Mission to Dartmoor: US Marines pile aboard twin-propeller Osprey and Sea Stallion choppers after they swoop in from USS Iwo Jima warship off Ireland
- US Marines were pictured boarding the Sea Stallion helicopters on Dartmoor near Okehampton last month
- Residents also got to see the twin propeller Osprey helicopter which boasts tilt rotors and travel at 351mph
- The impressive aircraft arrived from the Wasp-class USS Iwo Jima assault ship anchored off coast of Ireland
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US Marines have been pictured practicing manoeuvres on Dartmoor after arriving from a warship anchored off the coast of Ireland.
The squads were seen boarding Sea Stallion helicopters near Okehampton in Devon last month.
Two twin propeller Ospreys, which boasts tilt rotors meaning it can perform both vertical and short take offs and landings, was also spotted flying in the area.
The US marines were pictured practising their manoeuvres in Britain before climbing back aboard the Sea Stallion helicopter
The aircraft flew from the 40,500 ton USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship off the coast of Ireland.
The Wasp-class vessel’s official Facebook page said: ‘This past week, IWO JIMA conducted operations in the Atlantic Ocean and the crew continued to hone their warfighting skills by holding training and completing a number of drills.
‘Another significant accomplishment is that we have been successful in mitigating COVID onboard and had the opportunity to roll back several of our COVID mitigations.
‘This was truly an all hands effort over the last couple of months by the crew and all embarked personnel.’
The Sea Stallion helicopter then took off and headed back to its base aboard the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship, named after the Second World War battle with the Japanese
Two twin propeller Ospreys, which boasts tilt rotors meaning it can perform both vertical and short take offs and landings, was also spotted flying in the area in front of impressed residents
The Osprey is the world’s first production tiltrotor aircraft and costs $72million, has a 14m wingspan capable of travelling at 351mph.
The US Navy’s sea stallions are capable of speeds of around 180mph and can carry 37 troops.
Their vessel was named after the The Battle of Iwo Jima which was a major battle lasting five weeks in which the United States Marine Corps and Navy captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second World War.