5 Regiment Army Air Corps

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5 Regiment Army Air Corps
Active1 October 1993 – present
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
TypeAviation
Size Regiment
Part of Joint Aviation Command
Garrison/HQ Middle Wallop Flying Station
Motto(s)Nothing is Impossible
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryThe Regimental emblem is the Army Air Corps Cap Badge with the Roman numerals V beneath.

5 Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is part of the Joint Aviation Command (JAC). [1] The regiment was formerly based in Northern Ireland at Aldergrove Flying Station, but is now based at Middle Wallop Flying Station.

Contents

History

5 Regiment traces its origin to the Northern Ireland Regiment formed on 1 November 1979 at RAF Aldergrove. [2] [3] On 1 October 1993, the Northern Ireland Regiment was renamed 5 Regiment AAC. [2]

The regiment consisted of No. 655 (The Scottish Horse) Squadron AAC, No. 665 Squadron AAC and 1 Flight AAC. [4] 655 Squadron operated the Westland Lynx AH7 helicopter. [5] 665 Squadron operated the Westland Gazelle AH1 helicopter. [6] 1 Flight operated the fixed wing Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft which had entered service on 10 March 1989. [7]

The primary task of 1 Flight was photo reconnaissance under the direction of the Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (Northern Ireland) (RIC(NI). [8] [9] In 2000, the (RIC(NI)) was renamed the Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre and Geographic Centre (Northern Ireland) (RIGC(NI)). [9]

In March 2007, 655 Squadron was disbanded as Operation Banner was drawing to a close and due to a need to reduce the Lynx fleet set to be retired in 2012. [10] [11] The Lynx aircraft of 655 remained at RAF Aldergrove and was operated by 665 Squadron through to the end of Operation Banner on 31 July 2007. [11] [10] On 1 August 2007, Operation Helvetic commenced with 665 Squadron operating the Gazelle and 1 Flight operating the Islander. [12]

In July 2008, No. 651 Squadron of 1 Regiment AAC moved to RAF Aldergrove and became part of 5 Regiment. [13] 651 Squadron had been re-raised in 2006 at RAF Odiham to operate the Britten-Norman Defender fixed wing aircraft which had entered service in March 2004. [14] [15] 1 Flight was integrated into 651 Squadron following the squadron's move to Aldergrove. [14] [16]

In 2009, RAF Aldergrove was renamed Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove. [17] In 2010, the tri-service RIGC(NI) became part of 5 Regiment. [9] In 2018, the RIGC(NI) was renamed No. 3 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron and transferred to the Royal Air Force as part of No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing. [18] [19]

On 1 April 2019, 651 Squadron and its aircraft, the Britten-Norman Defender and Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, were transferred to the Royal Air Force as part of ISTAR Force in No. 1 Group based at RAF Waddington. [20] [21] [22] 651 Squadron continued to operate the aircraft until they were retired from service on 30 June 2021. [20] [23] [24] On 1 August 2021, 651 Squadron transferred back to the Army as part of 1 Regiment AAC. [25]

By November 2024, the regiment had moved from Aldergrove Flying Station to Middle Wallop Flying Station, the home of the Army Aviation Centre and Headquarters, Army Air Corps. [26]

The regiment had administrative responsibility for No. 29 (BATUS) Flight AAC based at Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Canada, which formerly operated Gazelle helicopters, until the flight was placed in suspended animation in October 2021. [27] [13] [28]

Structure

The regiment consists of:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)</span> Aviation arm of the British Army

The Army Air Corps (AAC) is the aviation arm 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 Combat Team, through Joint Aviation Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aldergrove Flying Station</span> British Army Flying Station in Northern Ireland

Aldergrove Flying Station, also known previously as JHC FS Aldergrove, is a British military base located 4.4 miles (7.1 km) south of Antrim, Northern Ireland and 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Belfast, and adjoins Belfast International Airport. It is sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of a nearby hamlet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britten-Norman Defender</span> Military series of the BN-2 utility transport aircraft

The Britten-Norman Defender is a multi-role utility transport aircraft, manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. It is the military version of the Britten-Norman Islander, developed for roles such as utility transport, casualty evacuation, counter-insurgency and light attack, forward air control, patrol and reconnaissance. The term 'Britten-Norman Defender' refers to all militarised variants of the BN-2 product line including the BN-2 Piston Defender, the BN-2T Turbine Defender, the BN-2T-4R Defender and the stretched variant BN-2T-4S, designated Defender 4000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Gütersloh</span> Former Royal Air Force station in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Royal Air Force Gütersloh, more commonly known as RAF Gütersloh, was a Royal Air Force Germany military airfield, the nearest Royal Air Force airfield to the East/West German border, in the vicinity of the town of Gütersloh. It was constructed by the Germans prior to the Second World War. The station was captured by the Americans in April 1945 and was handed over to the RAF in June 1945 as Headquarters No. 2 Group RAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Wallop Flying Station</span> Military airfield in Hampshire, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 656 Squadron AAC</span> Military unit

656 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps. It was chosen as one of the AAC new AgustaWestland Apache squadrons and in April 2004 started its conversion to role. The first phase of this completed in October 2004. The squadron was the first operational Apache squadron in the Army Air Corps and was awarded fully operational status along with the remainder of 9 Regiment AAC in June 2005. It is under 4 Regiment AAC as of 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing</span> Military unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 651 Squadron AAC</span> Military unit

No. 651 Squadron Army Air Corps, is an aircraft squadron of the British Army, originally formed as No. 651 Squadron Royal Air Force in Italy and North Africa during the Second World War, and afterwards in Egypt. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units which had both Army and RAF personnel. The pilots, drivers and signallers were in the Royal Artillery whilst the adjutants, technical staff and equipment officers came from the RAF. Air observation posts were used primarily for artillery spotting, but occasionally for liaison and other duties. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Ballykelly</span> Former Royal Air Force station in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

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No. 679 Squadron AAC is a British Army Reserve helicopter support squadron and is part of the 6 Regiment Army Air Corps. The squadron provides groundcrews to support Apache AH1 helicopters.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 658 Squadron AAC</span> Military unit

658 Squadron AAC is a special operations support squadron of the Army Air Corps (AAC) unit of the British Army that provides dedicated aviation support to the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment for domestic counterterrorism (CT) and CSAR operations. The squadron is co-located with 22 SAS at Stirling Lines. The press has given the squadron, their helicopters, and the CT response force they enable, the nickname "Blue Thunder". The squadron is part of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing.

No. 665 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps. It was formerly No. 665 Squadron, a Royal Canadian Air Force air observation post squadron that was operational during the Second World War between 22 January and 10 July 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3 Regiment Army Air Corps</span> Military unit

3 RegimentArmy Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is under the command of the 1st Aviation Brigade Combat Team within Joint Aviation Command (JAC). The regiment operates the Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, and is based out of Wattisham Flying Station.

No. 660 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC). It was formerly No. 660 Squadron RAF, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group during the Second World War. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.

No. 654 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) that is currently the Headquarters Squadron for 4 Regt AAC. It was formerly No. 654 Squadron RAF, a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957.

1 Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the Army Air Corps (AAC).

No. 2 Wing AAC is a former wing of the British Army's Army Air Corps which was based in the United Kingdom.

No. 1 Flight AAC was an independent flight within the British Army's Army Air Corps. It was formerly No. 1 Reconnaissance Flight AAC and before that No. 1901 Air Observation Post Flight RAF

References

  1. ↑ "Joint Helicopter Commando". British Army. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  2. 1 2 "5 Regiment - History". British Army. 12 April 2006. Archived from the original on 3 October 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  3. ↑ "Army Air Corps - Major Units 5 to 9". British Army units from 1945 on. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  4. ↑ "Units of 5 Regiment Army Air Corps". British Army. 22 November 2006. Archived from the original on 9 January 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  5. ↑ "History of 655 Squadron". British Army. 12 April 2006. Archived from the original on 15 May 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  6. ↑ "5 Regiment - 665 Squadron". British Army. 31 October 2006. Archived from the original on 9 January 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  7. ↑ "5 Regiment - 1 Flight AAC". British Army. 31 October 2006. Archived from the original on 9 January 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  8. ↑ "1 Flight AAC History". British Army. Archived from the original on 4 July 2006. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 Merritt, Flt Lt; Wright, Flt Lt. "A Brief History and Update for the Reconnaissance Intelligence and Geographic Centre (Northern Ireland)". The Institution of Royal Engineers. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  10. 1 2 Minister of State for the Armed Forces Adam Ingram (24 March 2006). "Written Ministerial Statements - 655 Squadron Army Air Corps". UK Parliament. House of Commons. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  11. 1 2 "5 Regt AAC NI" (PDF). LZDZ Newspaper of the Joint Helicopter Command. Summer 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2009.
  12. ↑ "Operation HELVETIC - Joint Helicopter Force Northern Ireland (JHF(NI))". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 15 August 2007.
  13. 1 2 "5 Regiment Army Air Corps". British Army. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  14. 1 2 "651 Squadron Army Air Corps". British Army. Archived from the original on 4 June 2017.
  15. ↑ "Defender". British Army. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018.
  16. ↑ Warner, Guy (2011). First in the Field : The Story of 651, the Army Air Corps' Premier Squadron. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation. ISBN   9781848842632.
  17. ↑ "JHC FS Aldergrove". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  18. ↑ Haley, Sqn Ldr Sam, ed. (Summer 2021). "1 ISR Wing Fifth Anniversary" (PDF). INSIGHT - The magazine of RAF Waddington. Kettering: Lance Print Ltd. p. 7. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  19. ↑ "RAF Waddington". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  20. 1 2 Jennings, Gareth (2 April 2019). "UK transfers Defender and Islander special mission aircraft from AAC to RAF". Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  21. ↑ Hay, Air Cdre Nick (2019). Michell, Simon (ed.). "ISTAR evolution". Air & Space Power 2019 Multi-Domain Operations for the Next Generation Air Force. Essex: Global Media Partners: 75. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  22. ↑ Air Vice Marshal Harvey Smyth Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group [@@HarvSmyth] (1 April 2019). "Handover of Fixed Wing Manned Aerial Surveillance from Army to RAF" (Tweet) – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ↑ "Farewell Islander/Defender". Scramble. Dutch Aviation Society. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  24. ↑ "British Army Retires Final Defender, Islander Aircraft" . Key.Aero. Key Publishing. 12 July 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  25. ↑ 1 Regiment Army Air Corps [@@1_Regt_AAC] (1 August 2021). "651 Sqn AAC moves to 1 Regt AAC" (Tweet) – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ↑ "Army Air Corps | The British Army". 14 November 2024.
  27. ↑ "29 (BATUS) Flight Army Air Corps". British Army. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  28. ↑ "20241128 FOI22256 response.pdf". www.whatdotheyknow.com. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  29. ↑ "665 Squadron Army Air Corps". British Army. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
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