Excitement is building over a new world-class search and rescue (SAR) training facility at Daedalus Airport with work underway.

A ground-breaking ceremony at the Lee-on-the-Solent site hosted by developer Mildren Construction took place on Monday. 

Faraday Business Park, which is at Daedalus, will be home to the state-of-the-art multi-million-pound training facility. It is due to open in autumn 2025, with the training pool currently being dug out.

Set in a 1.55-hectare site, the facility will train search and rescue crews from all over the world.

It will help support the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard.

The work with the Irish Coast Guard work will get underway this year, said Mr Ebberson.

The project at the site, owned by Fareham Borough Council, is the latest to be added to the business enterprise zone site at Daedalus Airport, which was bought by the council for a pound.

Neil Ebberson, director of government services for helicopter firm Bristow and leader of Fareham Borough Council Simon Martin both attended.

Mr Ebberson said the training centre is important because currently crews are trained in live conditions, which is not only expensive but has an impact on sustainability, environment and consistency on training.

He said: “We are investing in our future to be able to train our future pilots and technical crews in a safe and controlled environment.”

Cllr Martin said: “It’s yet another world-class company that is coming into Daedalus and we are using this as a significant employment area for Fareham Borough Council.

"It will be a world-class facility when it’s built in over a year’s time.”

He added: “This is a state-of-the-art technical research facility in terms of helicopters. It will have the technology to make four or five-metre waves and the research will make sure that equipment will be able to stand up to technology in all sorts of environments.”

The new centre will feature a simulation hall with a training pool and helicopter rescue hoist, teaching classrooms, brief/debrief rooms, medical training areas, breakout facilities and ancillary spaces to support the above.

The rescue helicopter hall (RHT) will have a training pool with a helicopter hoist hanging above. The main hall containing the pool will be a sealed box, with no windows so that night training can be simulated.

It will have a 4m deep concrete pool 19m by 45 to simulate operations at sea and mock helicopter units that operate on hoists.

Fans will simulate waves and wind to replicate sea conditions for training operations. There will be a climbing wall to provide a simulation of cliff-face rescue operations.

Planning was approved in December.