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First Merlin Helicopter Arrives in Afghanistan
First Merlin Helicopter Arrives in Afghanistan
The first Royal Air Force Merlin helicopter has arrived in Afghanistan as part of a move to boost air support on the front line, the MOD has announced today.
The full Merlin deployment to Afghanistan will be completed by the end of this year, providing a significant increase in UK military helicopters and flying hours available to commanders on the ground. The Merlin will perform a wide range of tasks, making it a valuable asset to our forces.
The Merlin was stripped down and transported by a C-17 aircraft from RAF Brize Norton, and has arrived in Afghanistan for re-assembly and extensive pre-flight checks before it takes to the Afghan skies.
The Merlin Force returned from operations in Iraq in August 2009 and the crews have since undertaken intensive pre-deployment training whilst the aircraft have received significant upgrades to meet the challenges of the harsh Afghanistan environment. The pre-deployment training, dubbed Exercise MERLIN VORTEX, is drawing to a close at the Naval Air Facility El Centro in California. Over 450 personnel have taken part in the Exercise, ensuring that all crews, engineers and support staff are as ready as possible for the Afghan environment and the new challenges it will bring to the Force.
Armed Forces Minister, Bill Rammell, said:
“We recognise the importance of helicopters for operations in Afghanistan. The deployment of the Merlin helicopters is evidence of our ongoing commitment to increase capacity and further improvements to helicopter capability in Afghanistan will follow over the next 12 months.”
Group Captain Jonathan Burr, Station Commander at RAF Benson, said:
“The Merlin Force has pulled out all the stops to get the Merlins to the frontline as quickly as possible. The Force is now ready to take on the challenges of operating in the harsh conditions of Afghanistan and is eager to contribute to the UK effort as they did so successfully in Iraq.”
Squadron Leader Mike Cook, Senior Engineering Officer for the Merlin Force, said:
“The first group of engineers taking the Merlin to Afghanistan have worked extremely hard at RAF Brize Norton to prepare the aircraft for its journey. The entire engineering Squadron has risen to the challenge over the previous months to make sure all the aircraft are in top condition for the forthcoming deployment.”
Photographs:
Top: The first Merlin emerges from the C-17 in Afghanistan
Middle: Engineers working to unload the aircraft
Bottom: The Merlin sinde the C-17
Photographer: Corporal Laura Bibby, Royal Air Force Mobile News Team
Editor: MOD Press Office