It's Wednesday the 5th August 2009, RAF Benson and we've just arrived at 78 Sqn with our escort for the day, Master Aircrew Gareth Attridge, a Merlin veteran with some 1800 hours on the aircraft and numerous operational deployments under his belt.
We're here to take a close look at the Merlin Force which, as many readers will know, has been thrust into the media spotlight in recent weeks, not always for the right reasons.
After a review of the day's busy schedule we're straight in to our first appointment, a chance to sit down with Wing Commander Nigel Colman, OC of 78 Sqn and, as we're shown in to his office and complete the introductions his punchy and efficient but open and friendly manner is one that sets the scene for our entire visit. He's no different to anyone we meet during our day at Benson - delighted to talk about an aircraft they all believe in; enjoy flying, operating or maintaining. You name it, this is an asset that seems to tick most of the boxes; something that will become very clear as we meet and talk to more of those involved with Merlin throughout the day.
Perhaps the biggest irony surrounding the recent media attention is that the Merlin Force (MF) has been fully operational for some five years now with a constant presence supporting events in Iraq, with the final two 'cabs' only now making their way back to the UK. The forthcoming deployment of Merlin to Afghanistan is far from being an operational debut for the most recent addition to the RAF's SH (Support Helicopter) assets.
"A lot of people don't seem to realise that we've been operating in Basra for Op TELIC since February 2005. We've had four and half years with between five and seven aircraft in Iraq; permanently" Nigel explains, with some emphasis on that final word.
"That means aircrew and all the associated staff such as armourers, engineers, ground support, safety equipment experts and so on. Let's not forget that until eighteen months ago it was all down to 28(AC) Sqn as well, when we (78 Sqn) formed that did at least lessen the burden, but it's still the same group of engineers that have supported Op TELIC since we first deployed.
"The operational pressure we've been under has been quite intense, it's been quite busy."
So, despite the clamour for Merlin to deploy to Afghanistan immediately, not only do many people fail to realise that until just two days before our visit the MF was still operating in Iraq, but that the two theatres are also very different in an operational sense.
"People need to understand that the two regions provide very different challenges. Iraq is essentially a flat desert, there are no hills and it's at sea level; so the environment for helicopter operations is very different to that in Afghanistan.
"Kandahar and Camp Bastion, two of the primary bases in Afghanistan, are at a much higher altitude above sea level, so straight away you have a performance implication for helicopters. This means that we need to train specifically for operations in a hot and high altitude environment."
Nigel goes on to explain that the Merlin will handle very differently in these conditions (as will any aircraft incidentally) and, while it is something the MF has been looking at for some time, with the focus on Op TELIC it is only now that this training can truly focus on the forthcoming deployment. The MF has already trained in Europe and North Africa, trying to find representative conditions and this has been successful, particularly with a recent trip to Morocco, but he is happy to concede that there is some way to go.
"We have a four month detachment to El Centro (USA) running now and this will be run in four, one-month blocks.
"The first group is already there and have been able to conduct excellent training in similar conditions to those we will face in Afghanistan. Many people have wondered why we have gone as far away as America but the simple reason is that it is hot and it is high. We can get some of this training in Morocco, or even in parts of Spain, but only at certain times of the year and it is by no means guaranteed.
"The Americans, as ever, have been great allies, and have been very welcoming. El Centro gives us everything we need, it's perfect."
This isn't to say that training in the UK is going to waste however with every hour being used constructively, but there are limits to what the crews can do here to prepare fully for Afghanistan. The simulator is used regularly and extensively by all the crews and while it is an excellent tool for the cockpit crew is not as useful for CRM (crew resource management) working as an entire team unit if you like.
"There is only so much we can do in the simulators" Nigel explains.
"You can't beat training in the aircraft for real and there is still much we can do here at home, roughly 80% of total training I would say, such as formation work and night flying."
Night flying can be one of the most contentious issues for the military and Nigel says that while they are well aware of the negative impact it can have on the local population in terms of noise it is an absolutely essential element in order for the crews to be as capable as they can when flying operationally.
The last eighteen months has seen the MF grow at a rapid rate with the addition of six Merlin Mk.3A airframes from Denmark, an expansion which resulted in the formation of 78 Sqn in January 2008.
"It's had a hugely positive impact" says Nigel of 78 Sqn's stand-up last year.
"We're not like the Army, for example, where people might be away for six months and then at home for a lengthy period, we cover an operational commitment on an enduring basis with the same people. It just wasn't sustainable before, it's difficult when you're away, people have families, it's a tough environment and the work is dangerous, there's no getting away from that."
The MF is now split in to five separate operational Flights with 78 Sqn containing three and 28(AC) Sqn two, plus an embedded OCF (Operational Conversion Flight). When the time comes to deploy it will be done on a 'fight by Flight' basis so everyone will do one period away and four periods at home.
"The pure increase in numbers has made a significant difference and it has also bred a friendly rivalry between the squadrons which is always a good thing I think."
Another issue is welfare, for while 78 Sqn are fulfilling operational requirements most of 28(AC) Sqn will be back home at RAF Benson, and vice versa. This is beneficial when it comes to gathering families together and offering support to those who's loved ones are away.
"Welfare is a big responsibility for us as the families at home need to be able to support their partners, wives, husbands etc while they are away. If they don't then the whole thing can fall apart. It's probably one of the most important things that we can't always physically do anything about. For example, I can't necessarily give someone leave exactly when they want it, but we have to keep every family and individual supported or people just won't want to deploy anymore."
What of the Merlin itself? It's the newest of the Royal Air Force's Support Helicopter force and has been in service for just nine years, clearly benefitting from advances in technology that the elder members of the SH force, Puma and Chinook, do not. Are we talking about a real success story here I wonder?
"Merlin has already flown 15,000 hours on operations; that's approximately 30 / 35% of total Merlin Mk.3 hours flown since the aircraft entered RAF service. You won't find another fleet that's done that.
"The aircraft entered service, went straight to Bosnia, then to Iraq and will now go to Afghanistan.
"In terms of what the helicopter has done, it is already a success story. Again, it comes down to perception, Merlin is a big helicopter but as we can't carry as much as the Chinook I think the perception is that it is not as capable as the Chinook.
"It's fast, it's very smooth and it has got a vast amount of redundancy; three engines, three hydraulic systems, three electrical systems. So in terms of crashworthiness and safety for the passengers it is leaps ahead of anything else we have."
For four and half years in Iraq the MF has provided an Immediate Response Team (IRT) service to all the allied agencies. This service was provided on a 24/7 basis and the MF rescued hundreds of wounded British, American, coalition and Iraqi personnel who, to put it frankly, would probably have died had they not reached medical assistance in good time. Looking ahead to operations in Afghanistan Wing Commander Colman has no doubts that the Merlin Force will fit in and deliver results; just as it has done in Iraq.
Merlin is not a Chinook replacement, that is clear and well worth reiterating. The Merlin cannot carry the load that a Chinook can and while everyone on the MF is keen to play down any unfair and unnecessary comparisons, they are equally keen to point out that you don't always need a twenty tonne helicopter to deliver the results you need.
"The Chinook guys have been in Afghanistan for years and there is much we can learn from them. They built up slowly when they arrived there, just as we did in Iraq and we'll do exactly the same this time. It would be foolish for us to ignore the experience they have and we have been training with them as much as we can in the UK so we don't turn up like the new boy; it needs to be as seamless as it can."
We were fortunate enough to be given full-access to both variants and, despite the differences, both marks of Merlin receive high praise from those who operate them.
While the external differences between the two helicopters are obvious with the ex-Danish Mk.3A sporting the bulbous addition to the nose which houses redundant systems originally included for the Dane's SAR (Search and Rescue) requirement, some of the other differences are only apparent from the inside.
Most notable is the cockpit layout with the large colour screens that dominate the main panel on both variants being laid-out slightly differently. Other cockpit differences are more subtle and concern button and keypad layouts for example. Some of the cabin equipment also differs between Mk.3 and Mk.3A with the hook for under slung loads and fixings for internal loads probably the most notable and most obvious.
"Those six helicopters have made a huge difference in allowing training to continue at the right pace in the UK and allow all the crews to be fully prepared for operations" says Wing Commander Colman.
"It is essentially a very easy helicopter to fly" says pilot Flt Lt Max Bond.
"When I arrived from Shawbury I have to say I was surprised to find that the aircraft flies as if it is a much smaller aircraft, like the Squirrel for example. The controls are light and the flight control system is very advanced so we can fly hands-off ILS approaches for example and even have transition controls where the helicopter will automatically climb and hold itself in a hover, all at the push of a button."
Clever stuff, but the key to successful Merlin operations is total crew co-operation. The two aircrew in the front seats will usually be joined by two crewmen in the rear cabin.
"In many ways we are another pair of eyes and ears for the aircrew up front" says Sgt Jock Forrester.
"It's impossible for the pilots to see everything from the front of the Merlin so as well as looking after everything that happens in the rear cabin we perform a vital role in situations such as a landing in a confined area."
The crews use a method of communication which is best described as a chain. The radio calls follow a set pattern between crew members ahead of a landing for example and if anyone breaks that chain by either not saying anything, or by indicating a potential problem then standard procedure calls for an overshoot. It is something the crews work on a great deal.
"It's easier on operations" says Flt Lt Bond.
"We tend to fly as the same crew over a longer period of time and you get to know how everyone works so it becomes an even stronger team unit."
Landings in sandy conditions have been a staple for Merlin ops in Iraq and will once again come to the fore in Afghanistan. Every helicopter reacts differently in such conditions and Merlin's own peculiarity is the 'doughnut' of sand that can form behind and then around the aircraft.
"Once you get down to four or five feet you can be pretty sure you're clear" says Flt Lt Michelle Goodman DFC.
"But those are the kinds of situations where you really need to work as a team to ensure the landing is safe for the aircraft and any passengers. We work on this frequently in training and can also do so as a complete crew in the sim."
"If we're landing in sandy conditions you actually get a moment near to touch-down when the sand clears, a little like being at the eye of a storm. But it's still fairly intense with your head outside in those kinds of conditions" adds Jock Forrester.
I'm not sure that admiration is a strong enough word to cover the impression that a day with the Merlin Force left me with. This a group of people who have been on ops solidly for almost five years and will shortly be heading off to do so yet again. They are dedicated and motivated to both their training and operational flying and, in the Merlin, are operating an aircraft which can already be considered an operational success story. There is little doubt that it will build on that success when they deploy to Afghanistan later this year.
Let's leave the final words to Wg Cdr Nigel Colman.
"The most common phrase you'll hear at Benson with regard to the Merlin Force deploying to Afghanistan is that 'we're up for it'.
"It sounds like a throw-away comment but after nearly five years in Iraq everyone here is ready for a new challenge. We'll be ready when the time comes to head out to Afghanistan and we're looking forward to testing ourselves and the Merlin in a new operational environment."
This the first of a two part feature on the Merlin Force. In part two we'll be looking at the challenges of maintaining the Merlin with MFES SEngO (Merlin Force Engineering Squadron, Senior Engineering Officer) Squadron Leader Paul Rose and hearing from 28(AC) Squadron 2nd In-command Squadron Leader Simon Reade.
GAR wants to interact with its readers so if you have a question for the author or a comment to make on this feature, please click on the button below. The best comments will appear right here on GAR.2009-08-12 - 78 Sqn
A great article guys and it was a pleasure to have GAR at RAF Benson for the day.
Hopefully, this will give people a wider and unbiased view of what the Merlin Force is about and help to answer a few questions that so far have mainly been speculated on (mainly wrongly). Looking forward to Part 2 next week. Thanks.
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