Who will provide SAR cover for Exercise Strike Warrior?
September 26, 2024
HMS Prince of Wales will embark F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters for exercise Strike Warrior 2024. The F-35Bs will embark aboard HMS Prince of Wales for the exercise, which will take place between 14–27 October in the North Sea and off the coast of Scotland. With intensive flying operations planned, there will be a need for SAR cover. This would normally be provided by the Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopter fleet, but this remains grounded following a fatal accident on 5 September, when a Merlin HC.Mk 4 helicopter ditched during night-time flying operations from HMS Queen Elizabeth. Two crew members were rescued and received medical care. They were not seriously injured. Sadly, Lt Rhodri Leyshon did not survive the accident.
Lt Leyshon, 31, had been serving on the 846 Naval Air Squadron for the past 18 months, was described as ‘one of the Commando Helicopter Force’s most trusted and highly capable aircraft captains’. Colonel Mark Johnson, Commanding Officer of the Commando Helicopter Force at Yeovilton, said the force had “lost one of our family. Lt Leyshon was a consummate professional and a shining light with a bright future. He epitomised our team spirit and his loss leaves a huge hole in all our hearts.”
Air Vice-Marshal Alastair Smith, the Commander of Joint Aviation Command, said: “I flew with Lt Leyshon just a few days ago and personally attest to both his professionalism as a pilot and his warmth as a character. He will be sorely missed by the Squadron, the Commando Helicopter Force and the wider Joint Aviation Command.”
If the Merlin grounding persists, and the type cannot initially embark on HMS Prince of Wales for Strike Warrior, smaller AW159 Wildcat helicopters are likely to take over the SAR role during flight operations.
