page_title: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk)
section_title: Merlin
hierarchical_section_title: RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk) / Operations / Helicopter operations / Merlin
caption_attribution_description: English: My own photo
context_page_description: Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose is a Royal Navy airbase near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall UK, and is one of the largest helicopter bases in Europe. Its main role is serving the Fleet Air Arm's front line AgustaWestland Merlin helicopter squadrons.
context_section_description: 814 Naval Air Squadron and 820 Naval Air Squadron operate the AgustaWestland Merlin HM2 primarily in the carrier based anti-submarine warfare role. The Merlin is fitted with an advanced sensor suite of active/passive sonics, Orange Reaper Electronic Support Measures and Blue Kestrel radar and provides a strong force in under-water warfare and anti-surface unit warfare. The unit's various roles include protecting the Royal Navy against surface and sub-surface threats, command and control, transport, evacuation and Search and Rescue capabilities.
  824 Naval Air Squadron is the Merlin Operational Conversion Unit, incorporating the Operational Evaluation Unit flight. The Merlin Training Facility (MTF) is part of 824 NAS, and is a first in that it encompasses pilot, observer, aircrewman and engineering training under one roof. The facility comprises a Cockpit Dynamic Simulator (CDS), 3 Rear Crew Trainers (RCT), 6 Part Task Trainers (PTT), computer-based training (CBT) classrooms, a Mechanical Systems Trainer (MST) and a Weapon Systems Trainer (WST).
  Merlin Depth Maintenance Facility
  The Merlin Depth Maintenance Facility (MDMF) performs depth maintenance on AW101 Merlin helicopters of the Royal Navy. MDMF is located at RNAS Culdrose, and is a partnership between the UK Ministry of Defence, AgustaWestland, Serco and Lockheed Martin.
  For UK Merlin helicopters depth maintenance is centred on a 4-year cycle. MDMF is based upon a pulse line system, similar to a production line; each Merlin "pulses" through 9 phases in turn – removal of major components, inspection, structural repair, fault rectification (3 phases), rebuild, systems test and flight test.
caption: Hangar W3, home to the Merlin Depth Maintenance Flight.
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