An historic piece produced by RN MAOT in Sep 08 RN MAOT – Who are they? (By SGT A W Patterson Royal Marine Air Crewman1) Having completed a number of operational tours, I find myself continually being asked the questions who are Royal Navy MAOT and what do they do? Post the Falklands war a capability gap was identified in the way the RN operated its assault helicopters ashore. It was decided to set up a specialist unit enabled to Recce, Mark and Control a Helicopter Landing Site (HLS) by day or night, in both extreme and hostile environments. The Royal Navy Mobile Air Operations Team (MAOT) is based at RNAS Yeovilton and is part of the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF), which consists of a HQ, Support squadron, 3 Sea King Front Line helicopter Squadrons, 1 Sea King Training Squadron that trains both Pilots, aircrew and maintainers and 1 Lynx helicopter Squadron. MAOT is commanded by a Lieutenant Commander (Major/Sqn Ldr equivalent); it consists of 16-mixed RM and RN Commando trained ranks and is formed around a team system. Each team consists of an Officer, a SNCO and RM S2 and S3 Signals specialists. Depending on tasking a four-man team can be further sub divide into half teams, with a signaller in each. All Officers and SNCO’s are qualified Helicopter Handling Instructor Specialist HHI (S) and are experts in preparing both internal and external loads which may consist of standard logistic loads to guns and vehicles. Other specialist qualifications include Helicopter Fast Roping Instructor and Helicopter Abseil Instructor. Most MAOT personnel are parachute trained and infantry skills are maintained at a high standard. Branches represented within the department include: RN Air Traffic Control, RM Officer, RM Aircrewman, RM Mountain Leader and RN Aircraft Engineers. Due to their expertise the MAOTs are regularly deployed on operations and have over the years seen action in Iraq, when they were the first to deploy ashore at the AL Faw peninsula, Sierra Leon and Beirut. MAOT’s main commitment is to Afghanistan is now in support of OP HERRICK, where it has had a continuous presence since 2006. However, we may have worked closely with many Army units, in varied locations such as Sierra Leone, Bagram Airport, Iraq and Beirut. MAOTs are able to assist supported commanders with aviation specific mission planning and are deployed as required by Command. Invariably deployed as part of the Pre-Assault Force, MAOT personnel are self sufficient for up to 72 hrs in the vehicle-borne role and for 48 hrs in the man pack role. When embarked, they are able to operate in either configuration. The difference between RN MAOT and other tri-service MAOTs is that personnel are fully trained to operate in direct support of troops and can deploy with a patrol to support a particular operation. Being soldier first (or close second in the case of the RN ranks!!) RN MAOTS require no ‘babysitting’ in the field. All team members carry multiple ground to air communications in addition to a normal combat load. This requires individuals to be fit and determined. When not deployed overseas, MAOT is continually involved in support of Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) tasking at home. This includes the Recce and operation of landing sites used by JHC aircraft, preparation of under-slung loads and a wide variety of related short notice tasking. As a specialist unit, MAOT also fulfils a training role, providing Landing Point Commander (LPC), Rigger Marshallers (RM) and helicopter fast rope and abseil training. It also provides a team permanently dedicated to the Maritime Interdiction Group, kept at short notice to support Maritime Counter Terrorism operations and exercises. These factors, combined with a busy pre-deployment training schedule puts tremendous pressures on the MAOT teams as personnel rotate to and from overseas operations and exercises. MAOT is an immensely challenging and gratifying job. Every day is different, and tasks at all levels within the section require a large slice of ‘Commando Cunning’ to achieve. As a helicopter specialist one must be able to liaise at all levels and advise when units formulate air plans. A task requiring a good degree of moral courage when faced with a user-unit’s more ‘interesting’ ideas put to you by a much senior rank. So the next time you are involved with a major exercise or operation using aviation assets instead of asking ‘RN MAOT, who are they’ you should now be asking ‘RN MAOT, where are they?’
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 18:53:19 +0000
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