Culdrose squadron marks 60 years of continual service
1:04pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in News
By Greg Fountain, Reporter/Photographer
Culdrose squadron marks 60 years of continual service
A Culdrose-based squadron is celebrating 60 years of continual service, making it the longest serving squadron in the Fleet Air Arm.
Since reforming in 1952, 750 Naval Air Squadron has been training the Royal Navy’s observers – airborne war fighters who must pass 16 gruelling weeks of constant assessment to qualify.
Observer training is one of the most difficult courses in the UK military and is now conducted by Ascent Flight Training Limited with guidance from the Navy’s observer instructors using the new “Avenger” aircraft.
The first course as part of the UK Military Flying Training System completes in December, after which the students will begin training on the front-line Lynx, Merlin or Sea King helicopters.
Marking 60 years of continual service of 750 Squadron, Babcock International general manager Paul Bates (pictured) presented the squadron commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Chris Barber with a commemorative 750 Squadron Perry Buoy - a traditional naval symbol bearing the squadron’s motto “Teach and Strike".
Lt Cdr Barber said: “It’s a great honour to command such a long serving squadron and it is fitting that it operates the Royal Navy’s newest aircraft. “With the new Avenger aircraft the squadron has a bright future.”
