Deck Handlers - Skills Being Relearned – a team of eight British aircraft handlers destined to be deployed on the Aircraft Carrier QUEEN ELIZABETH are currently are on exchange postings with the US Navy, directing aircraft on and off the decks of Assault Ship USS KEARSARGE and Aircraft Super-Carrier USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER.

The team will be laying the foundations for British carrier operations in five years’ time on the QUEEN ELIZABETH where the aircraft they will be handling as quoted by the MoD are the F-35B (Joint Strike Fighters) and the CHINOOK, MERLIN and WILDCAT helicopters.   The Group will be writing the Standard Operating Procedures for the new British carrier.

The choice of aircraft nominated by the MoD seems to raise as many questions as it answers - at least the F-35B is mentioned but no mention of the APACHE, the most recent addition the decks of our Helicopter Carriers or any Airborne Early Warning unless the MoD know something we do not about the MERLIN!!