British Army Apache attack helicopters recently conducted cold-weather training in Norway during Exercise Clockwork.

The British Army say that pilots, engineers and groundcrew were taught how to operate in the most challenging conditions.

‘Exercise CLOCKWORK’ is the name given to the UK Armed Forces’ annual Winter Deployment to the Arctic Circle in Norway with the objective to prepare personnel for the most unforgiving conditions experienced in this region.

According to the British Army:

“Apache helicopter pilots are part of a highly-trained, dedicated team with a remit for work in the high North – such as the Baltic states or Scandinavia. Soldiers from 656 Squadron, 4 Regiment Army Air Corps (4AAC), regularly support the Royal Marines on exercises or operations abroad; an example of how the Army is integrated with its sister Services, as well as with international partners. 4AAC is the British Army’s Very High Readiness Attack Aviation unit. It is on standby 365 days a year in support of worldwide taskings with the Apache in both the land and maritime roles.”

The aircraft were taken to Norway by C-17.

Wing Commander Essex, Officer Commanding 99 Squadron, said:

“The C-17 gives the RAF the strategic capability to transport large equipment, such as an Apache over long distances, that in turn can be rapidly deployed.  It is all about adding flexibility to succeed on operations.”

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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39 COMMENTS

  1. I know I bang on a bit about the apaches, but yet another clear demonstration of why they are so important to the UK and why we need to double the current fleet, especially given its price point.

    really is a critical piece of kit us, whether that be supporting the strike and armour brigades as a recon / tank killer or in the marine environment protecting the carriers.. this gives us so many options and is a very dynamic piece of equipment.

    • I’m sure that this is the point behind the Conservative’s new minister for Brexit opportunity and government efficiency. Too much money wasted on welfare, not enough leanness of the state, more RnD needed etc etc. Folks might not like Boris for whatever reason, but these guys mean business.

      • You say to much money wasted on welfare but how is anyone expected to live on £70 a week universal credit. That’s for gas electric food clothes toiletries and everything else. It’s impossible. Now I know ur response will be these people should gain employment but this is what people unable to work get.
        I’m
        Lucky enough not to be in this situation. There needs to be a look at the why welfare is so necessary for so many people to live.
        Apaches are great and more would be wonderful but there’s plenty of other ways to pay for it than cutting welfare.

        • You raise a valid point. It must be a real struggle to get buy for these unfortunate souls. With Brexit I wonder if the savings from paying benefits to ex European “workers” will be directed to UK residents as an increases on their benefit?

          I do think the Government can do more with vocational training to help the unemployed, look at the current truck driver shortage as an e.g.

        • Clearly you’ve not been following the news. The U.K. has a desperate shortage of people to fill jobs, the number of vacancies are double what they were before the pandemic. It’s a job-seekers market at the moment and employers are having to give raises and bonus to staff to retain them.

    • Are attack helicopters not prime candidates for replacement by drones, UAVs or whatever they are called now, even more so than fast jets? They are vulnerable to primitive projectiles while sophisticated man portable weapons are likely to become more abundant thanks to the Chinese and Russians. Perhaps displacing the human from this role would be wise?

      • i am not sure they are at this point in time as the humans in this instance add a lot of value by just being there.

        what I do see though is a need for a load more UCAV’s across the whole force and we can definitely add a load of harups and other loitering munitions to our foxhounds or even hx2’s..

        ultimately you are right but I think we definitely have a role for this item over the next 10-15 years at which point it will be finished through over use like it’s predeccessor

      • “Are attack helicopters not prime candidates for replacement by drones, UAVs or whatever they are called now, even more so than fast jets?”

        I agree.

      • Agree and disagree as when air assets are doing close support of troops on the ground and certainly TIC, then having a person in the loop, understanding the bigger picture and able to fly that platform to the changing ongoing tactical picture is invaluable and can never be replaced mate IMHO.

          • You know that Reapers and Predators also have a “man in the loop” right? Even though they are UAV. Be that the JTAC liaising with them or the people back at Waddington.

            Trust me, he knows….

          • Both are operated by humans! Although not immediately in the platform, but luckily for me, JTAC trained and operational used, er, yes I am aware of the assets used as CAS platforms. How lucky was that, I generally only comment on stuff I’ve done or know. Thanks.

    • The Cavalry and Infantry are first in line when it comes to the Army’s budget. They’ve got the loudest voices and the sharpest elbows. The AAC along with everyone else get to fight over whatever is left.

        • I know but it’s a question of numbers the more officers a branch has the more senior officers they’ll have and those are the ones who make the decisions. The only hope is politicians and civil servants getting involved but that would take guts ! The Daily Telegraph would be full of angry leaks from serving officers and the letters page full of angry letters from retired ones.

    • I agree Pacman. An expanded AH 64 fleet is needed , given the RAF will struggle to provide CAS to ground forces – no more Harriers , Jaguar etc.

    • The 21st Century has already unleashed its version of the Machine Gun and the Apache is as antiquated as the Spears and single shot blackpowder rifles the African Natives hopelessly used against it . Russia was part of that fight and watched the Armenians succumb to the “Glass Bee’s” and I along with everyone else watched that Paradigm change aghast seeing what DARPA was telling me was coming was already here . Berkley’s Stuart Russell will have bragging rights and a Certain visionary of the US Navy Mark Hagerrott from Cyber Security Studies US Naval Academy will no doubt name the time in Monterey US Navy Base lecturing a bunch of dolts with lots of stars but no perceptive hurrahs .

    • I can only echo your thoughts gents, why the hell don’t we have more of them?

      Ditch some Wildcat to the Navy and sell off the remainder, expand the AH64E fleet and let them scout for themselves.

      The Navy is set to expand to 24 escorts, so, given the small fleet of Merlins, an influx of 10 or 15 additional Wildcats, upgraded to full Navy spec and perhaps dipping sonar, would I am sure be welcome.

      • Your certainly right about the wildcats, switch to navy. I’m all for home grown kit but for what these do they are an absolute bargain, these and Chinooks make our military world class and should be priority if ever the budget allows.

      • Agreed, all of the AAC wildcats to the RN, with dipping sonar, 12-15 more AH64E and a few more Merlin and we are a little more effective, balanced and capable!

      • Spot on. Dipping sonar and two way data links.

        If the wildcat stays with Army then give them Martlet as already integrated for navy for soft targets of opportunity.

      • Wildcat’s main role is as the scout and spotter for the Apaches. They work as one in a team.

        The US Army tried your alternative of no dedicated Sciut.. When their scout heli got to its OSD, they replaced it with more Apache. It was not a success, the army and Congressional committee concluded that Apache was poor and vulnerable in the scout role and that a dedicated scout helo is needed.

        That will be selected this year and enter service next. One of the two contenders is pretty much similar to Wildcat, if faster and of course armed, suggesting that our Wildcat/Apache approach is right after all.

        Wildcat is also good for transporting small sections for AOP, recon, AT etc, so is a useful asset all round.

        If the RN wants more Wildcats, it needs to take them out of their own equipment budget, the JHF budget is all spoken for and already way too small, hence depressed number of Apaches and planned MUH.

        • Morning Cripes, I’m afraid I simply don’t buy it….

          The Wildcat was forced on the Army and “scout” is simply the Army trying to pigeon hole a roll for the type in a PR spin.

          The Lynx could carry a useful number of 8 troops in a light utility roll, the Wildcat only 4.

          It has no weapons fit assigned or planned ( bar defensive door mounted GPMG), no data link, no mast radar or sighting system and only a flair turret in the nose, meaning it has to obviously be fully exposed in line of sight with its targets …. Who obviously can clearly also see it and target it.

          It’s in short, it’s extremely vulnerable in the scout roll and I don’t personally think it will ever be used for this purpose, unless it’s a very benign environment.

          So, how is it supposed to scout exactly, what systems does it actually have to look for targets across a wide area?

          Against a sophisticated enemy, it will be shot out of the sky, it’s only hope of survival, would be fast and extremely low, where it won’t see anything anyway!

          Unfortunately, Wildcat was developed purely to keep the old Westland factory open, it was a simple politically motivated job creation exercise.

          An undeniably excellent Navy Helicopter, but designed, developed and produced when the Navy had shrunk to the point it only required 28 units!

          Hence they worked out a minimum order, that made the unit price only very expensive, as opposed to stupidly expensive…

          The rest where forced on the Army, who had to actually give up a more useful helicopter in the Lynx, to bring in Wildcat!

          The only way it should have gone ahead was with a healthy order book from foreign buyers.

          It’s yet another example of throwing away scarce defence funding away on unaffordable bespoke projects, in small numbers….

          • The “old Westland factory” is the UK’s only site where helicopter design/manufacture exists albeit Italian owned. Losing another UK industrial capability would not be a good thing. The army Wildcat was initally known as Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter (BLUH), which is what it is, no mention of attack capability. Seems the army got what it wanted. Attack is what the Apache does. By the way the Wildcat’s cabin is the same size as Lynx.

          • Hi Sooty, not really regarding Leanardo, it’s now purely an Italian concern, assembling Italian designed helicopters.

            The Wildcat was the last gasp of UK Helicopter design.

            You are quite right regarding cabin size, however modern crash worth seating, limits the cabin to four, so about as much use as chocolate tea pot in the light utility role!

            It’s lack of self defense armament, lack of data link and mast mounted anything makes it useless as a scout and four seats make it useless as a utility helicopter …. So, what do the army use it for???? Answers on a postcard gents….

  3. My brother’s son in law was taking part I believe, he pilots the Apache, his daughter is a medical officer who I think is still attached to the Gurkhas.

    Personally, I prefer to be at home with my wife although I do envy him on occasions!

  5. Lots of the pictures now they always seem to be carrying the drop tanks. I guess if needed they would just go without and carry the extra weapons. Wonder how much extra range they provide

    • I’m sure the patronising money grabbing snob is happier talking down to the plebs, arse licking celebs and making millions! Heard at the time he was only a very mediocre gunner, who passed due to who he was! But that’s just talk…maybe!

      • On a similar vain I have it on very good authority that when Will’s was at St Andrews doing his degree the university ‘decided’ to introduce an experimental grading system for the year he graduated and only for the subject he was focused on. The following year they ‘decided’ to revert to the prior system. Meanwhile his allocated bobby who chose to do the program while he was there anyway smashed it….lol

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