Merlin Crowsnest takes flight over Cyprus on lookout for enemy missiles and drones

A specialist Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 Crowsnest helicopter has been hard at work defending Cyprus, providing advance warning of any incoming drones or missiles.

The aircraft, aircrews and an engineering team from 820 Naval Air Squadron are currently stationed at RAF Akrotiri, which was hit by a drone that is believed to have been launched from Lebanon.

The defence of the base and the surrounding region was beefed up in the wake of the attack, with the defensive screen now including RAF Typhoons, 617 Squadron F-35Bs, Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters and the aforementioned Merlin Crowsnest.

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Escalating tensions

The Merlin, which has a crew of three, is fitted out with the Crowsnest system, giving the aircraft an ASaC (airborne surveillance and control) capability.

The aircraft can fly up to a mile in height and use Crowsnest to look over the horizon to check for threats from further away than a purely ground-based system.

The personnel from 820 NAS have experience in providing force protection from similar threats, having deployed ASaC aircraft on active operations in the Red Sea last year.

This took place during the transits of Carrier Strike Group 25 led by HMS Prince of Wales during Operation Highmast.

While few details of Armed Forces operations in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East are given for reasons of operational security, the MOD did release the above video.

It shows the crew carrying out pre-flight checks on the Merlin before taking to the air over the Mediterranean island on a night sortie.

On your marks

Two types of Merlin helicopter are currently in use by the Royal Navy.

The Mk2 is mainly used for anti-submarine warfare, although the mark can also provide other roles, such as search and rescue, cargo transfers and maritime patrol.

The Mk2 can also be converted to airborne surveillance and control with the addition of a powerful exterior-mounted radar, as is the case with the one in Cyprus.

The other Merlin helicopter currently in service with the Royal Navy is the MK4.

This features several modifications for use by the Royal Marines. These include a fast-roping beam that allows the rapid deployment of personnel from the main cabin door.