No. 675 (The Rifles) Squadron AAC

Last updated

675 (The Rifles) Squadron AAC
Active1 April 2014 - present
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army.svg British Army
TypeAviation
RoleHelicopter support
Part of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps
Bases Taunton
Yeovil

675 (The Rifles) Squadron AAC is an Army Reserve helicopter support squadron of the British Army Air Corps that provides groundcrews to support Wildcat helicopters. [1] The squadron is part of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps (6 Regt AAC) and is located in Somerset at Taunton and Yeovil. [1]

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. [1]

Paired with 1 Regiment Army Air Corps (1 Regt AAC) at RNAS Yeovilton, the Squadron provides ground support, Communications specialists, logisticians, medics, chefs and administration staff to the Army's new 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.

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, through Joint Helicopter Command.

RNAS Yeovilton (HMS <i>Heron</i>) Fleet Air Arm main operating base in Somerset, England, United Kingdom

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commando Helicopter Force</span> Element of the British Royal Navy and Joint Helicopter Command

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildcat Demo Team</span> Aerobatics display team of the Royal Navy

The Wildcat Demo Team are the Royal Navy's helicopter aerobatics display team. The team is composed of two AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2 anti-submarine and anti-shipping helicopters, with the aircraft and crews drawn from 825 Naval Air Squadron, based at RNAS Yeovilton , in Somerset.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">846 Naval Air Squadron</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Navy

846 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">815 Naval Air Squadron</span> Military unit

815 Naval Air Squadron is a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron flying the AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA.2 helicopter and is the Navy's front line Wildcat Naval Air Squadron. The squadron is based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. The squadron is capable of carrying out multiple roles such as: counter-narcotics, anti-piracy, Above Surface Warfare (ASuW), search and rescue, disaster relief and flying and engineering training. In the early 2000s, the Navy said that the squadron was largest helicopter squadron in Europe.

663 Squadron AAC is a flying unit of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).

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

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.

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.

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.

<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. 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 Helicopter Command (JHC). The regiment is based in Northern Ireland at JHC Flying Station Aldergrove.

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.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Aviation Brigade Combat Team (United Kingdom)</span> Military unit

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildcat Maritime Force</span> Element of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm

Wildcat Maritime Force (WMF) is a unit of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. Its primary role is to deploy the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat HMA2, a battlefield utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and troop transport helicopter, to the frontline. Wildcat Maritime Force is formed of two squadrons, both based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, England, 815 Naval Air Squadron for frontline operations and 825 Naval Air Squadron for engineer training and aircrew conversion.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "675 Squadron Army Air Corps". British Army. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2016.