A Royal Navy helicopter is conducting trials from the top of a cliff – and cross-Channel ferries are the aircraft’s targets.

The Lynx landed at Dover Coastguard Station atop the famous White Cliffs yesterday afternoon for a series of evaluation tests which should last three days.

The trials involve routine investigations of the Lynx radar and fire control systems, and throughout the trials the helicopter will remain static.

Officials have been co-operating with ferry companies, who have allowed global positioning system (GPS) recorders to be fitted to their cross-Channel vessels.

The Coastguard landing facility on the cliffs is the only place in southern Britain that has the required coastal elevation and density of maritime traffic for the radar work, which involves the calibration of the aircraft’s radar. It is in full view of most of the town of Dover, and has uninterrupted views of shipping in the Straits of Dover.

There is also a cost saving – the trials would otherwise have required many hours of flying time with the aircraft laden with instrumentation.

The fire control system for the helicopter’s Sea Skua anti-ship missiles is also under evaluation, for which the Lynx is fitted with a laboratory ‘dummy’ missile packed with diagnostic equipment.

There is a strong Naval connection with the surroundings for the trial. Tunnels in the White Cliffs were used during World War II by Flag Officer Dover, and the Dunkirk evacuation was controlled from there – and the establishment there was known as HMS Lynx.

Royal Navy Lynx helicopters are based ashore at RN air station Yeovilton in Somerset, and normally operate from frigates and destroyers.

They can fulfil a number of roles, including attacks on ships and submarines, surveillance operations and the delivery of a boarding party to a suspect vessel.