Hartlepool woman set for key role training aircraft carrier crew

The HMS Queen Elizabeth returns to Portsmouth Harbour after sea trials. Photo: Steve Parsons/PA Wire.

The Royal Navy is marking its 10,000th trainee passing through simulated warfare training course at HMS Collingwood at Fareham, in the south of England.

Petty Officer Amanda Tinson, from Hartlepool, was one of the first to pass through the training course in 2011 is now a trainer at HMS Collingwood.

From left, BAE Systems Training Delivery Manager Ian Carter, Petty Officer Amanda Tinson, 10,000th trainee Able Seaman Matthew North and Warrant Officer Dean Button.

A Leading Hand Warfare Specialist, she joined the Royal Navy in 1997 and has since served on HMS Glasgow, HMS Ark Royal, doing a tour of Iraq, HMS Illustrious, providing support aid in the Philippines, and HMS Daring.

The course is run by BAE Systems, in partnership with the Royal Navy using highly complex simulators replicating real life operations room systems at sea on all the major warships.

“I came here as an instructor a year ago and I love it,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of teaching qualifications and I’m the first person in HMS Collingwood to achieve Level 4 Advanced Practitioner.”

Amanda is also going to be leading the training for operations room crew on board the giant new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, based in Portsmouth.

“I’ve already been on board – she’s enormous!” she said.

It comes as 10,000 operations crew members, from all the Royal Navy’s warships, have now completed simulated warfare training at the Maritime Composite Training System (MCTS) facility at HMS Collingwood.

The facility, designed, developed and operated by BAE Systems in partnership with the Royal Navy, replicates ‘Ops rooms’ found on-board all the Royal Navy’s major warships.

The simulated warfare training sees trainees take part in a wide variety of possible at-sea scenarios, using the same software technology as if they were at sea.

The training gives operations room crew members and warfare specialists on board Type 23 frigates, Type 45 destroyers and Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers the opportunity to hone their skills from the safety of the shore before joining their ships.

Able Seaman Matthew North recently completed his course at the facility. Now a qualified Warfare Specialist, Portsmouth-based Matthew, will soon be joining the crew of a Type 23 frigate.

Matthew said: “I’m now well prepared for my new role on ship.”