Don't be surprised if you see military helicopters in the skies above Manchester over the next few days.
RAF top brass have announced that crews will be carrying out in training in Puma choppers at undisclosed locations across the city ahead of deployment to Afghanistan later this year.
It's designed to help troops get back up to speed with the aircraft and replicate the experience of working in unfamiliar terrains and locations.
Helicopter crews will be working with troops from 4 Para and 4 Lancs Army Reserves during the training sessions which will take place 'during the day and night using a variety of authorised helicopter landing sites'.
It's expected the helicopters will be flying individually and in pairs until about 1am on Tuesday and 3am on Wednesday.
Manchester is one of four locations where exercises will take place and while in the city crews will also be doing some training with emergency services.
In a statement the RAF said: "Operating in an urban environment is a key skill required by the Puma helicopter crews and the training that is provided in the Manchester, Merseyside, West Lancashire and Newcastle areas is invaluable as they are unfamiliar environments for many of the crews.
"This helps to replicate the unfamiliarity they have with areas in Afghanistan in a safe environment prior to their deployment later in the year.
"The Puma Force is currently supporting the ongoing NATO training mission in Afghanistan, with their role dubbed Operation TORAL.
"They provide life-saving air transport to NATO troops and visiting dignitaries around Kabul. During their pre-deployment training, the Puma crews will work with 4 Para and 4 Lancs Army Reserves to ensure the British Army maintain their familiarity with the Puma helicopter ahead of future operational deployment."
Puma helicopters are used to transport troops, weapons, ammunition and stores on the battlefield and to evacuate casualties and respond to medical emergencies
They're also used during humanitarian and disaster relief operations, most recently during the floods in Lincolnshire last month.
A training exercise last week saw helicopter-borne team of SAS 'counter-terrorism experts' landing on the roof Manchester Central fire station in Ancoats during a training exercise.
As the Manchester Evening News reported choppers were seen hovering over the station before crew members abseiled out of the aircrafts onto a roof .
A number of eyewitnesses said the helicopters were part of the elite SAS counter-terrorism unit nicknamed 'Blue Thunder'.
The blue AS365N3 Dauphins took off from the City Airport and Heliport in Salford, according to onlookers.
They flew over Trafford Park and towards the Manchester Central Fire Station on Thompson Street in Ancoats.
At least four armed forces members were then seen to descend from one of the choppers onto the flat roof of a building.
