.atil.co.uk VISIT: WWW.LZDZONLINE.CO.UK LZDZ / ISSUE 4 2015 3 FOREWORD PEOPLEPEOPLE FURTHER MeettheTeam Vector Aerospace Commemorates INFORMATION Foreword About Vector Aerospace EDITORIAL Final UK Lynx Helicopter Vector Aerospace is a Editor: Sqn Ldr Mark Radbourne global provider of aviation E: [email protected] maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services. T: 01264 381 122 Depth Maintenance Event Through facilities in Canada, – the United States, the United SALES ector Aerospace (www. which the Fleetlands team have anticipated. However, we shall Kingdom, France, Australia, Sales Manager: Laurence Rowe vectoraerospace.com), carried out on the UK Armed continue to provide world- South Africa, Kenya E: [email protected] a global independent Forces’ fleet in conjunction class support for international and Singapore, Vector Aerospace provides services T: 01536 526 662 provider of aviation with scheduled maintenance operators of the Lynx platform, to commercial and military – maintenance,V repair and overhaul routines. Since 2005, over 600 as we have done in recent customers for gas turbine DESIGNER (MRO) services, held a recognition Depth maintenance events years for both the French Navy engines, components Designer: Rowena Wilson ceremony on Friday 4th December have taken place, reinforcing and the Portuguese Navy.” and helicopter airframes. E: [email protected] to commemorate the last Vector Aerospace’s reputation Tyrrell continued: “The team Vector’s customer-focused T: 01536 526 673 Depth maintenance event to be as a world leader in maintaining here at Fleetlands has taken team includes over 2,300 motivated employees. – completed on a UK Armed Forces the Lynx helicopter family. tremendous pride in supporting Vector Aerospace holds PUBLISHER Lynx helicopter at the company’s With the introduction of the UK’s Lynx fleet, which has approvals from some Lance Publishing Ltd, 1st Floor, Fleetlands site in Gosport. the Wildcat helicopter, the seen service with the Army Air of the world’s leading Tailby House, Bath Road, The event, which recognised Lynx is now reaching the end Corps and Royal Navy in many turbine engine, airframe Kettering, Northants NN16 8NL the site’s 37-year support of the of its operational life with theatres of operation, including and avionics OEMs. Powerplants supported T: 01536 512 624 UK Armed Forces’ Lynx fleet, was the UK Armed Forces, and the Falkland Islands, Northern include a wide range of E: [email protected] attended by many of the people maintenance of this type will Ireland, the Balkans, Iraq and turboshafts, turboprops W: www.lancepublishing.co.uk who have worked on the platform no longer be required by the Afghanistan, and which is still and turbofans from General 2015 was a year of significant change and missed by all those at RAF Company Registration No. 3253372 over the years, along with senior Ministry of Defence (MOD). on active service around the Electric, Honeywell, Pratt & achievement for the JHC; the Chinook force Benson and across the Joint – representatives from Defence Michael Tyrrell, Managing world. Aircraft availability from Whitney Canada, Rolls- completed its long-term commitments in Helicopter Command. PRINTER Equipment & Support (DE&S), Director of Vector Aerospace Vector’s Depth maintenance line Royce and Turbomeca. Vector Aerospace also 2016 will be a challenging Lance Print Ltd, 29/30 Stapledon Joint Helicopter Command UK, commented: “It is both has remained high throughout Afghanistan and in relief, the Puma Mk2 made its provides support for a wide first operational deployment on Op TORAL. year as we continue our Road, Orton Southgate, (JHC) and Navy Command. a sad and a proud day to see these operations, and we range of airframes from commitments in Kabul and Peterborough PE2 6TD Throughout its life, the Lynx the last of these aircraft leave hope to be able to continue Airbus Helicopters, Bell, he JHC also said exercises, across 6 countries, at home. We will also be T: 01733 390 564 – which has held the official the site. Although the UK this long heritage of providing Boeing and Sikorsky, its farewell to 16 Air incorporating over 3,500 busy in the field once again, E: [email protected] helicopter world speed record Lynx fleet will keep flying until superior customer service capabilities including major inspections and dynamic Assault Brigade after troops and 50 helicopters. exercising and honing our W: www.lanceprint.co.uk since 1986 – has undergone many 2018, no additional Depth for other MOD helicopter component overhaul, and 16 years. However, We achieved many capability skills for a multitude of – modifications and upgrades, level maintenance events are fleets in the future.” offers full-service avionics Tour close ties with the Brigade milestones in 2015, Merlin is now contingent scenarios that FURTHER INFORMATION capability, including will continue as we exercise operating under the command we may be called upon to W: www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/ aircraft rewiring, mission with them throughout 2016 of CHF and the first interim conduct at anytime. Again, aboutdefence/whatwedo/ equipment installation and and beyond. We worked hard Mk3i aircraft are currently this will require us to work airsafetyandaviation/jhc glass cockpit upgrades. to regain the skills required in being put through their paces closely with each other and – the contingent environment, at RNAS Yeovilton, we also interoperate with our allies. COVER CREDIT and this saw our people saw Wildcat hit the front line © MoD Crown Copyright exercising around the world, and deploy on COUGAR while I want to thank you all for often with NATO allies. This the final Chinook Mk6 aircraft the professionalism and culminated with the COUGAR was delivered to the UK in determination you have deployment and Ex TRIDENT December. These developments demonstrated in 2015 and JUNCTURE which saw an array in capability will safeguard look forward to seeing you of JHC aircraft deployed in the JHC’s ability to support in the field during 2016. the embarked environment, Defence well into the future. projecting the key capabilities Sadly, we lost 2 of our Good luck and of LIFT, FIND and ATTACK most capable officers in a Happy New Year. from HMS Ocean among other tragic accident in Kabul, Flt Lt ships. Overall, 2015 saw the Alan Scott and Flt Lt Geraint Maj Gen Richard Felton CBE JHC take part in 10 separate ‘Roly’ Roberts will be sorely Commander JHC PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 FOR THE COVER STORY WILDCAT CUTS IT’S TEETH ON EXCERCISE TRIDENT JUNCTURE LZDZ Magazine is also online and can be found at: www.lzdzonline.co.uk 4 ISSUE 4 2015 / LZDZ THE JHC DELIVERING JOINT SUCCESS ON OPERATIONS VISIT: WWW.LZDZONLINE.CO.UK LZDZ / ISSUE 4 2015 5 PEOPLE Germany and so it is a privilege to be present as 1 Regiment accepts the Fahnenband from Brigadier General Hein. This is an honour gratefully received, expressing a sentiment that German is absolutely mutual.” Major Stuart Hughes said: “Today has been a significant Honour occasion in the history of 1 Regiment Army Air Corps.