“300 Squadron, the ‘You never walk alone’ feeling”
It has been 25 years since the first of the 17 brand-new AS-532 Aérospatiale Cougars of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) landed for the first time at Soesterberg Air Base, home base for 300 squadron at that time. The initial contract was signed on 23 October 2013. The first ‘Cougar’ was delivered on 3 May 1996 and all 17 deliveries where completed in the subsequent two years. Currently, 300 squadron operates out of Gilze-Rijen Air Base as part of the RNLAF Defense Helicopter Command (DHC), established in 2008.
‘In Mobilitate Vis Nostra’
The ‘Wildcats’, their usual callsign when operating in the Netherlands, of 300 squadron have completed more than 55,000 flight hours to date which, since 1996, enabled them to participate in a very respectable number of major deployments and exercises. Active deployments all around the world, consisting of ship- and land based operations, shows mobility is clearly within the DNA of the squadron. Something that is also embedded within the squadron’s motto ‘In Mobilitate Vis Nostra’ (in mobility lies our power).
New Commander
Since the beginning of September 2020, Lt Col. Roy Hemmelder became the new Commander of 300 squadron. He has been with the unit flying the Cougar helicopter ever since the beginning of this millennium. Only being away from the squadron while broadening his rotary wing experience flying the NH90 for several years for the maritime 860th squadron and learning the ropes as a flight instructor at the 131st squadron. Having been deployed to Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan for numerous times he proudly elaborates; “300th Squadron just breathes agility. Its people combined with the Medium Utility Cougar helicopter are able to operate in multiple domains, over land and water, supporting conventional, maritime and Special Forces. The Defense Helicopter Command has many capabilities up its sleeve, of which agility and versatility are definitely a major part of 300 squadron’s trademark”. This also shows in the squadron’s numerous partners, simultaneously operating with Special Forces, Navy Marines and Air Mobile Infantry during various exercises and deployments. Lt Col. Hemmelder adds; “Such diversity fits perfectly within in the 5th generation air force concept, where integrating and sharing knowledge between joint assets and operating in a multi-domain battlefield is vital”. After serving various staff functions at the Airforce HQ and Armed Forces HQ, LtCol. Hemmelder finished his Advanced Staff Training during 2019- 2020. One year in as Commander of 300th squadron he reflects: “Thus far this has been one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve experienced, mainly due to 300 squadron’s people and esprit the corps, but also the diversity. I’m enjoying every day, looking forward to what the future has in store.”
History
The squadron’s history dates back to 1962, at the time operating out of Ypenburg Air Base, close to the city of The Hague. First, they started operating in the training role with the H-23 Raven. By August of 1965 the transition was been made to the Alouette III. From this point on the squadron also operated the L-21B Super Cub and the DHC 2 Beaver. With the retirement of the last Super Cub in 1976 and Ypenburg Air Base losing its operational state, the squadron moved to Deelen Air Base and operated there from 1968 to 1995. From 1996 to 2008 the Squadron was based at Soesterberg Airbase after which it was relocated to Gilze-Rijen Airbase during the establishment of the Dutch Defense Helicopter Command.
Shocking news
In 2011, after another round of Dutch defence cuts, it was decided that 300 squadron would be decommissioned. This came as a huge shock to the squadron, especially since the continuous record of accomplishment since the introduction of the 17 Cougar helicopters in 1996. The decision was (partly) reversed in the same year due to a shortage of SAR-helicopters (due to replacement of the Lynx for N90 and the retirement of the three AB-412 helicopters, which had a dedicated SAR task). The plan was to continue to execute tasks with three ‘Cougars’ (in a dedicated SAR role) in anticipation of future maturity of the NH-90 fleet. The squadron would stay operational until 2012. However in the same year the decision was rolled back further by increasing the number of operational AS-532 ‘Cougars’ to eight and prolonging the squadrons task up to 2018. In 2015 four more where made operational which leads to the current fleet of twelve Cougars that remain in service of the squadron. In 2018 it was decided that the squadron will stay operational with the Cougar helicopter until at least 2030. ‘Being uncertain about our future, as a team, we had to endure a lot the last decade. I believe flexibility and teamwork was key to deal with this situation’ Lt Col Hemmelder added. But I also believe the Medium Utility Helicopter in itself has contributed significantly in this regard. ‘In the end we are like an oiled Swiss Army knife, which has proven its added value over the years, and is quickly available when called upon”.
Deployments
Since the 1990s the ‘Wildcats’ have been deployed during numerous conflicts and humanitarian missions all over the world. In 2001 and 2002, 300 squadron took part in the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in Bosnia. For this mission five Cougars operated out of Divulje Barracks, Croatia, for a period of a year. The primary tasks was Air Mobility; transporting cargo and troops but also operating as an Incident Response Platform from Sipovo Hospital throughout the AOO. In 2004, 300 Squadron took over the duties in Iraq as part of the Stabilisation Force Iraq (SFIR). For this operation three ‘Cougars’ operated out of Tallil Air Base. Again in the transport and MEDEVAC role. The ‘Cougars’ of 300 squadron also deployed to Afghanistan several times during 2006 to 2010 Operations took place out of Kandahar Airfield in support of the Task Force Uruzgan. Besides a transport role of supplies also missions to support Special Operations Forces (SOF) where executed. 300 Squadron also supports humanitarian missions like fighting forest fires (Fire Bucket Operations – FBO), in 2004 the squadron deployed two Cougars to Portugal, and in August 2007 towards Greece to support the firefighting there.
From Wildcats to Seacats
Furthermore, the Cougars have also been involved during anti-piracy missions of the coast of Somalia operating from the Royal Netherlands Navy vessel Hr. Ms. In Rotterdam. A wide variety of tasks were carried out ranging from reconnaissance flights, transportation of boarding teams (Marines), drugs encounters and even blocking suspicious ships. The unit has been involved in anti-piracy missions during 2012 until 2017 under various mission names; ‘Atalanta’, ‘Ocean Shield’ and ‘Carib’. For these amphibious overseas missions six Cougars (serials S-419, 441, 442, 445 and 447) are available with maritime equipment like floats to prevent the helicopter from sinking when it comes in the water. Until 2015, the squadron was tasked as Patients transport (Air Ambulance) from the Wadden Islands, which are located in the upper north of the Netherlands in the Wadden Sea, to hospitals on the mainland. In 2019, 300 Squadron deployed two Cougars for ‘Hurricane Disaster Relief’ after Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas. A naval exercise towards the Bahamas went from training towards a real mission overnight. In 2020 the ‘Cougars’ operated from the Royal Netherlands Navy vessel ‘Hr. Ms. Karel Doorman’ in the Caribbean for the “COVID Support 2020”. Though Covid-19 remains to have impact on the global society, 300 squadron has been adapting to this new situation. Indeed, ‘In mobility lies their power’.
Mission Qualification Training (MQT)
As international training and exercises where largely cancelled during 2020 due to COVID-19, the unit organised a six-week Mission Qualification Training (MQT) including a tactical electronic warfare exercise (TAC EW) itself in the Netherlands. Captain Jimmy, one of 300th Squadron’s Flight Commanders, stated, “this all is part of the continues learning curve we enjoy during our careers, to train as new pilot towards operational (combat) readiness takes about two years, but the learning never stops”. The MQT took place during January and February of 2021. Following that precious training, in April 2021 the exercise ‘Port Defender’ took place in the Port of Rotterdam with a dedicated focus on Dutch Counterterrorism activities during which 300 squadron was further able to hone its skillset. Lt Col Hemmelder added, “before the year is through, we’ll also have trained our environmental skills in Degraded Visual Environments during EDA HOT in Beja Portugal, and Mountain Training in Aviano Italy. Furthermore, valuable joint training is coming during the International SOFexercise Nighthawk in Denmark and the maritime amphibious exercise Joint Warrior near Scotland and Ireland. The MQT serves its purpose, in laying a firm bedrock for our crews to build upon when training towards those various mission sets.
Maintenance
Currently 300 squadron maintenance crews are performing a ‘Base Maintenance Inspection’ on one of the Cougars. According to 1st Lieutenant Niels Henderson, Chief Helicopter Maintenance of 300 squadron, this is a unique opportunity. During early 2018 Heli-One (based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada), a leading provider of Helicopter Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services signed an agreement with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) to provide on-site Intermediate/Depot-level maintenance on the twelve AS-532US Cougar helicopters and to support five additional aircraft in storage. A staffing facility at Woensdrecht Air Base with project managers, technicians and support crew from Heli-One Poland has been established at that time. The agreement covers Inspections and Maintenance above the 750 Hours/2-year interval, Engine Makila 1A2 inspections, Corrosion Prevention, and support to the Operational Level Maintenance organization upon request.
Recent exercises
This year (2021) again a number of international training exercises are planned explained Jimmy, 300 squadron flight Commander. ‘We started off in July 2021 with ‘Hot Blade’ in Portugal to retain profiency in brown out operations. Lt Col Hemmelder adds “It has been a valuable multiship and multi type training for us. We are able to improve and further standardise our military cooperation with our European partners who took part during Hot Blade”. “This year 2021 we also have planned the ‘High Blaze’ exercise again taking place at Aviano Air Base in Italy. This exercise will be important for our crews to catch up with operations in mountainous areas operations. In preparation for the mentioned exercise, late July 2021, we deployed to Laupheim in Germany where we organised an initial mountain training before heading to Italy”. The rest of 2021 will bring the four weeks ‘Hebrides Archer’ exercise out of the Royal Netherlands Navy vessel ‘Hr. Ms. Karel Doorman’ with 2 Cougars together with one NH90 starting at the half of September. The final exercise for 2021 will be the three weeks SOF ‘Nighthawk’ exercise held in Denmark out of Aalborg Air Base, starting at the last week of September.
SOF-exercise Nighthawk
Captain Jimmy states, “in order to improve our conventional support tasks and capabilities towards the Special Operations Forces (SOF), we will be involved in the large scale SOF-exercise “Nighthawk” which will be held in Denmark later this year. The ‘Wildcats’ of 300 Squadron will be in direct support of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the Netherlands and various other partners present at that exercise”. During 2013, a dedicated Programme was started to build up SOF Air capabilities within NATO. This Programme was initiated by the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) as part of the NATO Special Operations Headquarter (NSHQ) in Mons, Belgium. In the Netherlands, on 5 December 2018, the Netherlands Special Operations Command (NL SOCOM) was established as a dedicated Command for all Special Forces activities. These forces comprise of Commando’s (Korps Commando Troepen, KCT) and Maritime Special Operation Forces, (MARSOF).
Article & Photos by: Carlo Kuit & Paul Kievit/ Bronco Aviation Photos on facing page: Sven Scheffers