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http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #359 FEBRUARY 2018 // 9

ROYAL AIR Force
Typhoons FGR4s from No 3
(Fighter) Squadron at RAF
Coningsby, Lincolnshire
returned to Estonia as
part of the ongoing UK
support to the British Army-
led NATO battlegroup
deployed there. The
Typhoons operated in
sub-zero temperatures
at Ämari air base from
where they conducted air-
land training exercises
with Joint Terminal Attack
Controllers (JTACs).
The first sorties were
flown at night over a
training area in eastern
Estonia before the fighters
returned the next day
for daylight simulated
air strikes and ‘show
of force’ low passes.
One of the pilots, Flight
Lieutenant Ed, said:
“The training sorties
provided an excellent
opportunity to work with
the deployed JTACS in
very challenging and
unfamiliar surroundings.”
This was the third time
the jets had undertaken
training in Estonia,
following previous periods
that began in August and
November last year.

THE UK has taken delivery
of its 14th F-35B, which
flew into Marine Corps Air
Station Beaufort, South
Carolina on December 14.
There are currently around
200 British personnel at
Beaufort testing the aircraft
and preparing them for
arrival in the UK in the
summer, when No 617
Squadron will stand up at
RAF Marham, Norfolk.
Preparations are also
being made for first-of-
class flight trials, due to
take place on HMS Queen
Elizabeth later this year.
According to the Ministry
of Defence, the Lightning is
on schedule to achieve initial
operating capability (IOC) from
land later this year and IOC in
the carrier strike role in 2020.

UK takes delivery of fi nal F-35B for 2017

Above: The 14th UK F-35B, ZM148 (BK-14, 169422), arrives at MCAS Beaufort. Cpl Benjamin McDonald/DVIDS

HMS Ocean arrives home for the last time

THE ROYAL Navy’s former

flagship HMS Ocean

returned to Devonport in

Plymouth on December

19, ending the warship’s

service with the UK.

The amphibious assault

vessel, which will be

decommissioned this

year, had left Plymouth at

the end of August 2017

to serve as flagship for

NATO’s Standing Maritime

Group 2 (SNMG2) in the

Mediterranean. At the

beginning of September,

the ship was re-tasked to

take humanitarian aid to

British Overseas Territories

hit by Hurricane Irma (see

CHF in the Caribbean,

November 2017, p64-66)

before returning to resume

her role leading the NATO

group and take part in

multinational exercises.

On board during the final

deployment were Merlin

HM2s from 820 Naval Air

Squadron (NAS), Merlin

HC3/HC3As from 845 and

847 NAS, RAF Chinooks,

as well as Royal Marines

from 40 Commando.

Long-term rumours persist

that Brazil may purchase

HMS Ocean. On December

1, it was reported that

the Brazilian defence

ministry had authorised

the navy to begin efforts

to purchase the vessel.

Once decommissioned in

March, the Brazilian Navy

hopes to conclude a deal

this year, overhaul the ship

in 2019, and bring it into

service the following year.

Above: HMS ‘Ocean’ visited Haifa on November 30, while operating in the Mediterranean as fl agship of SNMG2, and hosted an

Israeli Air Force UH-60 Yanshuf helicopter. The assault ship is seen in the Israeli port with two Wildcat AH1s, a Merlin HM2 and

a pair of Merlin HC3/HC3As arranged on deck. Anthony Hershko

SAC Wright/Crown Copyright

Typhoons

back in

the Baltic