Royal Navy submarines and sub-hunting helicopters went head to head in live exercises in Clyde waters in the past few weeks.
Prospective submarine commanders in an Astute-class hunter-killer – and its most potent adversary, a Merlin Mk2 helicopter – played cat and mouse off the Scottish coast.
The boat was hosting officers undergoing the final, sea-going phase of the intense and demanding Submarine Command-qualifying Course – known as ‘the Perisher’.
Stalking them above the water were trainee Merlin Mk2 helicopters pilots, observers and aircrew from the Fleet Air Arm.
While the submariners attempted to evade detection and carry out a series of missions, they were hunted by the helicopters above.
Armed with powerful dipping-sonar and sonobuoys, they peppered the Scottish waters and listened for the tell-tale sounds of a boat moving through the depths.
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