1st Aviation Brigade | |
---|---|
Active | 1 April 2020–present [1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Army aviation |
Role | Attack Reconnaissance |
Part of | Joint Helicopter Command |
Garrison/HQ | AAC Middle Wallop |
Motto(s) | Fly, Fight, Lead [2] |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Brigadier Paul Tedman [3] |
Aircraft flown | |
Attack | Apache AH1 |
Reconnaissance | Gazelle AW159 Wildcat |
The 1st Aviation Brigade is an aviation brigade of the British Army. [4] Most of its units are from the Army Air Corps (AAC). It was stood up on 1 April 2020 by combining the Wattisham Flying Station Headquarters (WFS HQ), formerly the Attack Helicopter Force (AHF) at Wattisham and the Aviation Reconnaissance Force at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. [4] [5] [6] It will reach initial operating capability on 1 April 2021 and full operating capability by 1 January 2023. [7]
As of May 2021 the units of the brigade are as follows: [8]
Brigadier Paul T. Tedman (late Army Air Corps): Deputy Commander, Joint Helicopter Command, October 2019, and Commander,1st Aviation Brigade, April 2020
The Army Air Corps (AAC) is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942 during the Second World War by grouping the various airborne units of the British Army. Today, there are eight regiments of the AAC as well as two Independent Flights and two Independent Squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations around the world. Regiments and flights are located in the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Canada. Some AAC squadrons provide the air assault elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade through Joint Helicopter Command.
Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, commonly referred to as RNAS Yeovilton, is a military airbase of the Royal Navy, sited a few miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. It is one of two active Fleet Air Arm bases, the other being RNAS Culdrose). RNAS Yeovilton is currently home to the Royal Navy Wildcat HMA2, along with Army Air Corps Wildcat AH1 helicopters, as well as the Royal Navy's Commando Helicopter Force Merlin HCi3/4/4A and Wildcat AH1 helicopters.
The AgustaWestland Apache is a licence-built version of the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter for the British Army Air Corps. The first eight helicopters were built by Boeing; the remaining 59 were assembled by Westland Helicopters at Yeovil, Somerset in England from Boeing-supplied kits. Changes from the AH-64D include Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 engines, a new electronic defensive aids suite and a folding blade mechanism allowing the British version to operate from ships. The helicopter was initially designated WAH-64 by Westland Helicopters and was later given the designation Apache AH Mk 1 by the Ministry of Defence.
Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) is a tri-service organisation uniting battlefield military helicopters of the British Armed Forces for command and coordination purposes.
Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) is a unit of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and an element of the Joint Helicopter Command of the British Armed Forces. Its primary role is to provide Rotary-Wing support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and other UK force elements in the amphibious environment. CHF uses a combination of transport helicopters based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, England.
846 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.
847 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It operates AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1 helicopters and provides armed reconnaissance and light transport support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. Along with 845 and 846 naval air squadrons, it forms part of the Commando Helicopter Force. The squadron was re-formed from 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron on 1 September 1995.
The Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing (JSFAW) is a Royal Air Force (RAF) and British Army joint service organisation that coordinates the provision of aviation support to the United Kingdom Special Forces.
Wattisham Airfield is an operational Army Airfield located next to the village of Wattisham in Suffolk, England. It is home to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps and 4 Regiment Army Air Corps. They are part of the Attack Helicopter Force (AHF) within the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), whose headquarters is at Army Headquarters. They fly the Westland WAH-64 Apache helicopter.
6 Regiment Army Air Corps is the sole Army Reserve regiment of the British Army Air Corps (AAC) falling under the Combat Arm of the British Army. The regiment consists of five Squadrons based around the south of the UK. 6 Regiment provides soldiers trained to assist Joint Helicopter Command on exercise and operations both in the UK and worldwide. The regiment provides support to support and attack helicopter in roles including Aviation Ground crew specialists, Aviation Communication Operators and Aviation Support Officers. The AAC regiment is supported by other Army Reserve elements including Royal Logistic Corps as chefs, Logistics and Supply, Adjutant General Corps as human resource specialists and Royal Army Medical Corps in the form of Combat Medical Technicians.
No. 662 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) which flies the AgustaWestland Apache AH.1 from Wattisham Airfield as part of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps.
3 RegimentArmy Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is part of the 16 Air Assault Brigade and Attack Helicopter Force (AHF), which is under the authority of the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC). As of April 2022, this regiment's commanding officer (CO) is Lieutenant Colonel Simon Wilsey and it is based at Wattisham Flying Station in Suffolk, England. This regiment operates the Apache AH Mk1 and AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.
No. 660 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC). The squadron traces its lineage to a Royal Air Force squadron that existed during the Second World War. In the late 1950s the squadron's numerical was transferred to the AAC and since its formation in 1969, it has operated as a British Army unit flying various types of battlefield helicopters. The squadron has been re-formed and disbanded on a number of occasions. The squadron is currently based at RAF Shawbury where it forms part of No. 1 Flying Training School, but it has been deployed operationally to Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and Brunei throughout its existence.
5 Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is part of the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC). The regiment is based in Northern Ireland at JHC Flying Station Aldergrove.
9 Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the Army Air Corps (AAC), that currently serves as the Battlefield Helicopter Wing of No. 1 Flying Training School RAF.
No. 659 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) based at RNAS Yeovilton flying AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1's as part of 1 Regiment Army Air Corps.
The structure of the British Army is being reorganised to the Future Soldier structure. The Army is commanded by the Chief of the General Staff (CGS), with Army Headquarters which is located in Andover, Hampshire. Subordinate to that post, there is a Commander Field Army, and a personnel and UK operations command, Home Command.
675 Squadron AAC is an Army Reserve helicopter support squadron of the British Army Air Corps that provides groundcrews to support Wildcat helicopters. The squadron is part of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps and is located in Somerset at Taunton and Yeovil.