ARMY AIR CORPS

The 'Army Air Corps' is a component of the British Army. There are eight regiments of the 'AAC' as well as five Independent Flights and two Independent Squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations across the world. They are located in Britain, Belize, Brunei, Canada, and Germany. The AAC provides the organic offensive air elements of 16th Air Assault Brigade.

Contents

History of the AAC

The first Army Air Corps

The present Army Air Corps

Present Day Units

Regiments

Independent Squadrons and Flights

Other units

Current Aircraft of the AAC

Other information

Order of Precedence

See also

External links

History of the AAC

The first Army Air Corps

The Army first took to the sky when the requirement for observation aircraft was realised during the First World War, with the creation of the Royal Flying Corps.
Between the wars, the Army used RAF co-operation squadrons, though a true army presence did not occur until WWII.
At the beginning of WWII, Royal Artillery officers, with the assistance of RAF technicians, flew Auster observation aircraft under RAF-owned Air Observation Post Squadrons. Twelve such squadrons were raised—three of which belonged to the RCAF—and each performed vital duties in a wide array of missions in many theatres.
In early WWII, Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, announced the establishment of a new branch of army aviation, the 'Army Air Corps', formed in 1942. The corps initially comprised the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Parachute Battalions (subsequently the Parachute Regiment), and the Air Observation Post Squadrons. In 1944, the re-formed SAS Regiment was added to the Corps.
One of their most successful exploits during the war was the attack on Pegasus Bridge, which occurred on 6 June, prior to the landings at Normandy. Once the three gliders landed, some roughly which incurred casualties, the pilots joined the Glider-borne troops (Ox's & Bucks Light Infantry) to act as infantry. The Bridge was taken within ten minutes of the battle commencing and the men there withheld numerous attempts by the Germans to re-capture the location. They were soon reinforced and relieved by soldiers from Lord Lovat's 1 Special Service Brigade, famously led by piper Bill Millin. It was subsequently further reinforced by units of the British 3rd Division.
The 'AAC' was broken up in 1949, with the SAS returning to its independent status, while the Parachute Regiment and Glider Pilot Regiment came under the umbrella of the 'Glider Pilot and Parachute Corps'. The pilots who had once flown gliders in WWII soon had to re-role into flying powered aircraft, becoming part of the Air Observation Post Squadrons.

The present Army Air Corps

In 1957 the Glider Pilot and Parachute Corps was renamed as 'The Parachute Corps', with the Glider Pilot Regiment, as well as the Air Observation Squadrons amalgamated into a new unit, the 'Army Air Corps'.
From 1970, nearly every army brigade had at least one Aviation Squadron that usually numbered twelve aircraft. The main rotor aircraft during the 1970s were the Scout and Sioux general purpose helicopters. Their power though was soon bolstered by the introduction of the Westland Lynx helicopter in 1977 as well as the unarmed Gazelle. A further boost in the Army Air Corp’s capability came in the form of the Apache Mk 1 attack helicopter. In 2006, British Apaches deployed to Afghanistan as part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force mission there. In July 2007 an order was placed for 4 Beechcraft King Air 200's for use in the surveillance role in Afghanistan, the type being much more capable than the islanders currently used.

Present Day Units

Regiments

★ '1 Regiment, Army Air Corps'

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★ 652 Squadron (until September 1957 No. 652 Squadron RAF)

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★ 661 Squadron

★ '2 (Training) Regiment, Army Air Corps'

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★ 668 (Training) Squadron

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★ 670 (Training) Squadron

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★ 671 (Training) Squadron

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★ 673 (AH Training) Squadron

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★ 676 (Training) Squadron

★ '3 Regiment, Army Air Corps'

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★ 653 Squadron

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★ 662 Squadron

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★ 663 Squadron

★ '4 Regiment, Army Air Corps'

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★ 654 Squadron

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★ 656 Squadron formerly No. 656 Squadron RAF

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★ 664 Squadron

★ '5 Regiment, Army Air Corps'

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★ 655 Squadron

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★ 665 Squadron

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★ 1 Flight

★ '6 (Volunteer) Regiment, Army Air Corps'

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★ 677 Squadron (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry)

★ '7 (Volunteer) Regiment, Army Air Corps'

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★ 658 Squadron

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★ 666 Squadron

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★ 3 Flight

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★ 6 Flight

★ '9 Regiment, Army Air Corps'

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★ 659 Squadron

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★ 669 Squadron

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★ 672 Squadron

Independent Squadrons and Flights

Independent Flights:

★ 7 Flight Army Air Corps (Brunei)

★ 8 Flight Army Air Corps (Hereford, United Kingdom)

★ 12 Flight Army Air Corps (Germany)

★ 25 Flight Army Air Corps (Belize)

★ 29 (BATUS) Flight Army Air Corps (Alberta, Canada)
Independent Squadrons:

★ 651 Squadron

★ 657 Squadron

Other units

★ 660 Squadron (Defence Helicopter Flying School)

★ 667 Squadron (Development and Trials)

★ 674 Squadron (Defence Elementary Flying Training School)

★ The Band Of The Army Air Corps

★ Army Air Corps Historic Aircraft Flight

★ The Army Air Corps Blue Eagles Display Team

★ The Army Air Corps Parachute Display Team

Current Aircraft of the AAC

★ Gazelle AH1

★ Lynx AH7

★ Lynx AH9

★ Apache AH Mk 1

★ Islander AL1

★ Bell 212HP AH Mk1

★ Agusta A109A

★ Auster AOP Mk 9 (HAF)

★ Scout AH Mk 1 (HAF)

★ Chipmunk T Mk 10 (HAF)

★ Beaver AL Mk 1 (HAF)

★ Allouette 2 (HAF)

★ Sioux (HAF)

★ Eurocopter Squirrel AS350B

★ Slingsby Firefly T67M260 (at DEFTS)

★ Slingsby Firefly 160 (at Army Flying Grading)

★ Beech King Air 200 (on order)
:See also List of aircraft of the Army Air Corps

Other information

★ 'Battle Honours': The Army Air Corps is classed, in UK military parlance, as a Combat Arm. It therefore carries its own guidon and is awarded battle honours. Thus far, the honours awarded to the AAC are:

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★ Falkland Islands 1982, Wadi al Batin, Gulf 1991, Al-Basrah, Iraq 2003

Order of Precedence

See also

★ Museum of Army Flying

★ List of Army Air Corps aircraft squadrons

★ List of air forces

External links

★ Army Air Corps

★ School of Army Aviation

★ Army Air Corps Historic Aircraft Flight official webpage

★ The Blue Eagles - Army Air Corps Helicopter Display Team official webpage

★ The Silver Eagles - Army Air Corps Freefall Parachute Display Team official webpage

★ The Museum of Army Flying

★ The Army Air Corps Association

★ Army Air Corps - regiments.org entry, with history and more web links