Royal Marine fliers complete gruelling Dartmoor exercise

Twelve naval aviators have successfully completed their final training exercise, earning their wings to operate in the demanding front lines alongside the Royal Marines.

The week-long training, dubbed Exercise Merlin Storm, tested pilots and aircrew from 846 Naval Air Squadron on their ability to execute real-world missions under intense and unpredictable conditions, according to a Royal Navy news release.

The exercise took place at Okehampton battle camp on Dartmoor, Devon, and involved three Merlin Mk4 helicopters. Students faced relentless operational sorties, rapid planning, and real-time tasking while managing logistics, fuel calculations, and mission orders—all within challenging timeframes.

The exercise also required participants to establish and operate from a forward base with basic facilities, simulating austere battlefield conditions.

Lieutenant Commander Tom Morris, 846’s Warfare Officer, highlighted the unique demands of becoming a Junglie pilot, stating in the press release that adaptability is paramount.

“No plan survives first contact, and oftentimes some infamous Junglie cunning must be applied in order to make a sound plan and achieve the task at hand,” he remarked, referring to the nickname given to Commando Helicopter Force pilots since their support missions in Southeast Asia during the 1960s.

Exercise tasks included transporting troops, moving underslung loads, and performing simulated hostile engagements. Instructors deliberately introduced unexpected challenges to test the students’ ability to adapt under pressure. The  training culminated in a series of high-profile missions, including troop movements, non-combatant evacuation operations, and landing two Merlins within the confined space of Scraesdon Fort in Cornwall.

Captain Elliott Graham, a Royal Marines student pilot, was also quoted: “The best part of Exercise Merlin Storm 24 was the real-time tasking that enabled realistic and challenging scenarios and the ability to utilise the aircraft in an operational capacity for the first time.”

Following the exercise, the successful aviators will join 845 Naval Air Squadron, which specialises in operational support for the Royal Marines. But first, they will celebrate their achievements at a wings ceremony at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, marking the culmination of years of intense training.

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