When the RAF handed over its last Merlin Mk3 to the Royal Navy in July 2015, it marked the end of fourteen-years service, ten spent on operational service. Guy Warner tells the story of the RAF’s Merlin.
RAF’S MERLIN HELICOPTERS | OPERATIONS
The RAF ordered 22 Agusta- Westland Merlins in 1995 for the medium support helicopter role, the first of which entered service with No 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron at RAF Benson in July 2001, with the final aircraft arriving in November 2002. The first Officer Commanding (OC) was Wg Cdr David Stubbs. By 2003 it was possible for the OC to push for an operational deployment, following two years of relentless effort in training aimed towards achieving Initial Operating Capability (IOC), which was granted on a Friday at 17.30. David Stubbs notes, ‘At 06.30 on the following Monday two aircraft departed for Bosnia, with only one stop to refuel, in less than nine hours, thus giving an immediate impression of the helicopter’s range and endurance with this journey of 1200 miles (1920 km). We landed at Banja Luka mid-afternoon and were ready to fly operationally within an hour.’
OPERATION OCULUS
The UK was part of a multi-national military operation, the aim of which was …
