For 2 years the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) Sea Kings have been flying operations in Afghanistan, mainly from Kandahar Airfield, with elements also based at Camp Bastion. Most missions are over the volatile Helmand region, 80 miles to the West of Kandahar. Regional Command (South) readily call on ‘Jungly‘ aircraft because of their rapid response time and increased lift capability, which has earned them the reputation for reliability in the face of adversity.
With a role that is primarily in support of 3 Commando Brigade’s Royal Marines and a motto ‘Across All Boundaries’ you would do nothing but expect to find CHF operating in Afghanistan. The men and women of the Naval Air Squadrons are trained to operate their aircraft outside the maritime environment, facing many extremes be it from the heat and dust of an Afghan summer to the cold, harsh environment of an arctic winter.
With the increased tempo of operations, the Royal Navy’s support helicopters have an enduring and critical role to play in Afghanistan; notable most recently was during the run-up to the summer’s Presidential Elections when both 845 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons successfully satisfied the surge in demand for aircraft.
Captain Jon Pentreath Royal Navy, Commanding Officer of the CHF explained:   “In the fierce conditions of Afghanistan, my aircrew and ground crews continue to rise to the many challenges. They met the high demand for helicopters during an important phase of operations in support of the elections over the summer, necessary to lay the ground for a stronger Afghan state.”
During these 2 years there have been many acts of heroism, too many to recount here, but within them there are some worth highlighting, such as Lt Cdr Gavin Simmonite and his crew, who epitomised the ‘Jungly’ ethos in January 2009, when they were tasked to fly their Sea King with an under-slung load to ground forces. As Simmonite was approaching the drop zone it was hit by sustained and accurate Taliban fire. Bullets pierced the fuselage and ricocheted in the cabin. In the ensuing mêlée, door gunner Naval Airman Thomas Saunders was able to return fire and pin down the Taliban attackers. His quick reactions provided vital seconds of respite needed for him and his fellow crew members to evade. Likewise, Simmonite’s exemplary airmanship and handling skills enabled him to get the aircraft out of the danger zone without loss of life. His aircraft was so severely damaged by enemy fire that under normal circumstances it should have been landed immediately.
Lt Cdr Simmonite was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his exceptional airmanship and handling skills that enabled him to nurse the aircraft back to a safe location and in doing so saved the aircraft and his crew.  Naval Airman Saunders also received an award from the Commander Joint Helicopter Command.
When informed of his award Lt Cdr Simmonite said:  “I knew I was taking direct fire and multiple hits from insurgents, but my crew returned fire while we struggled to regain control the aircraft; the King [Sea King] proved its resilience yet again in battle.”
On returning to the UK Naval Airman Saunders who volunteered to become an Air Door Gunner also praised the skills and courage of the aircrew adding:  “The recent fitment of an additional gun to the port side of the aircraft was extremely fortuitous as we could have been extremely vulnerable to attack. The incident seemed to be over in seconds and my reactions to the attack were down to the excellent training provided by the Squadron.”
In addition to the skill and determination displayed by the crew, they also had phenomenal luck as when the damaged aircraft was inspected the control cable for the aircraft’s tail rotor was found to have been struck by a bullet slicing all but one of the strands. Loss of this cable would have put the aircraft into a potentially catastrophic spin.