The Regiment was formed on 26 April 1966 as the 1st Division Army Aviation Regiment and was re-designated the 1st Aviation Regiment on 31 March 1967.[1][2] The regiment had historically operated a mix of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.[2] In late 2004, the regiment was re-organised for its new role to operate the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH).[1]
During 2005 and 2006, the regiment consolidated all of the remaining squadrons into one location for the first time, at Gaza Lines, in Darwin's Robertson Barracks.[citation needed]
The Tiger ARH reached its full operational capability on 18 April 2016 with minor caveats. This process took much longer than expected, due in part to the complexity of the helicopters and shortages of spare parts. The 2016 Defence White Paper stated that the Tigers would be retired early, and be replaced with different aircraft during the mid-2020s.[3]
On 15 January 2021, Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds announced that the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian had been selected for Project Land 4503 to replace the Tiger ARH.[4][5] A fleet of 29 Apaches will be acquired with a planned initial operational capability of 12 helicopters in 2026 and full operational capability in 2028.[5][6][7] The Defense Strategic Review in April 2023 stated that coinciding with the introduction of the new Apache fleet, the regiment would be relocating to RAAF Base Townsville, where it would be based alongside C Squadron of the 5th Aviation Regiment who operate the CH-47F Chinook.[8][9]
Current organisation
The regiment is currently organised as follows:[1]
Regimental Headquarters
161st Reconnaissance Squadron
162nd Reconnaissance Squadron
Technical Support Squadron
Logistic Support Squadron
Civil assistance and operations
INTERFET,
Operations Stabilise/Warden,
UNTAET & Operation Tanager,
NSW Flood Assistance,
Operation Gold (Sydney Olympics),
UNMISET & Operation Citadel,
Operation Anode,
Operation Guardian II,
Operation Astute.
Commanding Officers
LTCOL WJ Slocombe - April 1966 - February 1968
LTCOL RR Harding - February 1986 - September 1969
LTCOL BH Cooper - November 1972 - December 1975
LTCOL G Hill-Smith, DFC - December 1975 - October 1978
LTCOL CT Barnett - December 1980 - December 1983
LTCOL AJ Fritsch - December 1983 - December 1985
LTCOL HR Pronk - December 198 - December 1991
LTCOL BW Millen - January 1992 - October 1993
LTCOL PJ Neuhaus - November 1993 - December 1994
LTCOL NJ Crowther - January 1995 - December 1996
LTCOL AR MacDonald - December 1996 - December 1998
LTCOL CI Evans - December 1998 - January 2001
LTCOL PS Smith - January 2001 - December 2002
LTCOL NA Turton - January 2003 - January 2005
LTCOL A Jones - January 2006 - January 2007
LTCOL B Dwyer - August 2007 - December 2009
LTCOL Fenwick - September 2009 - December 2011
LTCOL GA Moten - November 2011 - December 2013
LTCOL D Thompson - January 2014 - January 2016
LTCOL Hayden Archibald - December 2015 - December 2017
LTCOL Daniel Bartle - December 2017 - December 2019
LTCOL Steve Hicks - January 2020 - December 2021
LTCOL Joel Domigan - January 2022 - Current
Regimental Sergeant Majors
WO1 CC Mils - April 1966 - December 1967
WO1 GA Way - March 1968 - June 1968
WO1 RAF Bassett - June 1968 - July 1969
WO1 WJ Bryson - February 1972 - September 1972
WO1 J Gordon May 1974 - May 1978
WO1 RS Hannah - May 1978 - July 1980
WO1 AP Flanagan - July 1980 - January 1981
WO1 FV McLean - January 1981 - December 1981
WO1 RE Smith, OAM - December 1981 - December 1983
WO1 GA Crowley - December 1983 - December 1985
WO1 HA King, OAM - December 1985 - December 1986
WO1 Porter - December 1986 - December 1988
WO1 GR Neumann - December 1988 - December 1990
WO1 John. A Lavery - December 1990 - December 1992
WO1 PC Little - December 1992 - August 1994
WO1 SJ Fairbrass - September 1994 - December 1996
WO1 DA Stephens - December 1996 - December 1999
WO1 JA Merrick - January 2000 - December 2001
WO1 DJ English - January 2002 - November 2003
WO1 Kieth R Coggins - December 2003 - December 2005
WO1 WG Marks - December 2005 - December 2006
WO1 Paul Richardson - December 2006 - December 2007
↑ "Apaches for Army". Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1481ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. 4 February 2021. p.2. ISSN0729-5685. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
↑ Prime Minister Scott Morrison; Minister for Defence Peter Dutton; Minister for Defence Industry, Minister for Science and Technology Melissa Price (9 May 2022). "Securing our national security and local defence jobs and skills". Liberal Party of Australia (Press release). Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
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