Pictures: PO(Phot) Ray Jones and LA(Phot) Dean Nixon, HMS Illustrious

HMS Illustrious is another step closer to completing the transformation from aircraft carrier to assault ship.

Lusty is in the final stages of a package of operational sea training in the south-west, and has spent the past few days launching a series of amphibious attacks by Royal Marines to prove herself in the new role of commando carrier.

Last Friday saw the ship lurking in the Bristol Channel, preparing to fling a group of green berets onto the Brownian enclave of Freeport in a demonstration of her capability designed to make the powers-that-be in surrounding Ginger (and the terrorists of the PGF) think twice about their next move.

For Freeport read Braunton Burrows, an exercise area near the Royal Marines base at Chivenor.

But the details of geography were by-the-by; staff from Flag Officer Sea Training are bringing the ship through to her final test this week, and the assault on North Devon was a precursor to a much tougher task two nights later, when the ship would send commandos some 50 miles into South Wales after dark.

The assault came in two waves.

Four Jungly Sea Kings from 845 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons fly over the dunes

Four Jungly Sea Kings lifted from Lusty’s pitching flight deck and rounded a headland before setting down in a neat line abreast on the beach.

Almost 60 commandos – from B Company, 40 Commando – emerged and purposefully fanned out up the beach as the Sea Kings rose in rapid succession and headed back to the carrier for the second wave.

That saw a further 20 green berets hit the beach, along with two underslung loads – a quad bike and trailer, used to carry ammunition and to retrieve battle casualties.

With the critical area secured (and the sabre well and truly rattled in the direction of any watching Gingers) the four Sea Kings from 845 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons returned to pick up the landed force and their kit – job done, Sennybridge in South Wales next.

From the Royal Marines’ point of view, it was very much grist for the mill – useful training, without a doubt (some of the younger green berets will not have got their feet wet in an amphibious landing, having been more concerned with Afghanistan in the short term) but nothing out of the ordinary.

HMS Illustrious sails through the Bristol Channel with three Jungly Sea Kings on deck

But for the ship it has been a steep learning curve since her refit in Scotland, and one the ship’s company is working hard to stay ahead of.

“Illustrious has had 30 years of being a CVS, and becoming an LPH has challenged the mindset of the ship’s company and the geography of the ship,” said Lt Col Andy Walker RM, the ship’s Amphibious Operations Officer.

“And both Illustrious and Ark Royal have been commando carriers before – they have been in the LPH role.

“There are physical limitations but it is a great commando carrier, and the crew have been really good at  seizing the chance to  do something different.”

Officer Commanding Bravo Coy, Maj Dave Spink, said: “This week has been great.

“Lots of the lads haven’t done amphibious deployments before so this is a great opportunity to break out of the Afghanistan training.

“We understand we are not the primary training focus for this – we are here to facilitate Illustrious’ training, but the ship have been understanding in the way they have approached the amphibious embarked forces, doing everything they can to make our stay comfortable.”

Marines from B Company, 40 Commando - one armed with a Javelin anti-tank missile - work their way through the dunes

Capt Kyd said: “Let’s not forget we only sailed from Rosyth on June 17, and in less than five months we have managed sea trials and worked up the ship in a brand-new  role and proved our ability to project power ashore with our Royal Marines.

“I think it has been a real challenge to do that training and work-up, and it is a testament to the flexibility and professionalism of Illustrious’ ship’s company that we are where we are today.”

Although there would be no more Harriers on this carrier, Capt Kyd said Illustrious was keeping the flame of strike aviation alive as HMS Queen Elizabeth takes shape just yards from where Illustrious underwent her refit.

“Illustrious’ capability is now as an LPH [landing platform helicopter]. We will only see helicopters on her flight deck, not fixed-wing aircraft,” he continued.

“But between decks we will see the vestigial elements of carrier strike in terms of manpower and how we generate operations – the enabling architecture, and the choreography of producing a flying programme, for example.

“Lusty is back in business, and alongside HMS Ocean is keeping the flame alive.”

Capt Kyd said his ship can handle any mix of UK helicopters – Sea King, Lynx, Merlin, Chinook and Apache – and can have a full assault wave away within an hour.

Assault routes through the ship from mess decks lead to the hanger (Royals are ‘shepherded’ by members of the ship’s company) where ammunition and bergens are picked up, along with any heavy assault weaponry.

They then rise to the flight deck on the ship’s aircraft lifts, where they climb into their helicopters, which are ‘turning and burning’ ready to launch.

“There has been a great deal of hard work by the ship’s company,” said Capt Kyd.

“I have personally been humbled by the efforts of the ship’s company  to get Illustrious from refit to operational readiness in less than six months – an unprecedented pace of work-up.

“The whole ship is now looking forward to whatever challenges lie ahead.”

And once FOST is happy – hopefully later this week – the ship will be ready to step into Ocean’s place when the helicopter carrier takes her turn in refit.