In September 2000 a Lynx Helicopter from 815 NAS took part in Operation Barras . The aircraft , flown by Lt Cdr Al Jones and Lt Nigel Cunningham as the Observer flew over 30 missions deep into the Sierra Leone Jungle . In 2002 , a Lynx from 815 Squadron crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while participating in a joint British – American exercise , with the loss of the pilot , Lieutenant Rod Skidmore and observer , Lieutenant Jenny Lewis . Several of the Lynx helicopters are stated as part of the Response Force Task Group . In November 2012 , the Lynx of 217 Flight deployed to the Horn of Africa for four months on board the French frigate Surcouf , the first extended deployment of a British helicopter on a French warship
crashed into the Atlantic Ocean
HMS Richmond helicopter crash
815 Naval Air Squadron