Afghan Bound – 847 Naval Air Squadron is already at work in Afghan serving as part of Task Force Helmand, commanded by the British Army’s 1st Mechanised Brigade, and will take on a variety of roles, including advising and training the Afghan National Security Forces.    The LYNX AH.7 helicopters of 847 Naval Air Squadron flying the  small and highly agile LYNX perfectly suited to being ‘eyes in the sky’, protecting the larger RAF CHINOOK helicopters as they shuttle troops and equipment to where they need to be in the area of operations.     The helicopters, which always travel in pairs, have seen a real change in their pace of operations since the last time the squadron was deployed to Afghanistan, with the numbers of troops reduced, air moves are less frequent and reconnaissance flights for future operations are fewer.

The LYNX helicopters look different to the traditional type you may see flying in the UK as they have bigger engines to cope with the harsh climate in the Afghan desert.    They are also the same engines that have been fitted to the new WILDCAT helicopters, which 847 Naval Air Squadron will start training on when they return home.