815 Sqn is the only frontline Maritime Lynx Squadron in the Fleet Air Arm. Consisting of some 36 Lynx aircraft of both Mk3 and Mk 8 variant the squadron provides the complete aviation support for Royal Navy Frigates and Destroyers when in UK waters and deployed.

815 Squadron is sub-divided into 26 Flights comprising two aircrew and 7 engineers/maintainers with 1 aircraft controller. Each flight is self-sufficient and embarks in their dedicated warship whenever the ship is at sea.

The Royal Naval presence in the Persian Gulf has seen a substantial 815 Squadron commitment. Lynx flights have been embarked in HM Ships Richmond, Marlborough, Chatham, Liverpool, Edinburgh and York.

In order to meet the anticipated hostilities 815 Squadron proactively deployed extra personnel to each warship and established a Forward Support Team with two Lynx helicopters in Bahrain.

This extended capability meant that each warship could provide 24-hour aviation capability to the coalition forces and have back up in the event of an unserviceable aircraft.

Primarily involved in patrolling the Northern Arabian Gulf enforcing UN Embargoes on Iraq, the Lynx helicopters also provide valuable force protection of the larger warships and fleet support ships.

A highly flexible aircraft, the Lynx plays a vital role in support of her parent ship. Not only can she carry anti ship missiles, mounted machine guns and anti submarine weapons, she is a troop carrier and is used to conduct boarding operations on suspicious vessels operating near Iraq.

Her array of onboard sensors which include a sophisticated radar and Infra red camera, combined with Night vision goggles allow her crew to operate at low levels over the sea in unpleasant conditions to maintain a close picture of sea borne operations for the task force in general.

A versatile asset, the Lynx can also be used for search and rescue, stores and passenger transfers and the ever popular mail run into the nearest airport.

227 Lynx Flight is embarked in HMS Richmond who is actively involved in operations in the Gulf. The ship sailed from Portsmouth on the 10 February to assume her role as the Armilla Patrol unit.

On arrival in theatre she was quickly subsumed into the coalition forces and placed up threat, as close as 5 miles from the Iraqi coast.

As the War commenced HMS Richmond found herself conducting fire support missions onto the Al Faw peninsula with her highly capable gun whilst her Royal Marine boarding team conducted operations to search all vessels transiting out of Iraqi waters.

HMS Richmond’s Lynx aircraft is a Mark 8 maritime attack helicopter, which has been specially modified to operate in excessive temperatures. With her two crews operating throughout the night she was heavily tasked with searching Iraqi waters for any suspicious activity.

Working as close as one mile from the Iraqi coastline armed with a heavy machine gun and utilising her Infra red sensors she maintained a continuous presence throughout the war.

In her force protection role she maintained a constant watch on the mine clearance vessels and humanitarian aid vessels as they worked their way up to the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr.

Along with her fellow flights embarked in HMS Chatham and Marlborough, Richmond's Lynx worked closely with American and Australian helicopters in the confined waters of the Khawr Abd Allah waterway which is the main access to the Iraqi seaport.

Lieutenants’ Nigel Willing of Ilchester and John FitzPatrick of Hatch Beauchamp are the permanent aircrew for HMS Richmond Lynx Flight. “The operating conditions are extremely harsh, with temperatures in the aircraft often exceeding 35 degrees,” says Nigel, the pilot and Flight Commander.

"Having to operate as low as 100 feet, at night, for a six hour period is tiring and the crews have worked hard to maintain an accurate grasp on activity in the Iraqi waterway. The unknown threat and sheer number of vessels working in the confined area, at the mouth of the waterway, has required us to remain reactive throughout" says John FitzPatrick, the Flight Observer.

"On many occasions the helicopter has been alerted at short notice to investigate a suspicious vessel and our flight deck crew have worked tirelessly to provide a well maintained and capable helicopter.”

Dave MacMenemey is a Petty Officer Air Engineering Mechanic in HMS Richmond "It has been a long and sometimes frustrating period of operations, not knowing what is coming next and constantly manning the flight deck in high temperatures can be hard work.”

Dave, who is from Yeovil, has been with Richmond for five months and this has been his second Gulf War. "It is very different this time, we have email facility, get weekly satellite phone calls home and have been able to watch the war progressing on BBC News 24. All this has made the time more bearable and you feel a better grasp on the world outside of your own ship.”

As the maritime threat in the Northern Arabian Gulf diminishes many UK warships have returned home or continued on their original tasking in other areas of the World. HMS Richmond will remain as the sole UK maritime presence and continue to police the unstable waters near Iraq until her return to the UK in August.

Her Lynx crew has now returned to normal manning levels and as temperatures continue to rise and the number of helicopter assets reduce greater pressures are placed on her to provide the important aviation capability.

After over forty days continuously at sea and a brief stop in Bahrain for a well earned rest HMS Richmond is once again working in the Northern Arabian Gulf. Her Lynx is conducting daily patrols along the coast and policing the Iraqi waterway.

Many of the Lynx flights of 815 Squadron have now returned to the UK and after a short break are now actively regenerating there original commitments and returning to their dedicated ships.