A Norwegian SAR AW101 Helicopter from Bodolanded has landed onboard British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
It is understood that the landing was planned “to prove deck currency, meet the Battlestaff and discuss future collaborations with the Norwegian Air Operations Centre”.
Norwegian SAR AW101 Helicopter from Bodo 🇳🇴 landed on @HMSQNLS to prove deck currency, meet the Battlestaff and discuss future collaborations with the Norwegian Air Operations Centre (NAOC) @Forsvaret_no. #UKCSG23 pic.twitter.com/5Z7lfOdVex
— UK Carrier Strike Group (@COMUKCSG) October 11, 2023
What is HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike Group doing?
The Royal Navy say that the aircraft carrier, crewed by up to 900 sailors, with her F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters and Merlin helicopters, is leading a mixed group of warships from various nations in the waters of northern Europe.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“The UK leadership of this international strike group shows the strength of our commitment to working with Allies to promote security in Europe and demonstrate our resolve against any threat from potential adversaries.
With both HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales deployed simultaneously, the Royal Navy sends a strong message that the UK’s capability for carrier operations is among the strongest in the world.”
The first phase saw the carrier’s deployment saw F35 fighter jets taking part in Exercise Cobra Warrior, the RAF’s largest bi-annual exercise, including aircraft from the Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Norway, and the UK taking part in joint exercises.
The 18-day exercise involved RAF Typhoon and F35 jets, A400M and C17 transport aircraft, and Voyager air tankers, developing interoperability alongside allied aircraft and practicing integration between fourth and fifth generation fighter aircraft across air, sea, and land.
Commodore James Blackmore, Commander of the Carrier Strike Group, said:
“It is with much eagerness that the UK Carrier Strike Group is now assembling for deployed operations – the first time the UK CSG will be under my command. This autumn’s deployment showcases the UK’s capability to operate at range from the UK and demonstrates our continued commitment to North Atlantic security.
The Carrier Strike Group is an agile and highly capable force and we are excited to be heading to the North Sea and North Atlantic along with our International Partner Nations to reinforce security across the region.”
Could’ve sworn I spotted one like it over Belfast Hbr last week?? 😳 🤔
Norwegian SAR AW101 are much improved over early Merlins.
And very different.
Our two carriers seem to be a rather nice landing space for many other countries aircraft, USMC F35Bs, Ospreys, now even the Norwegians want in on the act, anyone else? Could on folks the crew aboard are a welcoming bunch!!!
Useful for *alliance* activities?
Our allies have a lot of kit but don’t have the big and specialised maritime platforms we do.
Although I’m not trying to excuse the state of the escort frigate fleet which is a disgrace. Or not having an Albion active which is the ideal platform for what Argus is doing.
I unfortunately see a situation in the not to distance future when our depleted surface fleet may well severally come to haunt us, heaven forbidd it takes the loss of one of our carriers to improve things, but by then already to late, our politicians have been constantly warned about how small the RN is, but as always they never listen until it’s to late.
At least we are building 13 replacements.
The speeding up of T26 either means T26B2 or earlier T83 not neither otherwise we are back to gaps.
True, by all accounts T26 does seem an excellent ship, it’s a pity all 13 aren’t T26 instead of the other five being cheap & cheerful T31s, you mentioned HMS Albion earlier, her long term fate in the balance, I’ve always thought it stupid HMS Ocean was never replaced, yet another much needed capability completely gone!!
Albion and Bulwark are fully MILSPEC – Ocean was never vaguely any discernible spec – TBH she was a death trap as there were so many bits of mitigated cheapo commercial in her that could never be fixed.
Yeh fair enough, even so She was a landing platform/ ‘Helicopter carrier’ of sorts, a dedicated replacement would have been nice to get 600 or so Bootnecks to where they needed to go!!
An Albion is not the ideal platform for what Argus is doing. Argus carries 3 Merlins with ease, that would be impossible for Albion.
The Albions have very large crews, minimal aviation facilities and slow, cumbersome landing craft.
Interesting POV.
Not making much of a case for the Albions today…..
The useful thing Albion brought was fleet staff/HQ facilities on board. with a smaller fleet and the carriers presumably having similar or better capabilities for management, perhaps replacing them with more smaller ships is needed. If it’s safe enough for an Albion to land forces at a port it’s probably safe enough for the RFA to do it. Really what’s needed is to know what direction the forces want to go in from the sea? Is it more helicopters and landing spots that are needed? This also helps with operating drones. Is it more landing craft for large vehicles, forces?… Read more »
Where is Bodolanded? 😝😝😝
Do we charge them 💰 🤗
ANPR would probably work best, we don’t really want traffic wardens operating on our carrier flight decks? 😃