RAF Typhoon force trains for maritime role

[Zarvan]

Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender and Eurofighter Typhoons from the RAF's II(AC) Squadron training off the coast of the UK, honing their air-maritime skills. Source: Crown Copyright
The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has renewed focus on the air-maritime integration (AMI) role, with the deployment of its No II(AC) Squadron Typhoons to RNAS Culdrose from 22-25 June to conduct AMI training, something the RAF accepts it had neglected in the recent past.

In deploying to RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, the unit also marked its first squadron deployment from RAF Lossiemouth, in Scotland, since being re-roled with the RAF's latest fighter in January.

As the commanding officer of II(AC) Sqn, Wing Commander Roger Elliott, said, "Preparing for global ops means that we could be going anywhere and that's why we are down here - practicing a deployment as a squadron. While here we will practice AMI with a Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer, because it's not often we get one going up north."

Flying from the Cornish base, the RAF trained with HMSDefender , taking part in a series of Flag Officer Sea Training exercises to ensure the ship, along with the crew, is ready for its next operational deployment later this year.

The role of the Type 45 is to control and defend the skies around a high value asset (HVA), such as an aircraft carrier. With the HMS Queen Elizabeth expected to go to sea in 2018, the RAF is keen to show it can provide an organic air-defence capability role for the navy's prize asset and other vessels.

Wg Cdr Elliott continued, "We have slightly different capabilities, but essentially it gives both of us a chance to target the enemy together."

HMS Defender and the Typhoons both worked as one during the exercise as Blue Air against Cobham Aviation Dassault 20s and Culdrose-based 736 NAS Hawks acting as Red Air.

The recognised air picture being sent out by the Type 45 is the same as that sent by an airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft, and providing the aerial picture around HVAs is why AMI will be important in the future when the carriers are at sea. It also adds another much-needed facet to the Typhoon's armoury as it prepares to work with the navy and the F-35B when it comes online in 2018.

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RAF Typhoon force trains for maritime role - IHS Jane's 360