A Wildcat helicopter from HMS Queen Elizabeth has fired flares in an exercise, marking the first time flares were loaded and fired from a helicopter flying from a Queen Elizabeth class carrier.
The Wildcat was from 847 Naval Air Squadron.
The official account of the United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group, currently commanded by Commodore James Blackmore Royal Navy (COMUKCSG), tweeted the following.
Flares firing 💥 from @847NAS’s Wildcat – flares are one part of the Defensive Aid Suite (DAS) which the combat helicopter uses for self defence.
This is the first time Rotary wing flares were loaded and fired from a helicopter flying from a QEC Carrier @HMSQNLZ.#UKCSG23 pic.twitter.com/0KKU4gw8uW
— UK Carrier Strike Group (@COMUKCSG) November 5, 2023
What is the Carrier Strike Group doing?
The UK Carrier Strike Group, led by flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth, recently completed the first phase of its autumn deployment. This involved participating in a series of simulated strike missions in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea alongside international naval partners.
“HMS Queen Elizabeth and her embarked jets and helicopters have proven their ability to provide the “punch” of the UK Carrier Strike Group during a series of simulated strike missions alongside international partners”, the press release stated.
Joining the aircraft carrier for these combat simulations were several ships from the UK and allied nations. Among these were the Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond, Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker RFA Tideforce, Norwegian ships HNoMS Otto Sverdrup and HNoMS Maud, Dutch ships HNLMS De Zeven Provincien and HNLMS Van Amstel, and the Belgian frigate BNS Louise Marie.
The exercises featured HMS Queen Elizabeth’s F-35 Lightning fighter jets from 617 Squadron, Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron, and Wildcat helicopters from 815 and 847 Naval Air Squadrons. Their missions varied, ranging from defending against aerial threats to suppressing enemy air defences and executing strike attacks.
Additionally, HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike Group showcased their medical capabilities, including advanced resuscitation techniques, trauma surgery, and casualty evacuations.
The next phase of the deployment will feature UK forces collaborating with ships and personnel from Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) nations, which include countries such as Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.
Commodore James Blackmore, Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, was quoted as saying, “CSG23 is off to a great start. Integrated training within the air and maritime environments, and alongside our European allies, has demonstrated the capability and agility of UK Carrier Strike.”
“Integrated training within the air and maritime environments, and alongside our European allies, has demonstrated the capability and agility of UK Carrier Strike”, reaffirmed Blackmore.
Got to ask; would the aircraft normally fire all flares at once, or in a sequence?
I think there’s a momentary firing delay in the squance, to ensure a curtain of flairs around the aircraft.
Just how useful they would be in the age of imaging infrared (or multi sensor) missiles deployed
by a tier one nation is debatable, when the missile knows what a helicopter looks like and will simply ignore the pretty fireworks display….
Flare technology has also moved on to counter new missile tech.
The sequence is programmable from the cockpit. đź‘Ť
Cheersđź‘Ť
With wildcat am I right in saying it is only for Air surface Attack above the waves so to speak and does not have the ability like the Linx drop Torpedoes off ,or can it be configured for this ?
Cheers 🍺
Just a note re questions on Wildcat and its wider ASW and anti ship capability. This particular helicopter is from 847 NAS, which is the old 3 CBAS, in support of 3 Cdo Bde.
So this Sqn does not take part in Anti Ship or Anti Sub missions, but more of a recc role. I also understand that the squadrons helicopters are part of the army’s allocation of 34 cabs, and thus use the Army AH1 variant, not a RN HM2. Also, all army Wildcat are part of 1 Reg AAC and that regiments Sqns, to which 847 is attached, all pool assets.
SB1 might add more / correct me if he is still about.
Take the Army wildcat just for Rec DM no Armament ,if this is so seems a bit of a wast sure if the RN version is Armed the AAC could do with a little punch back the Apache up. 🤔
Yes, beyond a minigun or GPMG I do not think they have armament.
Thought has much it’s a shame ,we haven’t really give it potential like the old Lynx 🍺
I do sometimes wonder if it would be a good idea to have a naval Apache for RN ships that can carry more than one helicopter. Do not get me wrong, I like the Wildcat, but I would prefer to see them with a shorter range and dipping sonar. They could then triangulate with the ships sonar in a hunter killer role. A
As for flares for self defence, good against heat seekers, but possibly a mix of flares, signiture decoy, radar spoofing is better solution.
They also carry an IR jammer system to complement the flares
How many years have the carriers been around , and they are only now carrying out this exercise , what have they been doing all of this time .
This is complex and does not happen quickly.
A few years back HMS QE deployed to the other side of the world.
Regenerating this, from ships, to people, to aircraft, to logistics, takes time, and has to be plotted with all the other assets and tasks the RN has to undertake.
All aircraft are supposed to be in a state of readiness to react at short notice , a first defensive flare test from a carrier bourne helicopter which has been in service now for years seems rather late , probably to save money and or flares .