RAF
Merlins Leave RAF Benson To Begin New Life With Royal Navy
The Royal Air Force has officially completed the transfer of its AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin helicopters to the Royal Navy.
The ceremony, which took place at RAF Benson, saw the last of the 25 helicopters transition from the RAF's Merlin Force over to the Navy's Commando Helicopter Force.
During the event, 28 Squadron, which operated the platform for the air force, was re-rolled as the new Boeing Chinook and Westland Puma operational conversion unit at RAF Benson under the designation 28 (Reserve) Squadron, while the Navy stood up 845 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) as the service's second Merlin unit, to be located at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton alongside the already constituted 846 NAS.
4 Merlins (diamond formation), 2 Seakings (flanking the Merlins) and a Chinook (at the rear) take part in a formation rehearsal in preparation for the parade on the 30th September
The decision to transfer the Merlins from RAF to RN control was one of the initiatives announced during the Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) in 2010.
More From Forces TV:RAF Hand Over Merlins to the Royal Navy
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