| 822X Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 2018–Current |
| Country |  Australia |
| Branch |  Royal Australian Navy |
| Type | Trials unit |
| Size | One squadron |
| Part of | Fleet Air Arm |
| Airbase | HMAS Albatross |
| Motto(s) | "See the Enemy" |
| Equipment | Boeing Insitu ScanEagle Schiebel Camcopter S-100 |
822X Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron established in October 2018. Its role is to trial unmanned aerial vehicles.
The RAN established a Navy UAS Development Unit in late 2012. This unit was tasked with experimenting with a UAV to test the type's suitability and begin developing procedures. It began flying its first UAV, a leased Boeing Insitu ScanEagle, in March 2013. The Navy purchased two ScanEagles in June 2015, and the unit was renamed the Naval Unmanned Aircraft Systems Unit. Schiebel Camcopter S-100 UAVs were acquired in late 2016, and accepted into RAN service on 30 April 2018. [1]
822X Squadron was formed at HMAS Albatross on 25 October 2018 by redesignating the Naval Unmanned Aircraft Systems Unit. [2] The X in its title indicates that it is a developmental unit; this is the first time the Royal Australian Navy has used such a designation. [3]
The squadron's role is to experiment with operating UAVs and develop procedures for integrating them into the Navy. Upon formation, the squadron was equipped with Insitu ScanEagle and Camcopter S-100 UAVs. These are intelligence UAVs equipped with high quality cameras. [3] 822X Squadron's title was drawn from the serial number of the Naval Unmanned Aircraft Systems Unit's first aircraft, a ScanEagle designated AV1422. [3]
As of October 2018, the RAN intended to trial the Camcopter S-100s and ScanEagles for three to five years, and purchase other UAVs in the 2022-23 financial year. [4]
The AAI RQ-2 Pioneer is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that had been used by the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Army, and deployed at sea and on land from 1986 until 2007. Initially tested aboard USS Iowa, the RQ-2 Pioneer was placed aboard Iowa-class battleships to provide gunnery spotting, its mission evolving into reconnaissance and surveillance, primarily for amphibious forces.
The AAI RQ-7 Shadow is an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used by the United States Army, Australian Army, Swedish Army, Turkish Air Force and Italian Army for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and battle damage assessment. Launched from a trailer-mounted pneumatic catapult, it is recovered with the aid of arresting gear similar to jets on an aircraft carrier. Its gimbal-mounted, digitally stabilized, liquid nitrogen-cooled electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera relays video in real time via a C-band line-of-sight data link to the ground control station (GCS).
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II in a Maritime Strike Role, the AW159 Wildcat and AW101 Merlin in both Commando and Anti-Submarine roles, and the BAE Hawk in an aggressor role.
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The Fleet Air Arm (FAA), known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy. FAA personnel fought in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and participated in later conflicts and operations from host warships.
700 Naval Air Squadron is an experimental test squadron in the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm.
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