HMS Ocean was at the forefront of the UK’s humanitarian relief effort after hurricanes struck the Caribbean in September. Thomas Newdick caught up with the Commando Helicopter Force that provides the backbone of its aircraft component.
OPERATION RUMAN
IT’S BEEN a busy 12 months for Col Lenny Brown and the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) that is under his control. The Royal Navy’s aerial assault specialists have been transitioning to new equipment and, in Col Brown’s words, to a new mindset: “We have been involved in land-centric campaigns for over ten years. Now we are switching back to a much more maritime-facing organisation. It’s in our DNA,” he reflected.
Col Brown was talking to AFM when the Royal Navy flagship HMS Ocean (L12) was still heading to the Caribbean in support of the UK’s provision of humanitarian and disaster relief to the islands left devastated by recent hurricanes.
“In the land campaign it was very much, ‘I’m going to deploy to Herrrick [the UK’s military operation in Afghanistan] on this date, I’m going to get back on this date, I’ll have my holiday and then start regenerating to go back to Herrick’,” Col Brown continued. “Everyone knew what was going on, and that was the programm…
