WALKERS in Snowdonia were treated to a spectacular sight on Sunday as an RAF Chinook conducted a training session.

The heavy-lift helicopter is seen hovering against the dramatic backdrop as part of a nine-day training course called Exercise Kukri Dawn.

Three Chinooks from 28 Squadron, based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, were operating out of RAF Valley on Anglesey for the duration of the exercise to train in the unique environment offered by the Snowdonia National Park.

SEE SWNS STORY SWNAchinook --- Incredible scenes show an RAF Chinook on a training sortie in Wales. The heavy-lift helicopter is scene hovering against the dramatic backdrop of Snowdonia. It came as the military carried out the nine-day Exercise Kukri Dawn this month. Three Chinooks from 28 Squadron, based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, were operating out of RAF Valley for the duration of the exercise to train in the unique environment offered by the Snowdonia National Park. RAF Valley is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales. An RAF spokesperson explains: "An RAF spokesperson explains: "Our visual communicators will generally fly in with the helicopters, being dropped off at pre-determined spots as the aircraft conduct their training allowing captures as you see."
RAF Chinook in Snowdonia (AS1 Emily Muir/RAF/MOD/SWNS)

An RAF spokesperson explains: "Our visual communicators will generally fly in with the helicopters, being dropped off at pre-determined spots as the aircraft conduct their training allowing captures as you see."

The mutual training saw The Rifles, Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service take part in the exercise.

The Chinook is described by the RAF as an extremely capable and highly versatile support helicopter that can be operated from land bases or seaborne vessels into a range of diverse environments, from the Arctic to the desert or jungle.

The aircraft may be heavily armed and is fitted with a suite of self-defence equipment allowing it to operate across highly contested battlespace.

Chinooks are primarily used for trooping, resupply and battlefield casualty evacuation, but the crews are trained to accomplish these tasks under threat from both ground and air based enemies.