Lusty prepares to join Libyan warzone after £40m upgrade
TAKING OFF Apache helicopters on HMS Illustrious
HMS Illustrious is on stand-by to go to war in Libya, The News can reveal.
The Portsmouth-based warship, which only came out of a £40m refit last month, could be sent to relieve HMS Ocean in the Mediterranean in the next six months.
Illustrious, which was out of action for 18 months while she was transformed into a helicopter carrier, began conducting serious night and day training exercises with army Apache attack helicopters in the English Channel off Weymouth yesterday.
The helicopters are the same as those flying bombing raids over Libya from HMS Ocean, which has been at sea since March and was meant to return home in June.
It is understood Illustrious was not meant to be ready for front-line operations until April 2012, but her post-refit trials are being sped up so she can relieve Ocean if the stalemate continues between rebel forces and Colonel Gaddafi’s troops.
Illustrious’ commanding officer, Captain Jerry Kyd, said: ‘It’s exceptionally important we work this ship up quickly and efficiently because as we’ve seen in Libya we cannot predict future events.’
He added: ‘We can not predict what armed forces will be required in Libya or if operations will still be going on, that’s for the United Nations to decide.
‘But we are progressing very well and we will be ready to go wherever we are needed.’
Apache attack helicopters are operating from Illustrious’ flight deck for the first time in the ship’s 30-year history.
The two weeks of flying missions off the south coast are meant to simulate the conditions pilots are facing off Libya.
Around 90 airmen and pilots from 664 squadron of Army Air Corps 4 regiment are living on the ship, training in challenging conditions ahead of relieving their sister squadron, 656, which is currently on HMS Ocean.
One pilot, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said: ‘It’s going well.
‘It’s very strange and different landing on a ship.
‘I normally want to stay away from big metal objects not land on them but it’s great fun.’
Armed with Hellfire missiles, rocket launchers and a 30mm machine gun, Apaches are seen as a good replacement for the Royal Navy’s Harrier jump jets which were axed in last year’s defence cuts.
Leading naval airmen James Batley said: ‘The Apaches bring a more aggressive role to the Royal Navy.
‘It’s a lot more difficult for the pilots and ground crews than working with jets but it’s good to bring everyone together so we are all singing from the same hymn sheet.’
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Comments
There are 14 comments to this article
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Airwolf
Thursday, July 21, 2011 at 04:00 PMLol michael, ironically enough they might as well be under the fleet air arm as they have been adapted for naval use i.e. paint resistant to sea salt etc
nmichael
Thursday, July 21, 2011 at 08:48 AMStrange... how very strange... the news not misinforming its readers that these are royal navy apaches... strange... very strange.
Airwolf
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 04:41 PMand to clarify on the redundancies issue, im refering to the current announcement, not the already announced redundancies that at this stage are all voluntary and in fact the army have had 900 applications for 500 initial posts to be cut.
Airwolf
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 04:18 PMWewannawin: firstly, I havent heard fox or any other minister stating there's going to be redundancies yet, in fact ive read its going to be from natural wastage and redeployments into the TA for full time positions. We are saving billions by bringing back armoured soldiers from germany. Secondly7, you're going to extremes like you ill informed compatriot who never answers any points with facts when challenged. Who said anything about hotels, i have been in tents too but I wouldnt expect to be in temp accomodation since 2001!!!! 10 flippin years! And the yanks are in top notch solid housing! As for adventuires condems, libya has labour support so your rather letting the side down there.... defending civilians against shellsmurderrapebullets is hardly an adventure nor is it comparable to iraq or afghanistan both of which were yank led madness. Considering the deficit of course there has to be cuts with labours mismanagement of defence spending. 14 new chinooks are going to be ordered along with new IFV's and UAV's. Only this time the chinooks will have avionics software installed unlike the last time labour bought chinooks.....
Graham Wheatley
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 03:55 PMCondems out! Your last comment applies in equal measure to your good self, although, clearly, in reverse.
ConDems Out!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 07:21 PMThe usual bizarre, off-the-wall comment from Airwolf. The Tories claimed they'd "change things" and taht the military would be their priority... I don't think so. Also, what is Libya if it isn't another "adventure". Tories all good (no matter what) and Labour all bad (no matter what) for him. Complete rubbish.
eastneyboy
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 07:01 PMAirwolf, a rather silly comment ........perhaps you think they should be put up in 5-star hotels in Helmand..........?------ I spent many months on operations living in tents!
eastneyboy
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 06:55 PMHow ironic that, as our soldiers are giving their all in Afghanistan, Liam Fox is even now making plans for their redundancies when we pull out of that country......We owe these brave members of our armed forces a lot more than a P45........Disgraceful!!!
Airwolf
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 05:13 PMwell said diamond, cant afford to keep them with blair and co's adventures in the middle east. We still have troops sleeping in tents would you believe?!
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Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 01:52 PMComment removed by moderator
ConDems Out!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 11:00 AMIncredible... just as in the case of the Falklands, we have Tory ministers desperately making use of equipment that, if it had been down to them, we wouldn't still have available. Don't these people understand that you get what you pay for??
The Jazz Funkster
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 10:52 AMDiamond, you seemed to have forgot about the damage Thatcher & her chums did to the armed forces in 1981 and here we are in 2011 and the Tories strike again.
diamond8080
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 10:04 AMLooks like we do need aircraft carriers, problem is we cant afford them anymore thanks mostly to the labour party.
The Jazz Funkster
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 08:49 AMSo Tories, we don’t need aircraft carriers?????
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