Live firing exercise: Air Defence Troop training at Manorbier.

AIR DEFENCE TRooP Royal Marines have just completed a live fi ring exercise at Air Defence Range Manorbier near Tenby in south west Wales. The Plymouth based troop are part of 30 Commando and specialise in using the High Velocity Missile (HVM) anti-air system made by Thales Air Defence Ltd. HVM is one of the most complex short range anti-air missile systems in the world and can be fi red off a small launcher called an LML or off the operators shoulder. HVM missiles go to three times the speed of sound within a second of launching, after which they are controlled by the operator using a small joystick on the launcher which is known as the aiming unit. Missile fi ring camps are highly technical and require months of planning.

Each operator has to do hundreds of shots on a simulator and then has to prove that he is ready to fi re a live missile by repeatedly tracking a target drone with a laser. The drones are called Banshees and are operated by technicians from QinetiQ. The Banshees are about two metres long and are designed to survive the missile engagement. They have sophisticated radar which allows the controllers to estimate if the HVM would have destroyed a full sized aircraft. Safety for the missile fi ring is coordinated by a specialist team from the Royal Artillery Gunnery Training Team (GTT) based at Larkhill in Wiltshire. The missiles are normally fi red from land out to sea because the large range safety template for this system.

Permanent staff at the range ensure all sea and air movement in the area is monitored visually and by radar. “We provide range safety cover and we look after fi rst time fi rers as they fi re using LML and in shoulder launch mode,” says Captain Rob Deane who is the GTT Instructor Gunnery. “Firing shoulder launch is harder because you have no stabilisation platform so we fi nd the stronger guys are suited better to this mode.” This was the fi rst fi ring for some of the marines who fi nished their Heavy Weapons three’s (Air Defence) course earlier in the year.

Air Defence is one of three Heavy Weapons branches in the Royal Marines, the other two being Antitanks and Mortars. “Air Defence is one of the Royal Marines branches you rarely hear about. Not many people even know what sort of missiles we fi re.” says Captain Chris Nutting, Offi cer Commanding Air Defence Troop. “We have made reasonable progress given the weather constraints. It’s quite a steep learning curve using HVM as it relies heavily on the quality of the user,” says Capt Nutting.

“Luckily we have some very capable lads who are able to perform under diffi cult circumstances; particularly in the shoulder launch role which requires a lot of upper body strength and general tenacity, especially when it gets windy.” The HVM missile has a fi rst stage motor which throws it forward from the launcher after which the second stage known as the ‘bus’ kicks in and boosts the missile to over 2000 mph which is faster than a rifl e bullet. The ‘bus’ burns out after less than a second and then three small ‘darts’ separate which are guided to the target by the operator using a laser beam.

Every missile launch is studied in detail by technicians from the missile manufacturer who provide telemetry feedback which allows the Gunnery Training Team to evaluate the success of each engagement. The target aircraft are so small that they need to trail smoke to help the operators’ acquire them in their sights. Although they are designed to survive missile engagements they do occasionally get destroyed by a direct hit. One operator who scored a direct hit was Marine Jamie Morgon, 23, from Reading. “The visibility was good so I had a good length of tracking,” said Mne Morgon.

“I took my time and did the engagement and it was successful. I was happy when I saw the parachute come out and the aircraft come down.” Air Defence Troop are part of Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS). This small unit is the nucleus of the 3 Commando Brigade Reconnaissance Force. Air Defence Troop routinely provide extra manpower to support SRS activities. Marine Andrew Tucker, 25, from Cornwall, was fi ring HVM in the shoulder launch role for the fi rst time. “This was my third missile. It was a lot harder fi ring shoulder launch, because it was windy it was a lot more diffi cult and there was a lot of buffeting about trying to get the tracking right.”

“I joined the troop for the chance to travel, because you can stay Plymouth based if you want but there’s also lots of chances to go away with SRS. I’ve also got additional qualifi cations such as getting parachute and Heavy Machine Gun trained out of being in the Troop because of the SRS connection,” added Mne Tucker. “The biggest issue here at this time of year is always the weather, the wind, the rain are all against us. Trying to fi t fi ring in around this is tricky,” says Capt Deane from the Royal Artillery. “We enjoy working with the Royal Marines though – they are, how you say, ‘hoofing!’