Merlin Commando First Time on Type 23 Frigate

United Kingdom Oct 4, 2018 · Helis

Merlin Commando First Time on Type 23 Frigate

For the first time a Merlin HC.4 landed on a Type 23 Frigate

Royal Navy’ 845 Naval Air Squadron achieved another milestone with the first landing of a Merlin HC.4 on a Type 23 Frigate.

The big helicopter landed on the HMS Monmouth helideck.

The HC.4 Merlin Commando is the new helicopter of the Fleet Air Arm obtained from the Royal Air Force to replace the Junglies Sea King used for Royal Marines support.

In Focus

HMS Monmouth (F235)

Fleet Air Arm

Type 23 Duke class

Frigate

The Type 23 frigate, also known as the Duke class, was developed for the Royal Navy during the late 1970s and 1980s to counter Soviet submarines in the North Atlantic.

Aircraft mentioned

ZJ121 last seen Apr 22, 2025 · first seen Jul 14, 2022

Unit

845 Squadron

845 Naval Air Squadron

Formed on 1 Feb 1943 at NAS Quonset Point on Rhode Island, USA as a torpedo reconnaissance unit and subsequently served in the Indian Ocean and the Far East during WWII before it disbanded in Oct 1945.

AgustaWestland Merlin HC.4

1 operator · first flight 2016

Announced 2014, the conversion of 25 RAF Mk 3 and 3A Merlin helicopters to be operated by the Royal Navy as the Commando Sea King HC.4 replacements.

Fleet Air Arm since 2017

25 ex RAF Merlin HC.3 and HC.3A airframes transferred to the Royal Navy to provide the Royal Marine Commando lift, during the retirement of the Sea King HC.4/HC.6 fleet.