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Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) is a unit of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and an element of the Joint Helicopter Command of the British Armed Forces. It provides Rotary-Wing (helicopter) support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and other force elements. CHF uses a combination of transport helicopters based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, England. ==History== Commando Helicopter Force was formed in 1997 to consolidate command and control of the various Fleet Air Arm and Royal Marines helicopter squadrons which supported 3 Commando Brigade under Flag Officer Naval Aviation. In 1999, CHF merged with various Royal Air Force (RAF) and Army Air Corps force elements to become the Joint Helicopter Command, whilst maintaining its status as a formed unit. It is based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, England; although aircraft are regularly deployed with 3 Commando Brigade, overseas and to the ships of the Response Force Task Group (RFTG); which includes HMS ''Ocean'' (Landing Platform Helicopter), HMS ''Bulwark'' (Landing Platform Dock)and other Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships. Elements of the force have operated in Northern Ireland (until 2002), Sierra Leone in 2000 and Bosnia; and it was an element of the amphibious force for Operation Telic, the British involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, notably supporting the landings to secure the Al-Faw Peninsula. CHF was also a major part of Joint Helicopter Command's contribution to Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. The force also supports the annual 3 Commando Brigade Cold Weather Warfare exercise in northern Norway. In addition to Sea King HC4 helicopters, CHF operated Gazelle AH1s in utility and reconnaissance roles, as well as Lynx AH7 in light transport and anti-armour roles. In 2005, the Gazelles were retired, while the Lynx was later replaced with the Lynx AH9A variant. Following the Strategic Defence and Security Review of 2010, the decision was made to transfer all RAF Merlin HC3 helicopters to the Royal Navy under the command and control of Commando Helicopter Force. On 30 September 2014, the aircraft were formally handed over from the RAF to the Royal Navy; with the first Royal Navy Merlin squadron, 846 Naval Air Squadron, standing up concurrently and relocating from RAF Benson to RNAS Yeovilton on 26 March 2015. The Merlin HC3 will replace the ageing Sea King HC4 as CHF's medium-lift transport aircraft when the Sea King HC4 is retired on 31 March 2016. As part of the transfer of service, the Merlin HC3 will undergo an upgrade to the HC4 standard which will include a full mid-life upgrade of the airframe and avionics; and will 'marinise' or more accurately optimise the aircraft for ship-borne amphibious operations. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Commando Helicopter Force」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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