Super Lynx revives naval tradition
Date: 19 December 2011
By Kim Helfrich
A tradition going back more than 50 years has been at least partially revived to raise co-operation and morale among those responsible for protection of South Africa's maritime and aerial territorial integrity.
Back in the sixties when the SA Navy's blue water capacity was vested in three President Class frigates they were given an extra dimension, particularly in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) arena, by single-engined Westland Wasp helicopters. To identify with a specific frigate, the Wasps carried the coat of arms of the warship assigned to for a specific mission.
"The ship's badge was fitted to a detachable panel on the nose of the aircraft," said retired brigadier general and helicopter pilot with thousands of hours in his logbook, "Crow" Stannard.
"It was our way (the SA Air Force) of letting the Navy think the aircraft belonged to them and it looks like it's starting up again," he said tongue firmly in cheek when told of the partial resumption of this tradition.
The redundancy and retirement of the frigates and the early model maritime helicopters has been filled with the arrival of four Valour class frigates and four Westland Super Lynx maritime helicopters. The rotary-winged aircraft are again, as with previous maritime aircraft part of the Air Force inventory, but the "concession of letting the Navy think they are theirs" has again surfaced.
This time round the AFB Ysterplaat-based helos from 22 Squadron are not sporting the coat of arms of any of the Valour class frigates. It is only the pennant number of a specific ship that has found its way onto the nose of the chopper.
The first Lynx to be seen sporting a pennant nose number in addition to its tail number (194) carries SAS Isandlwana's number F146. This frigate has just taken up station off the Mozambique coast as part of South Africa's anti-piracy mission, replacing the SAS Mendi (F148).
Official enquiries to both the Air Force and Navy regarding the new nose job went unanswered but unofficial and reliable sources indicate it is a revival of the tradition started with the President Class warships and the Wasp ASW copters.
Source: The New Age
