The Warfare Department

The Warfare Department comprises a variety of sub-departments, coming together to form a team to drive and navigate the ship and man the weapons and sensors so that the ship can fight.

Radar operators collate all the incoming air and surface information to present the Captain with an accurate picture of contacts on and above the surface. Sonar operators interpret the active and passive sonar displays to provide a comprehensive picture of underwater activity. The Electronic Warfare (EW) personnel intercept and analyse radar and radio transmissions to identify unknown contacts at long range.

With the picture compiled, the Captain decides which targets to engage with the Sea Harriers or gun systems. Fighter and helicopter controllers guide the aircraft to their respective targets while the Above Water Weapons Operators control the various defence systems.

Communicators control the wide variety of radio and satellite equipment to enable the ship to send and receive information to and from Fleet Headquarters and other ships and aircraft 24 hours a day. Seaman specialists man the Bridge and provide in-depth knowledge and experience for all seamanship evolutions, including replenishment at sea and handling small boats.

Responsible for operating all the Ship’s sensors and weapon systems. The department is sub-divided into Above Water, Under Water, Communications and Electronic Warfare. Head of Department is the Operations Officer.

This largest part of the Department, this concentrates on manning the Operations Room radar displays, and operating the Ship’s Weapon systems, from Machine Guns to the Seadart Missile system. Edinburgh’s main role is that of providing Air Defence to a force of ships. We use our long-range radars and link in the radar picture from other ships to detect incoming aircraft and missiles so we can engage them either with friendly aircraft or our own missiles. The Ship has recently completed JMC 042, an exercise off Northern Scotland, which included the firing of 100 High Explosive shells from the 4.5-inch Gun at the Cape Wrath Gunnery Range. Our gunnery specialists have spent a lot of time in the Mediterranean manning our upper deck machine guns to ensure we are adequately protected against terror attack.

Underwater Warfare 

Described as Underwater Chess or Awfully Slow Warfare, the UW sub-department is often discounted on board an Air Defence Destroyer. The sonar is still used to attempt to locate submarines, and the UW team under the direction of  those in charge spend a lot of time tracking submarines during JMC 042, spending more time in contact than all of the Anti-Submarine Frigates that we were operating with. Once located, the team can dispatch the Lynx helicopter to prosecute the submarine with depth charges or torpedoes.
Electronic Warfare

A vital part of the team , the EW dept. provide early warning to the command of any potential threat. They are able to detect radar transmissions and classify them, and often provide the first indication of aircraft and ships. They are also responsible for our anti-ship missile defence, using chaff rockets and floating jammers to confuse enemy radar, and infrared decoys to confuse heat-seeking missiles.

Communications

The sub-department which is closest to everyone’s hearts is communications. It is responsible for providing all our operational communications; ensuring that we receive signals and tactical instructions and importantly for moral, they also look after our email system which allows us to keep in touch with family and friends.

The Bridge Team

Responsible to the Captain for the safety of the Ship at sea, the Officer of the Watch is a junior warfare officer normally in only his first or second job in the Royal Navy. 24 hours a day a small team consisting of the OOW, a Quartermaster at the wheel, a Bosun’s Mate running the ship’s routine and a communicator are the eyes of the ship. The Navigator ensures the bridge team are fully trained, he also conducts pilotage of the ship into and out of ports. Under the Navigator we have three Officers of the Watch who conduct the majority of the bridge watches.

Observer Training

Observers are the Fleet Air Arm's (FAA) Airborne Combat Systems Officers. Skilled tacticians and sensor operators, who when the situation dictates act as aircraft commanders, they co-ordinate the employment of their own and other aircraft in both the air and maritime environments. Initial screening of up to 600 candidates a year applying for both Pilot and Observer takes place at the tri-service testing centre at RAF Cranwell where motor and psychometric testing takes place. Then after successful completion of the Admiralty Interview Board some 45 students are offered Observer places at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) during which they complete flying grading. Up to 36 students a year, including some in-service candidates, then commence Basic Observer Course (BOC) at 750 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Culdrose flying the Jetstream.

This 6 month course takes them from young men and women who have probably never flown as part of a crew before to aviators skilled in basic aviation techniques, employment of navigation and detection aids, asset prioritisation, multi-tasking and emergency handling. They will have also learnt along with the other RN aircrew about aviation medicine, be qualified in first aid and also the skills required to survive in hostile territory.

The successful students who complete this demanding training are streamed into three aircraft types which, although they all operate in the maritime environment, have subtly differing roles. 6 students a year are streamed for the Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control (SKASaC) Course, 9 for the Lynx Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) and 12 for the Merlin OCU. OCU training converts Observers, Pilots and Aircrewmen on to their frontline types and then teaches to fight them. On completion they achieve limited Combat Ready status and are deployed to the frontline where after some consolidation they achieve Combat Ready and are awarded certificate of competence.


The SKASaC Observers operate across all the warfare boundaries with their sensor and command system able to contribute to the air, sea and land battles. The course consists of 52 weeks of air, ground and sea surveillance, aircraft control and command training and ends with a deployed phase where the Observer will control NATO aircraft in a busy joint service exercise environment. Thereafter the Observers will join their frontline flight deploying on one of the operational aircraft carriers.

The Merlin is the most advanced Maritime Patrol Helicopter in the world and the crews will find themselves operating from a range of platforms from carriers and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries to Type 23 frigates. Again fitted with ESM and radar this fully digital modern aircraft also carries passive and active sonar devices for submarine detection and prosecution with stingray torpedoes. The Observers spend 12 months on OCU learning initially secondary roles including Search and Rescue and then progressing through the state of the art simulator to the aircraft training for its combat roles.

The Lynx is a Maritime Attack Helicopter and primarily operates by itself or in small groups from frigates and destroyers; the Mk 8 is equipped with radar, electronic surveillance equipment (ESM) and a forward looking infra red device as well as the Sea Skua missile and torpedoes. Observers sit beside the pilots and spend up to 9 months at RNAS Yeovilton learning secondary roles, how to navigate and fight the aircraft and, as for the Merlin training, culminates in an embarked phase where everything is drawn together on a ship at sea. In the frontline both pilots and observers do a probationary period before joining their first flights.

Pilot Training

Pilot training is extremely demanding. Whilst civilian pilots are required to fly from Airport A to Airport B military pilots need to operate their aircraft in demanding environments over hostile terrain around the world. As well as flying the aircraft they are increasingly system and weapon operators and many of the attributes associated with the Observer are equally important to a pilot. They complete the same basic selection process as the Observers with an annual requirement of around 60 places at BRNC to be filled. Grading takes place at Plymouth on a light piston aircraft and those that are successful join in service candidates such as Royal Marine Officers at the Defence Elementary Flying Training School (DEFTS) at RAF Barkston Heath to complete EFT on the Firefly. The RN has up to 60 places a year at DEFTS and aims to select around 10 a year in to the fast jet pipeline with the rest being selected for rotary wing training.

DEFTS teaches core flying skills such as general handling instrument and navigation flying and introduces some advanced sorties such as low flying, formation and composite sorties. Students can expect to go solo after about 10 hours and successful students who also complete a small CAA accredited groundschool package are eligible for the award of a Private Pilots' Licence

Fast jet candidates will follow the RAF fast jet pipeline and need to be fully committed to complete the training and be selected for a single seat fast jet cockpit and employment in the Joint Harrier Force flying the GR7 or 9. With 10 selected from EFT and 5 slots a year on the Harrier OCU there is stiff competition and RN pilots are not able to dispose to twin seat cockpits like the Tornado F3 or GR4. The pipeline involves up to a year at RAF Linton flying the Tucano undertaking Basic Fast Jet Training. On completion RN students move to RAF Valley for a year to fly the Hawk and complete Advanced and Tactical Fast Jet training. The Harrier OCU is at RAF Wittering and on completion the RN fast jet Pilot will find himself employed and deployed onboard ship or ashore in operational theatres like Afghanistan. If at anytime the RN Pilots fails to meet the demanding fast jet standards all is not lost as they will re-streamed into the RW pipeline where experience shows they should have the necessary aptitude and skills to complete training. The RN also takes a small number of rotary wing pilots out of the frontline and retrains them for the fast jet pipeline. Known as the "SMAC 309" this has been a rich seam of fast jet talent over the years.

Those selected for Rotary Wing Pilot, on completion of EFT, go to the Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) at RAF Shawbury the tri-service helicopter school where the RN trains around 40 students a year. This figure is set to climb slowly over the next few years to a maximum of around 45. The students complete Basic and Advanced Rotary Flying Training on the single engine Squirrel aircraft before being streamed for OCU. Courses are tri-service of up to 16 in number from Army Corporals to RN Lieutenants and training lasts around 6 months.

DHFS has a similar training profile to DEFTS with basic handling being taught on 660 Squadron before more advanced techniques are taught on 705 Squadron. The RN Pilots conduct low level navigation down to 100 feet, mountain flying, winching, instrument and formation flying as well as a very important captaincy phase where all disciplines are drawn together. This latter phase is vital in inculcating the naval pilot in the multi crew concept whilst operating independently. On completion up to 16 RN students a year are streamed to the Sea King Mk IV a Commando Support Helicopter which operates in the Commando Helicopter Force as part of the Joint Helicopter Command, 12 are streamed to the Merlin OCU and 9 to Lynx OCU. RN Sea King SAR and SKASaC pilots are normally drawn from the frontline types however the RN currently has a small requirement to train ab-inito students in these roles at the rate of about 4 a year. RM Pilots take a slightly different route after DHFS going to the School of Army Aviation at Middle Wallop staying on the Squirrel and completing Army Operational Training Phase before converting to the Lynx on 847 NAS at RNAS Yeovilton. Merlin and Lynx Mk 8 pilots join up with their observer counterparts conducting mostly joint training building the crew concept.

Commando pilots convert to the Sea King IV at RNAS Yeovilton and go onto learn to operate the aircraft in the SH role maintaining a focus on the amphibious environment. Initially completing groundschool and simulator training at RNAS Culdrose they are trained in NVG operations from an early stage and complete mountain flying detachments and an embarked phase to gain deck landing qualifications. The course is capped by a deployed exercise where the pilots put everything together in the field.

Language Unit

Salary from £22,000

Multicultural Britain. It's not a goal, it's already a reality. The Security Service protects our society from terrorist threats. To do so we need to recruit people from all the diverse communities we serve. So if you're a British Citizen, who speaks another language as your mother tongue, you could be helping to protect your own community.

Working with languages here involves listening to and translating a variety of spoken communications. You will also be adding your own insight on the political and cultural context. Right now we're particularly keen to talk to people who speak:

Sorani, Arabic, North African Arabic, Urdu,
Bengali, Fujianese, Persian, Pushtu, Chinese (Mandarin).

We are also looking for people who have learnt one of these languages to degree level or equivalent.

You'll work in a team with others pooling your insight and knowledge to support specific investigations. We'll train you to use all the equipment in our Language Centre, but you will need to have a good command of written and spoken English.

The benefits include 25 days holiday, generous pension, restaurant and gym, but the real rewards will go far deeper if you're joining us for the right reasons.

You must be a British Citizen, with at least one British parent. Due to our vetting process your application may take up to 8 months to process. Discretion is important to the Service, so please only discuss this application with your partner and/or immediate family. If you would like to apply for this position, please request an application form.

The role

Surveillance plays a vitally important role within the Service and is a key investigative resource. Mobile surveillance officers follow targets of national security investigations as identified by desk officers. It is all about observing the people or places, either on foot or by vehicle. To work in this area, you'll first need to pass a physically and mentally demanding, non-residential course lasting 75 days. It consists of briefings, intensive training and assessments, and continual feedback is provided throughout.

We want all our recruits to succeed, but it is tough and we have to part company with anyone who is not up to the required standard Entry to the Mobile Surveillance Group is normally at the level MS5, and there are limited promotion opportunities. Some become team leaders and direct others during surveillance operations, but this typically takes ten years to accomplish. Others become planning officers or assume other management roles.

Promotion is both on merit and where vacancies allow. There are some opportunities to specialise in photography or technical areas, and occasionally surveillance officers are seconded or transferred to other parts of the Service.

Surveillance is a practical skill and it may take up to two years to reach full proficiency. Regular refresher and specialist training are provided as appropriate.

The starting salary at grade MS5 is £23,472 rising to £26,960 on successful completion of the training course, once shift and weekend working allowance is included. Some overtime will also be available. Salary is subject to annual review.

You must be a British Citizen, with at least one British parent. Due to our vetting process your application may take up to 8 months to process.

Discretion is important to the Service, so please only discuss this application with your partner and/or immediate family. If you would like to apply for this position, please request an application form.

The Security Service is committed to reflecting both Equal Opportunities and the society we protect.