French Helicopters

[chrisj]

Hi All , A large ship has been sitting off Lundy Island for the past few days and several French Naval helicopters have been seen about the Chivenor area especially at night .
Does anyone have any details such as serials please ? As usual for the area there are no plots on VRs . Thanks Chrisj

[Freeman Lowell]

Chris,
Keep an eye on the 'Military Marine Monitoring' section for possible answers:

viewtopic.php?f=355&t=254424#p1672680

Welcome aboard,
Freeman

[chrisj]

Yes I shall , Just read an earlier post which explains a Merlin / EH101 flying from Chivenor out over the beach on Friday 30/05/25 at 2201 in the dark . I could make out type but for some reason very few lower level aircraft show on various VRs about here so no plots . It was possibly off ITS San Giorgio as reported in Devonport . Thanks . Chrisj

[Freeman Lowell]

Chris,
There may be several reasons why they don't show. One you alluded to - they are flying too low for receivers contributing to the VR apps to 'see'. Another is that they simply do not transmit the necessary information when transiting to a ship off shore. Medium level Wildcats and Merlins often do not 'show' past my location for that reason.
Freeman

[Typhoon2]

A French Navy Dauphin was tracking yesterday afternoon on ADS-B exchange:
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=3b ... 2025-05-31
Local Facebook groups reported with photos a two ship, not sure where they ended up or when they returned to the ship but Chivenor does make sense.

[Mortz]

Chris,
There is a large NATO Naval force that has assembled here in Plymouth before they come up to North Devon to invade this week, it is part of the ongoing French Polaris 25 exercise.
Not sure what you have seen off Lundy, but it is most likely to be LSD(A) RFA Lyme Bay, which has a 2-spot flight deck. I believe the RN is sending 3x Merlin and 2x Wildcat to the exercise and in addition RFA Argus.
The other aviation-capable platforms have been in Devonport since arriving from Brest and Cork, so far we have seen:
France
LPD FS Tonnerre - seen to be carrying at least 2x AS365 Dauphin - she left yesterday and these 2 helicopters flew up around RMB Chivenor yesterday.
LPD FS Dixmude - seen to be carrying at least 1x EC665 Tigre - 6030/BKD - she leaves this afternoon.
FFG FS Bretagne - seen to be carrying 1x NFH-90 - she leaves this afternoon.
Spain
LPD ESPS Galicia - not carrying any aircraft - she leaves tomorrow 1030.
FFG ESPS Christobel Colon - her aircraft status is unknown - she left this morning.
Italy
LPH ITS San Giorgio - seen to be carrying 1x Merlin - MM81493 2-14 - she leaves tomorrow at 1215, but her Merlin has not flown while she has been here.

I understand the airfield at RMB Chivenor will be activated this week and suspect that some form of amphibious assault is likely. My guess would be on Saunton Sands and on into Braunton Burrows, but that is just me using my knowledge as an ex-resident of the area in speculating. I suspect by mid-week it could be quite busy in that area.

Regards
Mortz

[Mortz]

Just a quick update.

FS Dixmude left with 2x EC665 Tigre ranged on deck:
6030 BKD Fwd. & 6020 BJT Aft

Credit to my good friend Wrighty for clarifying the full serials.

....and mighty fine they looked too!

[AlexLee05]

I'm guessing this is Ex Catamaran then, currently on the MOD exercise list

[chrisj]

To All that have replied , Many thanks for information . I shall have the camera ready for an active week - we need it ! Friday evening just after dark , a Merlin came from the Chivenor direction and out to sea . I thought it may of been the Italian EH101 but posts say it has not flown . I do not think the French operated from Chivenor but may of come from the ship to about Braunton and turned over me , disappearing towards Bideford . I only saw them at the last moment so only got one in a photograph .
I have thought low level traffic do not plot because of the terrain but last week I watched the plots of the four AH64s each day at 100 ft and about two miles distance ! Oh well ! Thanks again everyone . Chrisj

[timb]

Look at The Saunton Sands Webcam, looks quite interesting. I see on ADSB "a french UAV" is in the area.

[chrisj]

Morning All . Currently a French UAV over Saunton Beach area around two thousand feet or so SBS-B gives 3B9805 c/s MN6 . Been there for at least the past hour or so . Yesterday evening French helicopters with under slung loads arrived toing and froeing between beach and ship (?) with Merlin ZJ118 also ove the beach area . Too dark to read serials off French . Friday's Merlin which I thought may of been MM81493 was very probably a RN example .
I shall look for the web cam, , timb . Thanks . Chrisj

[timb]

It will certainly show you where some of the ships are Chris. Have a good week. I hope to pop up one day.

[Mo]

12.15pm today (Mon 2nd June) saw an AS-365 (grey) and an NH-90 (brown & green camo) land at Chivenor, staying for about 5 mins before heading off towards Westward Ho!

[Mo]

13.25pm 2 x French Tiger flying circuits over Chivenor

[AlexLee05]

To All that have replied , Many thanks for information . I shall have the camera ready for an active week - we need it ! Friday evening just after dark , a Merlin came from the Chivenor direction and out to sea . I thought it may of been the Italian EH101 but posts say it has not flown . I do not think the French operated from Chivenor but may of come from the ship to about Braunton and turned over me , disappearing towards Bideford . I only saw them at the last moment so only got one in a photograph .
I have thought low level traffic do not plot because of the terrain but last week I watched the plots of the four AH64s each day at 100 ft and about two miles distance ! Oh well ! Thanks again everyone . Chrisj

Apaches actively transmit a location so only one ground receiver is needed. Most other stuff requires at least 3 as the position has to be triangulated

[chrisj]

an afternoon of plenty of action about Chivenor , Saunton Beach and local area . A pair of Tigers spent quite a while going around but I could not see any serial or other markings on either . I managed to get a photo of one of the French but it was the same one as previous ! I think a dark Merlin came out of Chivenor with the Tigers providing cover . At the time I was trying to get my old Kinetic SBS working so not giving full attention . A Chinook came from the Ilfracombe direction to the beach and later into Chivenor . I hope that the old Kinetic will pick up local low level traffic as the more widely available VRs depend on feeds from contributors and there may not be any here abouts . Ready for any movements this evening if there are to be any . Thanks AlexLee05 . Chrisj

[Mo]

The French NH-90 that landed at Chivenor around 12.15pm today was coded ‘EBV’.
Cheers!

[chrisj]

Thanks Mo , not easy to read from Yelland ! Chrisj

[chrisj]

Just been downloading photos from yesterday ( Monday) and the two Tigers circling Chivenor from around 1330local were coded BHM & BJJ . I do not know serials . Rest of the helicopters were either overhead me or in haze so no chance for serial / codes . The Chinook had a large Union Jack on the 'fin' ( rear rotor) . Chrisj

[d555]

Hi Chtis
If my records are up to date then the Tigre's should be 2011/BHM & 6010/BJJ. Both different than the 2 visible when they left Devonport on Sunday.