Apache gunships land on HMS Prince of Wales as carrier returns to sea after port setback

HMS Prince of Wales has been joined by the Army Air Corps’ fearsome ‘flying tank’, which is conducting extensive trial on the Portsmouth-based warship.

The £3.2bn aircraft carrier departed from her home city unannounced on Sunday, following a few days later due to technical issues on board. The navy previously announced she would leave on Friday evening before calling off the voyage at the 11th hour.

The operation with the Apache is part of a trial between the navy and army on how the two services can integrate the lethal chopper with the nation’s new flagships.

The Apache has been in service for nearly two decades and has operated sporadically at sea, notably on HMS Ocean from where they conducted strikes against military targets in Libya during that country’s civil war a decade ago.

It’s spent some time conducting trials on Queen Elizabeth, but the spell on her sister – which the three gunships joined in harbour last week – is more concerted.

The trio hail from the Army Air Corps’ dedicated maritime unit 656 Squadron, 4 Regiment AAC, and are supported by 100 personnel from Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk.

The training with Prince of Wales will include qualifying new pilots in the art of deck landings and take offs, but also ensure that ground crew from both the Army Air Corps and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers can perform their aircraft handling and maintenance roles at sea.

Aside from the operational focus, the soldiers will rapidly learn the labyrinth of passageways in the massive aircraft carrier as well as naval slang or ‘Jackspeak’ and the nuances of daily life at sea with the Royal Navy.

‘656 have joined HMS Prince of Wales to sustain our maritime capability and we are relishing the challenge of being back at sea working with the Royal Navy,’ said Major Phil Parkes, officer commanding 656 Squadron.

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For the carrier, Apache is another arrow to her quiver, joining anti-submarine/troop-carrying Merlins and anti-ship Wildcat maritime attack helicopters, as well as F-35 stealth jets when they begin training with the ship.

It’s armed with a chain gun capable of spewing out a hail of 30mm lead at 600 rounds a minute, rockets to knock out buildings and tank-busting Hellfire missiles.

‘The embarkation of 656 AAC offers excellent opportunities for both the ship and the squadron to gain essential experience, refine our ability to work together, and develop our expertise of operating strike aircraft from sea,’ said Lieutenant Commander Patrick Holmes, Prince of Wales’ Lieutenant Commander Flying, known simply as ‘F’.

Last month HMS Prince of Wales carried out flight trials with RAF Chinooks off the south coast.

The ship is expected to remain at sea for several weeks.

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