British Aviators To Develop Tactics With US Navy

Merlin helicopters will be used to participate in tactical development (Picture: Royal Navy).

Royal Navy Aviators, currently deployed on HMS Queen Elizabeth, are to take part in submarine-hunting tests with the US Navy.

820 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) are sending a team and two of their Merlin Mk2 helicopters to the Atlantic Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre, to take part in tactical development and training alongside their colleagues from United States military.

Three of the Mk4 variant of Merlin joined HMS Queen Elizabeth ahead of flight trials in August.

820 NAS are currently supporting the F-35B flying trials onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth off the east coast of the United States and will bring their anti-submarine warfare expertise to exercises with the Americans.

The aircraft carrier arrived for a week-long visit in New York last week and is currently based in 4.5 acres of sovereign territory on the Hudson River after making her arrival in the US in September.

The aircrew, normally based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, will be honing their skills and ahead of Carrier Strike Group operations.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is expected to embark on its first operational deployment in 2021.