Highland Fling

28 Army Co-operation (AC) Squadron headed north to put their fledgling recruits through their paces on the final high-pressure assessment prior to being cleared to join their operational front-line squadrons. Stewart Marshall visited the training detachment at Leuchars Station to learn what it takes to graduate from the Operational Conversation Unit (OCU).

The Final Hurdle

The final stages of the OCU at RAF Benson is the culmination of hundreds of hours of development and training for a student pilot. Fresh from their initial course at the No.1 Flight Training School at Shawbury, where they learned the basic skills necessary to operate rotary aircraft, the students are posted to the OCU where they further develop their skills enabling them to graduate onto the aircraft in which they’ll be operating on their first front-line posting.

The OCU course provides key skills for pilots and crew members to operate Chinook and Puma helicopters on operations within the UK and overseas. Skills include formation flying, low level training, simulated threat evasion, casualty evacuation and liaison training with external partners. The students receive a week-long ground school course at RAF Benson followed by another week in the simulators practicing various scenarios which will be later tested. The operational phase of the course concludes in a 2-week detachment away from RAF Benson, known as Exercise Kukri Dawn.

Between 6th– 21st February 28 (AC) Squadron deployed five helicopters to Leuchars Station on Scotland’s East Coast to conduct the first instalment of the exercise in 2025. Three Chinook’s (ZA679, ZA704 & ZH901) deployed to the Fife base, operating from the former 111 fighter squadron hardened air shelters. Notably the detachment also comprised of two Puma HC2 helicopters (ZA939 & ZJ954) supported by 33 Squadron Engineers. With the type withdrawal from service a mere six weeks away at the time of the exercise, it is likely the last time that the Puma and Chinook will conduct a joint exercise.

Seasoned Kurki Dawn Instructor and Chinook Pilot, Flight Lieutenant George Webster, described the format of the exercise as being a “crawl, walk, run” for the new recruits:

“The initial stage of Kukri Dawn involves the students getting their first experience operating as a 2-ship formation. They will have some experience of this from their basic helicopter training at Shawbury however this will be their first time doing so in the chinook. As the exercise progresses, we move onto intense low-level sorties and the tactical elements, where they initially face low level threats, building up to more complex scenarios as their experience and confidence grows.”

The detachment largely focusses on troop and supply transportation scenarios to align with missions conducted by the front-line operational units. Working alongside British Army units; The Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) and 51st Infantry Brigade, the exercise enhances inter-unit co-operation with the air crews conducting troop insertions across Scotland and supporting large ground movements.

In support of the exercise, the Joint Helicopter Support Squadron, deployed Helicopter Handling teams and the Commando Mobile Air Operations Team (MAOT), to support underslung load activities and to conduct landing site recees in remote areas. The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, as part of 51st Infantry Brigade, provided a panther mobility vehicle, and 105 Royal Artillery provided a L118 light gun which allowed the Helicopter Handling Team to train rigging and lifting unfamiliar equipment. Additionally, Helicopter Handling Instructors were able to facilitate the Army units hooking up some of their equipment themselves to mirror real-life taskings both parties will undertake together. The detachment obtained high social media coverage following images and videos being snapped of the Chinooks above the Scottish capital, transiting at low level between Leuchars and Dreghorn Barracks with the heavy-duty equipment underslung.

Out with the armed forces, the detachment engaged with external agencies in the form of the Cairngorms Mountain Rescue Team and Police Scotland. Two Chinooks supported a Police-led exercise at Tuilliallan Police College, transporting specialist riot police between Perth Airfield and a landing zone setup near the College. The insertion was made into a complex simulation where there are protesters on the ground evolving into rioters, with the Chinook arrival delivering reinforcements from a neighbouring constabulary. The objective from the RAF perspective is to provide the air crews with individuals who are unfamiliar with military transport aircraft and are also in possession of non-military equipment which the helicopter crews must examine and secure in the cabin.

The deployment to Leuchars also provided an opportunity and resource efficient way for post-graduate air crews from across the rotary squadrons to refresh currencies. Low level flying qualifications were easily checked off being within proximity to the valleys and glens of the highlands. The open space of the north also lends itself to achieving dynamic tactical threat evasion currency, where some Puma air crews went head-to-head with 1(F) Squadron Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth with their intentions to successfully evade the “hostile” fighters. Similar drills are conducted during the RAF biannual Exercise Cobra Warrior; however, this instalment of Kukri Dawn was adaptive to these scenarios with the Typhoons and training area being close by.

Out the Comfort Zone

Over 110 personnel deployed from the various squadrons in support of the exercise providing a logistical challenge to move the personnel and equipment some 400 miles north. The Exercise Commander and Leader of 28 Squadron, Commander Chris Middleton provided his account of why conducting this exercise away from Benson is important for the OCU students:

“Their future mission upon reaching their front-line units will ultimately be to provide transport capability on time around the world. Therefore, we are looking to test them in as many ways as possible. To achieve that we gather every skill we have taught them so far and look for them to demonstrate these under pressure, ideally in an unfamiliar location in challenging weather conditions. Most of our students have spent their flying time in the Shawbury and Benson areas, which is all quite similar in terms of terrain and weather. It’s therefore important that we get them out of their comfort zones and see how they perform.”

The high intensity of the exercise was evidenced by the detachment working with a new unit or location daily. Touching on the opportunities presented by working with multiple external units, Commander Middleton highlighted the collaboration within the exercise has enabled new opportunities across the forces: “Constantly engaging with personnel of other units throughout this exercise presented a common theme where we encountered many who are young in their armed forces careers, so have either never encountered or been afforded the opportunity to work with helicopters. It’s practicably prevalent as there are rarely rotary exercises to facilitate this type of collaboration in this area of the country. It’s been a pleasure to work with 51st Infantry Brigade, Leuchars Station and the units who got to share this development opportunity with us. The exercise has provided invaluable experience for everyone involved and will vastly benefit our OCU graduates as they progress in their flying career.”