No. 658 Squadron AAC

658 Squadron AAC is a British Army helicopter squadron part of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing.[2] The squadron was re-designated from 8 Flight AAC in 2013.[1]

This article is about the Army Air Corps. For the Royal Air Force, see No. 658 Squadron RAF.
658 Squadron AAC
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II in 2010
Active1 Sept 2013 – Present[1]
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeAviation
RoleSpecial operations aviation support
Part ofJoint Special Forces Aviation Wing
Garrison/HQStirling Lines
Motto(s)Latin: Videmus Delemus
(Translation: "We see and destroy")[1]
Aircraft flown
HelicopterEurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II

History

658 Squadron

No. 658 Squadron traces it lineage to the Royal Air Force No. 658 Squadron formed in April 1943 and disbanded in November 1955.[3]

No. 658 Squadron AAC was formed on 24 October 1969 at Minden as part of the 1 Division Aviation Squadron AAC.[4][5] In 1978, squadron moved to Soest as part of 4 Regiment AAC and disbanded.[4] The squadron reformed c. 1982 as part of 7 Regiment AAC based at Airfield Camp, Netheravon.[4] In April 1995, the squadron became a Territorial Army unit part of 7 Regiment AAC (Volunteers).[4]

On 1 April 2009, the squadron was disbanded at Netheravon.[1]

8 Flight

8 Flight traces it lineage to the Royal Air Force No. 1908 AOP Flight formed on 31 December 1946, disbanded on 7 October 1955 and later reformed on 16 October that year.[6]

On 1 September 1957, 8 Flight AAC was formed as 8 Reconnaissance Flight with the transfer of No. 1908 AOP Flight based at RAF Idris in Libya to the newly formed Army Air Corps.[6] The flight relocated to Kenya where it was re-designated as 8 Flight AAC.[7][8] The flight subsequently relocated to Aden operating the Westland Scout helicopter.[8][9] The flight later deployed to Northern Ireland operating the Scout and Bell Sioux helicopters.[10] In 1979, the flight was based at Airfield Camp, Netheravon.[11] In 1984, the Agusta A109A/AM helicopter entered service with the flight.[12][13] In 1984, the flight was part of 7 Regiment AAC.[14][13] The flight operated a fleet of four A109As in civilian livery, two of which were captured from the Argentine forces in the Falklands War and allocated to the flight.[15][16] In 1995, 7 Regiment re-roled as a Territorial Army unit 7 Regiment AAC (V).[14] In 2000, the flight relocated to Stirling Lines.[8]

In 2001, the flight was incorporated into the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing (JSFAW).[2] The flight operated the Westland Gazelle AH1 helicopter c. 2007.[17][18] In 2009, the flight converted from the A109A to four Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin helicopters in civilian livery.[19][20] The flight operated the Gazelle AH1 c. 2012.[21]

Present day

On 1 September 2013, 8 Flight AAC was re-designated as 658 Squadron AAC.[1][22]

In June 2017, the squadron landed a Dauphin on London Bridge to provide support to the Metropolitan Police Service in response to the London Bridge terrorist attack.[23]

Aircraft operated
AircraftVariantIntroducedIn serviceNotes
Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin[24] II20096[25]

See also

References
  1. "658 Squadron AAC". Facebook. Army Air Corps. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  2. "JSFAW - Responsibilities and Composition". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014.
  3. "658 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016.
  4. "658 Sqn Army Air Corps History". British Army. Archived from the original on 23 February 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  5. "658 Squadron". British Army units from 1945 on. 30 June 2019.
  6. "Flight Histories - 1900 Series". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  7. Hickey, Colonel Michael (2013). "Air Op and the Army Air Corps, Post WW II" (PDF). Royal Air Force Historical Society. Windrush Group. 54. ISSN 1361-4231. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  8. "8 Flight AAC". British Army units from 1945 on. 10 February 2016.
  9. The Likes of Leicester by Ross Mallock (2013), p. 37, at Google Books
  10. Operation Banner: The British Army in Northern Ireland 1969 – 2007 by Nicholas van der Bijl at Google Books
  11. Wheeler, Barry C (1979). Air Forces of the World. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 39. ISBN 9780684162867.
  12. Secretary of State for Defence Bob Ainsworth (22 June 2008). "Helicopters - Column 1835W". www.parliament.uk. House of Commons. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  13. "Movements December 1984". Soesterberg Movements. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  14. 'LZ' (Spring 2012). "Airfield Camp, Netheravon 1912 – 2012" (PDF). Army Air Corps Journal. No. 52. pp. 40–42. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2013.
  15. Secretary of State for Defence Adam Ingram (27 June 2005). "Helicopters - Column 1207W". www.parliament.uk. House of Commons. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  16. "World's Air Forces". Flight International. Flight Global. 30 November 1985.
  17. Secretary of State for Defence Bob Ainsworth (1 October 2007). "Military Aircraft: Helicopters - Column 2351W". www.parliament.uk. House of Commons. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  18. "8 Flight". Helicopter History Site. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  19. Secretary of State for Defence Quentin Davies (15 January 2009). "Military Aircraft: Helicopters - Column 883W". www.parliament.uk. House of Commons. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  20. Tim Ripley (10 December 2008). "UK Army Air Corps received Dauphins". Jane's Defence Weekly. 45 (50): 10.
  21. Ministry of Defence (19 February 2015). "Chapter 4 - Formations, Vessels, Aircraft and Vehicles of the Armed Forces". United Kingdom Defence Statistics 2012 (PDF). Aircraft Table 4.10. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  22. Gary Parsons (January 2014). "News briefs". AirForces Monthly. No. 310. Stamford: Key Publishing. p. 7. ISSN 0955-7091.}
  23. Farmer, Ben (4 June 2017). "SAS 'Blue Thunder' helicopter team called in after London attack". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  24. Ripley, Tom (July 2015). "Britain's Flying Soldiers Back at home base". AirForces Monthly. No. 328. Stamford: Key Publishing. p. 78. ISSN 0955-7091.
  25. Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) Julian Brazier (4 March 2015). "Military Aircraft: Written question - 225371 - Aircraft Platforms table". www.parliament.uk. House of Commons. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
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