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http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #365 AUGUST 2018 // 31

Special

The Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) visited Scotland
to take part in NATO’s
Joint Warrior 2018 during
April and May. The
Seahawks focused on anti-
submarine warfare (ASW)
and surveillance over the
waters around the north of
Scotland, working alongside
Merlin HM2s from the
Royal Navy’s 820 Naval
Air Squadron (NAS) in the
combined-force exercise.
Two Royal Australian
Air Force (RAAF) C-17As
arrived at RAF Brize Norton,
Oxfordshire, on April 17,
each carrying an MH-60R
‘Romeo’ Seahawk – N48-
008 of 816 Squadron
and N48-024 of 816
Squadron/Flight 4 (HMAS
Parramatta). After being
unloaded and prepared
for flight, the Seahawks
routed north towards their
destination of Stornoway
Airport on the Isle of Lewis
in the Outer Hebrides.
The RAN helicopters
carried out daily sorties,
with the main ‘quarry’
being three submarines –
two conventional and one
nuclear. More than 30
surface assets, multiple
ship-based ASW helicopters
and maritime patrol

aircraft flying out of RAF

Lossiemouth, Scotland,

were also involved.

An operational support

unit, 816 Squadron, is home

based at HMAS Albatross,

Nowra, New South Wales.

Its aircraft are primarily

found at sea, deploying up

to eight flights on board

RAF destroyers and frigates.

The RAN now has 24

‘Romeo’ Seahawks,

delivered between 2013

and 2016 via the Foreign

Military Sales programme.

The last of the S-70B

‘Bravo’ Seahawks was

retired in December and

flown to the Australian

War Memorial in Canberra,

where it is preserved.

‘Romeo’ realism

Cdr Anthony Savage, the

commanding officer of

816 Squadron, said: “Both

MH-60R ‘Romeo’ crews are

taking full advantage of the

realistic scenarios they are

facing. ASW is what this

squadron does best, and it

requires the highest of both

aviation and warfare skills.

This exercise is testing our

crews, tactics, aircraft and

our engineering team.

“This is a true

demonstration of the

Australian Defence Force’s

[ADF’s] integrated force

capabilities. The Royal

Joint Warrior ‘Romeos’

Chris Melaisi

joined the Royal

Australian Navy’s

MH-60R Seahawks

as they embarked

on their first

deployment to the

UK after travelling

halfway around the

world.

Above: MH-60R N48-008 (US Navy 168821) during a sortie in the Scottish Highlands. The aircraft

is loaded with an external fuel tank on the fuselage side and emblazoned with the tiger insignia

of 816 Squadron. Chris Melaisi Below: ‘Romeo’ N48-024 (US Navy 168837) tips its nose towards

the ground for a rapid descent into a valley. Named ‘Warlock’, the aircraft carries the badge of

HMAS ‘Parramatta’ (FFH 154) on the side of the fuselage. Stewart Marshall

Navy’s 820 Squadron and

816 are operating side by

side – that’s given us the

chance to develop our joint

tactics. The training value is

exceptional, with all sorties

being conducted as a Royal

Australian Navy MH-60R

Seahawk and Royal Navy

Merlin combat pair.”

Commander of the

RAN Fleet Air Arm, Cdre

Chris Smallhorn, added:

“The Fleet Air Arm is by

definition expeditionary

in that we deploy as a

largely self-contained

unit to our surface ships.

Reliable, well-practised

logistic chains, airlift,

engineering support and

command lines are critical,

and I am pleased to

observe our systems are

measuring up extremely

well. This exercise adds

another crucial string

to the maritime warfare

bow as it demonstrates

conclusively that with the

help of strategic airlift we

can send naval aviation

wherever a maritime effect

is required and whenever it

is needed. Ultimately, the

ASW role is a team effort

at every phase. We are

sending the message that

Australia is serious about

being the best we can be

in maritime warfare.”

After a two-week

deployment, the ‘Romeos’

flew to RAF Lossiemouth,

where two RAAF C-17s

loaded them for the

long journey home via

the United States.

The senior RAN officers

clearly judged the

deployment a success,

and it’s expected the

RAN will return to the UK

in the coming years.

Above: ‘Aussie Flight’ – the RAN MH-60R ‘Romeos’ in formation, keeping it low over Loch

Ness. Chris Melaisi

Above: MH-60R N48-008 is secured in the hold of the RAAF
C-17A for the fi ve-day journey home to Australia, the fi rst
stop being Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. Stewart Marshall