The Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk2 Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) system has officially achieved Full Operational Capability (FOC).
Crowsnest achieved FOC at the end of March and is with the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG) on its deployment to the Indo-Pacific for the next eight months. This indicates that it is now fully equipped to provide comprehensive protection to the task force’s warships against threats including hostile aircraft, vessels, or incoming drones and missiles, thereby facilitating crucial command and control over a wide area.
Among the nine helicopters deployed, three are specifically designed for ASaC. These helicopters, delivered through the Crowsnest programme, will operate at altitudes exceeding one mile above the CSG, utilizing their radars, which are lowered underneath the fuselage in a domed bag, to detect targets up to 100 miles in any direction.
The Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron arrived on HMS Prince of Wales from their base at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose to participate in the CSG 25 mission. The 200 personnel and their aircraft from the Merlin Helicopter Force will deliver advanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities and airborne surveillance and control for the task group.
In any operational environment of the CSG, these helicopters will seek out underwater threats and monitor the horizon for aerial and surface dangers, while also being capable of coordinating defence and strike operations.
Paul McDermott, Merlin – Head of Programmes at DE&S, said: “The announcement that that the Merlin Crowsnest Programme has achieved its Full Operating Capability means the Royal Navy now has the full capability required for its Merlin aircraft configured in the Airborne Surveillance & Control (ASaC) role.
“The ASaC aircraft provide the airborne surveillance for the UK’s Carrier Strike Group, identifying airborne and surface threats. It also provides information and control for the task group’s aircraft.”
“This achievement reflects a superb cross stakeholder endeavour comprising DE&S, Royal Navy and Industry personnel who have worked collaboratively to deliver this significant milestone for the UK and marks a key achievement for the programme bringing to fruition many years of intense work.”
The programme encompasses not only the integration of the radar and the new mission system into the current Merlin helicopter but also introduces a new data link for sharing real-time tactical information with the ships below. Additionally, it addresses the logistics of sustaining a fleet of aircraft at sea and establishes a training program, which includes a new simulator at RNAS Culdrose, aimed at preparing a skilled team of aircrew, including observers and pilots, to operate the system.
Captain Colin McGannity, Carrier Air Wing and Strike Warfare Commander said: “The principal reason for having the ASaC capability and the Crowsnest programme to do that is for protection of the strike group against air threats and, although it doesn’t fire anything to engage missiles, it’s there to provide early warning to ships and particularly for the threats that ships would struggle to see themselves.”
“By getting a really capable radar up high and looking down, we’re taking advantage of all the lessons that we’ve learned in the past, particularly back in the Falklands War to make sure that we’ve got that capability to help protect the strike group.”
Crowsnest programme director Commander James Stone added: “The Merlin Mk2 ASaC helicopters have now reached full operating capability and this is a hugely significant milestone.
“It now means the ‘eyes of the fleet’ are back, doing their core job with the full ability to deliver maritime force protection from air and surface threats.
“ASaC is one of three pillars of carrier strike. You have the carrier itself, the F35 jets that deliver the strike capability and ASaC which provides the overarching coordination and maritime force protection.”
