PLEASE TAKE YOUR ISSUE 3, 2018 FREE COPY THE JHC DELIVERING JOINT SUCCESS ON OPERATIONS Celebrating RAF100 JOURNAL OF THE JOINT HELICOPTER COMMAND CONTENTS Contents Issue 3, 2018 COVER STORY 19 RAF 100 Celebrations at RAF Andover, RAF Benson and RAF Odiham ..................................... 08 HONOURS & AWARDS Wings Presentation to 28 Commando Merlin Course ....... 06 LESSONS CORNER Using DLIMS ............................. 14 10 OPERATIONS RAF Ensign Over Army HQ ...... 07 661 Sqn – Support to Op 25 CABRIT ‘The story so far’ ......... 26 CAPABILITY The Commando Merlin MK4 Has Arrived ............................... 16 Designing A Display Masterpiece .............................. 19 Joint Helicopter Support Squadron (JHSS) – RAF Benson............................ 20 Jeanne D’Arc Deployment – A Snapshot from the Pacific .. 24 20 PEOPLE Chinook Support to Poppy Appeal ........................... 05 RAF 100 Baton Relay ................ 12 RAF 100 at RAF Stafford .......... 25 Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2018 .................................... 31 SAFETY JHC Safety Team, Hang gliding and Paragliding......................... 28 16 EDITORIAL SUBMISSION DATE… View this publication online please scan the QR code using your MONDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2018 smartphone or tablet. 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VISIT: WWW.LZDZONLINE.CO.UK LZDZ / ISSUE 3, 2018 3 FOREWORD Foreword MeettheTeam EDITORIAL Editor: Lt Col Al Bambridge E: [email protected] T: 01264 382 086 – SALES Sales Manager: Laurence Rowe E: [email protected] T: 01536 526 678 – DESIGNER Designer: Holly Daniels E: [email protected] T: 01536 526 671 – PUBLISHER This issue of LZDZ marks the Reconnaissance Teaming (ART), proving Lance Publishing Ltd, 1st Floor, zenith of RAF 100 celebrations and the concept of laser target designation, Tailby House, Bath Road, Kettering, my congratulations go to all RAF we must ensure we continue to master the Northants NN16 8NL personnel for this achievement. basics and empower our junior personnel. T: 01536 512 624 This will promote leadership and prepare E: [email protected] t has been a busy period across the JHC to our people for the challenging environments W: www.lancepublishing.co.uk support this milestone, from dinner nights they will encounter in the future. Company Registration No. 3253372 to charity events, and it culminated in the Change and budgetary constraints will – RAF 100 flypast and parade in London continue for the foreseeable future. The PRINTER Iwhere JHC helicopters and personnel took Modernising Defence Programme (MDP) Lance Print Ltd, 29/30 Stapledon Road, pride of place at the head of the impressive continues and we are not likely to see the Orton Southgate, Peterborough PE2 6TD array of RAF aircraft both past and present. outcomes or decisions until later this year. T: 01733 390 564 Life around the Command has continued Tied to MDP is the Rotary Wing Basing E: [email protected] at pace. 661 Sqn AAC has completed a Optimisation study which I know from my W: www.lanceprint.co.uk very successful deployment in support of unit visits is a cause for concern for some – Op CABRIT in Estonia, a first operational of you. I will ensure that as soon as any FURTHER INFORMATION deployment for Army Wildcat. Puma continues decisions are made you will be informed. W: www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/ to support Op TORAL and as we go to press The Autumn period will continue to be aboutdefence/whatwedo/ 3 Chinooks from RAF Odiham have achieved busy and will see JHC play an integral part airsafetyandaviation/jhc IOC on an 18-month operational deployment in the largest Defence overseas exercise to Mali on Op NEWCOMBE, in support of in recent years taking place in Oman, a French operations in the Sahel. In addition to fantastic opportunity to consolidate skills and the operational deployments, multinational training. As we approach the Summer leave interoperability exercises have continued period, I urge you all to take some time to with helicopters and personnel from CHF, recharge and reenergise and where you can AHF, ARF and SHF working closely with our spend time with your family and loved ones. NATO and coalition allies across the globe. For those who remain deployed over the As we continue to hone our war fighting summer, keep safe and keep delivering. skills, be it conducting complex deep strike at scale exercises as seen recently Rear Admiral Jon Pentreath OBE RN during Ex TALON GRAVIS, or Attack Commander JHC PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 08 FOR THE COVER STORY RAF 100 CELEBRATIONS LZDZ Magazine is also online and can be found at: www.lzdzonline.co.uk 4 ISSUE 3, 2018 / LZDZ THE JHC DELIVERING JOINT SUCCESS ON OPERATIONS PEOPLE Chinook Support to Poppy Appeal n a very sunny excitedly, awaiting the Chinook. May afternoon, Word soon came through that the RAF Odiham the helicopter had lifted and Engagements and was on its way, so the children OMedia Team, along with the held hands and tried not to look SWO went to Buryfields School up, which was quite difficult in Odiham village to oversee for them. Flt Lt Stu Kynaston the taking of a photograph. This brought all his display pilot was no ordinary photograph skills to bear, so as not to blow however; this particular snap any hats off and SAC Pippa would be taken from the back Fowles, from the photographic of a hovering Chinook. section, took the shots. After The combined children of only ten minutes, the helicopter Buryfields and Mayhill Schools departed to complete its tasking would form a huge poppy shape and left behind some 400 very on the Buryfields playing field, excited children (and teachers). wearing black or red tops and The school will be using the hats to colour the poppy. The images on cards, posters and detailed organisation by Mrs calendars to raise money for two Emma Flynn from Buryfields very well-deserving charities; School, using coloured bean SSAFA and the Royal British bags to show the children Legion. So, if you happen to see exactly where to sit, meant them on sale in the village, put that they found their places your hand in your pocket and very quickly and sat chatting support these great causes. VISIT: WWW.LZDZONLINE.CO.UK LZDZLZDZ // ISSUEISSUE 3,3, 20182018 5 AWARDS Wings Presentation to 28 Commando Merlin Course Rear Admiral J Pentreath Commanding Officer Joint helicopter Command was 846 Naval Air squadron’s guest of honour at 28 Commando Wings Parade held at RNAS Yeovilton. 846 Naval Air Squadron is the Commando Helicopter Force’s (CHF) training squadron, which trains new helicopter pilots or converts existing helicopter pilots to fly the Merlin helicopter in CHF. It also trains existing Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel to become Aircrewmen in CHF’s Merlin and Wildcat helicopters. Commando Pilot To be awarded their wings, operations; all of which same syllabus as the pilots, Training – Merlin Pilots complete an extremely culminates in an exercise in demanding a high degree After graduating from demanding course using field conditions with real time of knowledge and crew Britannia Royal Naval College an advanced simulator facility tasking and an cooperation. Aircrewmen are at Dartmouth, Fleet Air at RAF Benson and flying operational overlay. instrumental in the role of Arm Student Pilots are the real aircraft from the Commando Merlin Mk3 trained initially on light RNAS Yeovilton. 846 Naval Commando Aircrewmen for undertaking operational fixed-wing aircraft at RAF Air Squadron (NAS) provides Training – Merlin capabilities such as Load Barkston Heath. They then a tailored course that Student Commando Lifting, Winching, Fast Roping complete their Basic Flying results in a graduate being Aircrewmen in the Royal Navy/ and Confined Areas. Training at RAF Shawbury able to competently operate Royal Marines can either flying the single-engine Squirrel as part of a front line crew transfer across from other Future helicopter. On completion with minimal further training. specialisations of mainstream From today the graduates of the course Fleet After learning the handling RN/RM service or join will move to the frontline Air Arm students are skills required to safely as direct entrants. After where they can expect streamed to Wildcat or Merlin conduct flying by day, night basic training on the Squirrel to be involved in worldwide Operational Conversion and when in cloud, they move helicopter, students complete operations in support of UK Flights. Commando Merlin on to undertake all the the Joint Aircrewman Course Government Defence Mk3 candidates remain at disciplines required on on the twin-engined Griffin Policy. The Commando Merlin Shawbury, flying the twin operations. This involves low at RAF Shawbury. On Aircrew will join either 845 engined Griffin helicopter level navigation, Night Vision completion of the course NAS or 846 NAS, the before continuing their training Goggle (NVG) flying, load students join the Operational two front line Commando on the Merlin at RNAS lifting, mountain flying, Conversion Flight at 846 Merlin Squadrons at Yeovilton, Yeovilton. formation and embarked NAS. The course follows the where they will be at 5 6 ISSUE 3, 2018 / LZDZ THE JHC DELIVERING JOINT SUCCESS ON OPERATIONS OPERATIONS RAF Ensign Over Army HQ With the kind permission of the Stn Cdr and support from the Garrison Sgt Major, the Royal Air Force contingent was granted the rare privilege of flying their ensign over Army HQ on their 100th anniversary.