First Merlin helicopter in Afghanistan
First Merlin helicopter taken to Afghanistan, Ministry of Defence confirms
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Monday, 16, Nov 2009 12:01
The first RAF Merlin helicopter has arrived in Afghanistan today as part of a move to boost air support on the frontline.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the full deployment of the helicopter would be finished by the end of this year, adding it would provide a significant increase to flying hours available to commanders on the ground.
The MoD said the Merlin would be a valuable asset for British forces fighting in Afghanistan, performing a wide range of military tasks.
Armed forces minister Bill Rammell said: "We recognise the importance of helicopters for operations in Afghanistan. The deployment of the Merlin helicopters is evidence of our ongoing commitment to increase capacity and further improvements to helicopter capability in Afghanistan will follow over the next 12 months."
The government has been criticised over the last few months for an alleged failing to provide enough helicopters in the country, with some parents of killed soldiers calling for the MoD to provide more equipment.
Group Captain Jonathan Burr, Station Commander at RAF Benson, said: "The Merlin Force has pulled out all the stops to get the Merlins to the frontline as quickly as possible. The Force is now ready to take on the challenges of operating in the harsh conditions of Afghanistan and is eager to contribute to the UK effort as they did so successfully in Iraq."
The helicopter was stripped down to be transported by a C-17 plane from RAF Brize Norton, and has arrived at Camp Bastion for re-assembly and extensive pre-flight checks.
The MoD said the Merlin Force returned from operations in Iraq in August 2009 and the crews have since undertaken intensive pre-deployment training whilst the aircraft have received significant upgrades to "meet the challenges of the harsh Afghanistan environment".
Squadron Leader Mike Cook, Senior Engineering Officer for the Merlin Force, said: "The first group of engineers taking the Merlin to Afghanistan have worked extremely hard at RAF Brize Norton to prepare the aircraft for its journey. The entire engineering Squadron has risen to the challenge over the previous months to make sure all the aircraft are in top condition for the forthcoming deployment."