6 Regiment Army Air Corps | |
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Active | 2006 – present |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Aviation |
Role | Helicopter support |
Size | Regiment 575 personnel [1] |
Part of | Joint Aviation Command (JAC) |
Headquarters | Middle Wallop Flying Station |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge heraldry | The Regimental emblem is the Army Air Corps Cap Badge with the Roman numerals VI beneath. |
6 Regiment Army Air Corps is the sole Army Reserve regiment of the British Army Air Corps (AAC). The regiment consists of four Squadrons based around the south of the UK. 6 Regiment provides soldiers trained to assist Joint Aviation Command on exercise and operations both in the UK and worldwide. The regiment provides support to support and attack helicopter in roles including Aviation Groundcrew Specialists, Aviation Communication Operators and Aviation Support Officers.
6 Regiment was formed on 2 July 2006 at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. It is the only reserves regiment of the Army Air Corps. [2] The regiment was initially formed as an attack helicopter ground crew regiment, providing attack helicopter support to the regular Army Air Corps regiments at Wattisham Flying Station. [3] The regiment has since begun training ground crew to work with the AugustaWestland AW159 Wildcat, allowing it to provide general support to the majority of the Army Air Corps.
In 2009 655 Squadron (V) The Scottish Horse joined the regiment.
The Army 2020 and Future Reserves 20 announcements in July 2013 made significant changes to the role and structure of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps. Those changes were expected to be largely in place by 1 April 2014, with extensive conversion training continuing until approximately 2017. [4]
The role of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps is to provide ground support to Army aviation units operating the Boeing AH-64E Apache and the AgustaWestland Wildcat. 6 Regiment Army Air Corps is also capable of providing wider support to all aviation units within the Joint Aviation Command both on exercise and on operations. More specifically the roles of 6 Regt AAC and its personnel are:
The Army Reserve does not recruit pilots for flying roles.
6 Regiment Army Air Corps previously supplied troops to Operation Herrick, and to Operation Telic.
As of November 2024, 6 Regiment Army Air Corps consists of a Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) and four squadrons:
675 (The Rifles) Squadron AAC | |
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Active | 1 April 2014 - present |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Aviation |
Role | Helicopter support |
Part of | 6 Regiment Army Air Corps |
Bases | Taunton Yeovil |
675 (The Rifles) Squadron AAC is an Army Reserve helicopter support squadron that provides groundcrews to support Wildcat helicopters. [6] The squadron is located in Somerset at Taunton and Yeovil. [6]
The Squadron was established on 1 April 2014 having previously been B Company, 6th Battalion, The Rifles, an Army Reserve infantry regiment, previously part of The Light Infantry. [6]
Paired with 1 Regiment Army Air Corps (1 Regt AAC) at RNAS Yeovilton, the squadron provides ground support to the Army's AgustaWestland Wildcat helicopter Regt, 1 Reg AAC based at Yeovilton. It also has scope to support the Army's AgustaWestland Apache attack helicopter. All soldiers in the Squadron are trained in rigging and dealing with underslung loads which can be carried by a variety of aircraft including both AgustaWestland Merlin and Boeing Chinook.
The Squadron has two flights currently based at the Army Reserve Centre in Bishops Hull, Taunton also has a Flight based in the newly refurbished Army Reserve Centre in Yeovil in the county of Somerset. It is paired with 1 Regt AAC at RNAS Yeovilton.
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.
Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, commonly referred to as RNAS Yeovilton, is an 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.
663 Squadron AAC is a flying unit of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).
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.
Wattisham Flying Station, formerly Wattisham Airfield, is a British Army airfield and barracks located near the village of Wattisham in Suffolk, England. It is home to the Army Air Corps' Apache attack helicopter force. A helicopter repair facility provided by 7 Aviation Support Battalion, REME and 132 Aviation Supply Squadron, RLC is also based at the airfield.
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.
2 (Training) Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army's Army Air Corps. It is responsible for all of the Army Air Corps' groundcrew Phase 2 and 3 training, as well as the Ground Support Commanders Course for officers. The Regiment is based at AAC Middle Wallop and is made up of two squadrons:
No. 662 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) which flies the Boeing AH-64E Apache from Wattisham Flying Station as part of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps. It was formerly No. 662 Squadron, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group during the Second World War and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. 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.
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.
1 Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the Army Air Corps (AAC).
5 Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is part of the Joint Aviation Command (JAC). The regiment was formerly based in Northern Ireland at Aldergrove Flying Station, but is now based at Middle Wallop Flying Station.
No. 652 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC). It was previously No. 652 Squadron RAF, a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and afterwards in Germany.
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 helicopters as part of 1 Regiment Army Air Corps. It was formerly No. 659 Squadron RAF, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the 21st Army Group during World War II. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons of the RAF were air observation post units working closely with 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.
No. 669 (HQ) Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC) which was disbanded as a flying Squadron on 31 July 2016 and reformed as HQ Sqn 3AAC in 2021. It was formerly No. 669 Squadron RAF, a glider squadron of the Royal Air Force active during the Second World War as part of No. 229 Group RAF, South East Asia Command
This is the Operation Herrick aerial order of battle, which lists any aerial or airfield protection units of the British armed forces that have taken part in the duration of Operation Herrick between 2002 and 2014.
7 (Training) Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is part of the Joint Helicopter Command. The regiment is responsible for providing all of the flight training of Army Air Corps (AAC) pilots. The regiment is based at the Army Aviation Centre at Middle Wallop.
The 1st Aviation Brigade Combat Team is an aviation formation of the British Army. 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, formerly the Attack Helicopter Force (AHF) at Wattisham and the Aviation Reconnaissance Force at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. It reached initial operating capability on 1 April 2021 and full operating capability on 1 January 2023.