No. 7 Flight Army Air Corps | |
---|---|
Active | 1 September 1957 –1 August 2021 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Helicopter flight |
Role | Transport |
Part of | Army Air Corps |
Last home base | Medicina Lines, Seria, Brunei Darussalam [1] |
Aircraft flown | |
Helicopter | Bell 212 AH1/AH3 |
No. 7 Flight Army Air Corps (No. 7 Flt AAC) was an independent flight of the British Army's Army Air Corps, latterly based at the British garrison at Medicina Lines in Seria, Brunei, on the island of Borneo. [1]
The flight was originally formed as No. 7 Reconnaissance Flight Army Air Corps in 1 September 1957 , at what was then known as Taiping, British Malaya [2] and was part of No. 656 Squadron AAC. [3] On 24 December 1962, 7 Recce Flight AAC then moved to Brunei on the island of Borneo, and remained there until 31 December 1966, when it was disbanded. [3]
No. 7 Flight Army Air Corps was re-formed in 1970 , at RAF Gatow in Berlin, where it operated Bell Sioux AH.1, and from 1977 until 1994, Westland Gazelle AH.1 helicopters. [3] It was part of the Berlin Infantry Brigade. [3] It was disbanded October 1994, [3] and then returning to Borneo, it reformed on 1 November 1994 at Seria in Brunei, where it supported the resident infantry battalion from the Brigade of Gurkhas, and the Training Team Brunei (TTB), which runs jungle warfare training courses. [3] [4] The flight used Bell 212 AH1 and AH3 light helicopters. [3] [4]
On 1 August 2021 , the flight was expanded and raised to squadron size, and consequently re-designated as No. 667 Squadron AAC. [4]
Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective name which refers to all the units in the British Army that are composed of Nepalese Gurkha soldiers. The brigade draws its heritage from Gurkha units that originally served in the British Indian Army prior to Indian independence, and prior to that served for the East India Company. The brigade includes infantry, engineering, signal, logistic and training and support units. They are known for their khukuri, a distinctive heavy knife with a curved blade, and have a reputation for being fierce and brave soldiers.
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.
British Forces Overseas Hong Kong comprised the elements of the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force stationed in British Hong Kong. The Governor of Hong Kong also assumed the position of the commander-in-chief of the forces and the Commander British Forces in Hong Kong took charge of the daily deployment of the troops. Much of the British military left prior to the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997. The present article focuses mainly on the British garrison in Hong Kong in the post Second World War era. For more information concerning the British garrison during the Second World War and earlier, see the Battle of Hong Kong.
The Brunei revolt or the Brunei rebellion of 1962 was a December 1962 insurrection in the British protectorate of Brunei by opponents of its monarchy and its proposed inclusion in the Federation of Malaysia who wanted to establish a republic. The insurgents were members of the TNKU, a militia supplied by Indonesia and linked to the left-wing Brunei People's Party (BPP), which favoured a North Borneo Federation. The TNKU began co-ordinated attacks on the oil town of Seria, on police stations, and on government facilities around the protectorate. The revolt began to break down within hours, having failed to achieve key objectives such as the capture of Brunei Town and Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The revolt influenced the Sultan's 1963 decision not to join Malaysia. It is seen as one of the first stages of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.
Seria or officially known as Seria Town, is a town in Belait District, Brunei. It is located about 65 kilometres (40 mi) west from the country's capital Bandar Seri Begawan. The total population was 3,625 in 2016. It was where oil was first struck in Brunei in 1929 and has since become a centre for the country's oil and gas industry.
667 Squadron AAC is a former squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).
16 Flight AAC was an independent flight within the British Army's Army Air Corps. It appears to have initially been formed in 1961, and operated in Aden and Borneo. Reformed circa 1982, it was based at Dhekelia in Cyprus, It operated in support of Army units based there. The unit operated Westland Gazelle AH.1 helicopters.
The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) is the military of the sultanate nation of Brunei Darussalam. In addition to the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Brunei also hosts bases for the British Army and the Singapore Armed Forces.
British Forces Brunei (BFB) is the name given to the British Armed Forces presence in Brunei Darussalam. Since the handover ceremony of Hong Kong in 1997, the garrison in Brunei is one of the remaining British military bases in the Far East, along with Singapore.
No. 663 Squadron was an air observation post (AOP) unit, manned with Polish Army personnel, which was officially formed in Italy on 14 August 1944. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadrons 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.
663 Squadron AAC is a flying unit of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).
The British Army Jungle Warfare Training School (JWTS) of the Jungle Warfare Division (JWD) is an overseas military training establishment of the British Army, tasked with providing operational training in hot, tropical, and jungle warfare environments. It is part of British Forces Brunei (BFB), and the JWTS is headquartered at Medicina Lines, near the Bruneian town Seria within Mukim Seria, Belait District, in the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; whilst its actual training facility is located at Sittang Camp in the Tutong District.
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.
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.
No. 1563 Flight Royal Air Force was an independent flight of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The flight formerly operated the Westland Puma HC2 helicopters in Brunei Darussalam. It previously flew tactical support missions for locally garrisoned British Army units, as well as Belize Defence Force units in Belize. Between 1963 and 1972, it was stationed at RAF Akrotiri flying Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 helicopters on support missions for locally garrisoned British Army and United Nations troops.
664 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps. It was formerly No. 664 Squadron, a Royal Air Force air observation post squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army 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.
The following is a hierarchical outline for the British Armed Forces at the end of the Cold War. It is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations.