Dutch navy helicopters over the skies of RNAS Culdrose
By Western Morning News | Posted: November 26, 2014
The Dutch navy are training at RNAS Culdrose and Devonport
Dutch navy helicopters have begun a three-week training stint in West Cornwall.
Three NH 90 Maritime helicopters from 7 (NL) Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Navy along with 60 aircrew and engineers have arrived at RNAS Culdrose.
They are also working with Flag Officer Sea Training FOST at Devonport to hone their maritime skills alongside RNAS Culdrose’s Fleet Air Arm's Merlin Mk2s.
Pieter Agema, a support officer attached to 7 (NL) Sqn based at De Kooy, near Den Helder in Holland, said: "We've been coming here every six months for a good many years now and we always get a very warm welcome from our British hosts.
We are here primarily to train our aircrew for frontline service with the Fleet.
Culdrose has always proved to be an excellent base for everything we need to do and offers a happy environment to do it in.”
The Dutch are also assessing some of the new equipment carried onboard their NH 90 helicopters.
They will be training a number of observers and aircrew to manage the systems.
There are also three RNLN ships training at Devonport alongside other NATO vessels.
Lt Agema said: "Working together with the Royal Navy and hunting real submarines is a great bonus for us and our training, you can't get this kind of training anywhere else in Europe."
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