JOINT PERSONNEL RECOVERY - 42 CDO PRACTICE FROM THE QE!
Joint Personnel Recovery (JPR) is all about recovering UK personnel from hazardous locations and sometimes in proximity to the enemy. While in general the people being recovered can be from all 3 services or significant civilians, in the QE carriers situation it’s often about protected recovering of aircrew and equipment. Most specifically it might be a downed F35 pilot and maybe their aircraft.
L Company are part 42 Cdo RM which make up part of the UK Special Patrol Task Group (SPTG) which can operate with over 300 RM personnel if required on a variety of tasks if embarked.
L Coy are embarked on HMS QE for WESTLANT19 to practice their JPR role in support of downed F35 pilots and their rescue. As part of this role they may also be called on to deploy to recover key equipment from a stranded F35B or even destroy it before it falls into enemy hands.
To operate in this role they are integrated with 845NAS’s new Merlin HCMK4 Aircraft, 3 of which are embarked on the QE for the WESTLANT19 deployment. These aircraft will feature in all QE class future operational deployments for this reason alone.
Before leaving UK waters L troop and an 845NAS Merlin 4 were assessed by the FOST team aboard for their JPR role as they went through their JPR procedures from the QE and into North Cornwall simulating an F35B pilot’s protected rescue and recovery.
