Danish Naval Air Squadron

DNAS Super Lynx Mk.90B landing on a Thetis-class vessel

DNAS Alouette III helicopter landing a Arctic Patrol Vessel (1962-1982)

The Danish Navy Air Squadron (Danish)Søværnets Helikoptertjeneste, was the aerial component of the Danish navy, from 1977 to 2010-12-31. Operationally it was directly under command of the Danish Naval Command, but maintenance of the eight Westland Lynx helicopters and training of personnel was in cooperation with the air force. The helicopters was used primarily for fishery Patrol, shipboard support and coastal Search & Rescue (SAR) missions.

The tasks and hardware has now been transferred to the Air Force as Eskadrille 723 (Squadron 723).

History

The squadron was originally a flight in the air force eskadrille 722 (722nd Squadron) (722) when the first Alouette III helicopter was received in 1962. In 1977 the flight was made into a unit of its own and moved to the navy, under the name Søværnets Flyvetjeneste (The Naval Air Service).

In 1980-1982 the eight Alouette helicopters was replaced with the new Westland Lynx helicopters.

In 2000 it was decided that Søværnets Flyvetjeneste should turn over to the air force as a squadron (728th Squadron) and put under operational command of the air force command along with the Army Air Corps, but for political reason^[1] only the army units where transferred to the air force (as 724th Squadron). At the same time, the units where also to move physically from Værløse Air Station to Karup Air Station. The total number of helicopters in the air force would have been 8 Sikorsky S-61A, 13 Eurocopter AS550C2 Fennec, 16 Hughes H-500C Cayuse and 8 Westland Lynx Mk.90B as well as 14 AugustaWestland EH-101 Merlin under purchase. A grand total of 59 helicopters. International obligations didn't allow for the Danish air force to possess so many helicopters. Because of that the Naval Air Service was transformed into the Naval Air Squadron on 1 January 2004.

A Danish navy helicopter foiled a pirate attack off Somali coast, August 28, 2010.

Historical equipment

Aircraft	Origin	In service	Versions	Number	Notes
Sud Aviation Alouette III	France	1962–1982	SE3160	8
Westland Lynx	United Kingdom	1987–2006	Mk.23	1	Only used for training.
Westland Lynx	United Kingdom	1980–2004	Mk.80	8
Westland Lynx	United Kingdom	1987–2003	Mk.90	2

Organisation

Order of Battle on the day of disbanding the unit (2010-12-31):

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
Westland Super Lynx	United Kingdom	transport/rescue helicopter	Mk.90B	8

Bases

Vaerlose (ICAO code: EKVL) Vaerlose is located northwest of Copenhagen, only about 20 km from the city centre. It was originally constructed as an army camp in 1910 and rebuild as a military airfield in the 1930s. After WW2 RDanAF operations were resumed, principally with transport aircraft. It became the main base of the Naval Air Service in 1962. On 1 April 2004 the airfield was closed as a military base, due to military budget cuts, and handed over to civilian use in October 2008. Runway data: Location: N55° 46' 3" E012° 20' 36", Elev: 58 ft (18 m), Rwy 28/10, Size: 8061 x 150 ft (2457 x 46 m).

Karup (ICAO: EKKA) Karup is located between Herning and Viborg in central Denmark. It is dual civil-military airport. It was originally build by the Germans in WW2 as Fliegerhorst Grove, and taken over by the RDAF postwar. Since 2004 it has been the main helicopter base for the Danish Defence. Runway data: Location: N56° 17' 50.85" E009° 07' 28.66", Elev: 170 ft (52 m), Rwy 04/22, Size: 2936 x 50 ft (895 x 15 m), Rwy 09/27, Size: 2789 x 197 ft (850 x 60 m), Rwy 09R/27L, Size: 9607 x 150 ft (2928 x 46 m), Rwy 09L/27R, Size: 9816 x 75 ft (2992 x 23 m), Rwy 14/32, Size: 2296 x 60 ft (700 x 18 m).

Future plans

The eight existing Lynx are being upgraded to Super Lynx Mk.90B standard with a new airframe and existing equipment reinstalled. With only seven left operational, a damaged airframe in storage will be included in the upgrade.

References and external sources

1. ^ Vindposen, dec. 2003 s. 8 (Danish)

• Artikel om Søværnets Flyvetjeneste (2000)