Royal Navy aircrew have been honing their hostage rescue skills in a series of dramatic simulated operations over the North Sea, working alongside their Dutch counterparts. The training, which saw the Commando Helicopter Force’s 846 Naval Air Squadron taking to the skies in Commando Merlin Mk4 helicopters, involved an intense scenario that required close collaboration with the Dutch Police Aviation Support Unit and the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps.
The exercises culminated in two maritime interdictions, or boarding operations, with the goal of rescuing hostages from a Dutch coastguard vessel. Lieutenant Commander David Houghton-Barnes, from the 846 Naval Air Squadron, highlighted the value of joint training with NATO allies: “Training with our NATO allies is always invaluable as we get to see a familiar challenge tackled in a different way.” He added, “Fast-roping to a moving ship is a demanding task, and it was impressive to see everyone working together to safely interdict the target vessel.”
The operation took place after the team flew from their base at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset to Schiphol International Airport, a two-and-a-half-hour flight. Once on the ground, planning began in earnest, with the aviators working alongside Dutch personnel to plan the rescue mission.
The focus of the exercise was the Dutch coastguard vessel Barend Biesheuvel, which had been taken over by hostile forces who had taken hostages. As part of the scenario, the Merlins were tasked with carrying out a fast-roping operation onto the deck of the vessel. Overwatch was provided by Dutch Police AW139 helicopters, ensuring that the rescue mission was carried out under safe and controlled conditions.
Operating from Schiphol, one of the busiest airports in the world, added an extra layer of complexity to the exercise. Lieutenant Andy Duffield of 846 NAS noted, “Planning an aviation exercise from the world’s third busiest airport certainly has its challenges, but our Dutch colleagues facilitated everything to ensure that this training was a huge success.”
Ultimately, the exercise reinforced the strong relationships between NATO forces and demonstrated their ability to work seamlessly together in complex, high-pressure scenarios. The partnership ensures that both nations can continue to learn from each other and strengthen their combined efforts to protect international waters.
