Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)

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Army Air Corps
Cap Badge of the Army Air Corps
Active	1942–1949, 1957–present
Country	UK
Branch	British Army
Type	Army aviation branch
Role	Battlefield support and reconnaissance
Size	8 regiments, 2 independent squadrons, 5 independent flights
Garrison/HQ	1 Regiment: Gütersloh, Germany 2 Regiment: Middle Wallop 3 Regiment: RAF Wattisham 4 Regiment: RAF Wattisham 5 Regiment: RAF Aldergrove 6 Regiment: TA Reserve 7 Regiment: TA Reserve 9 Regiment: Dishforth
March	Quick: Recce Flight Slow: Thievish Magpie
Battle honours	Falkland Islands 1982, Wadi al Batin, Gulf 1991, Al-Basrah, Iraq, 2003
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief	HRH The Prince of Wales
Colonel of the Regiment	General Sir Francis Richard Dannatt, KCB, CBE, MC
Insignia
Roundels
Aircraft flown
Attack	Lynx, Apache AH Mk 1
Patrol	Lynx
Reconnaissance	Gazelle AH1, Islander AL1
Trainer	Eurocopter Squirrel AS350BB
Transport	Bell 212HP, Lynx, Agusta A109A, Islander AL1

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 1 History of the AAC 1.1 The first Army Air Corps 1.2 The present Army Air Corps 2 Present Day Units 2.1 Regiments 2.2 Independent Squadrons and Flights 2.3 Other units 3 Current Aircraft of the AAC 3.1 Historic Aircraft Flight 4 Other information 5 Order of Precedence 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History of the AAC

[edit] The first Army Air Corps

The British Army first took to the sky during the 19th century with the use of observation balloons. In 1911 the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was the first heavier-than-air British military unit. The following year, the Battalion was expanded into the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps which saw action throughout most of the First World War until 1 April 1918 when it was merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force.

Between the wars, the Army used RAF co-operation squadrons, though a true army presence did not occur until the Second World War.

At the beginning of the Second World War, 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.

Early in the war, 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 1944, prior to the landings on 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 the gliders soon had to transfer to flying powered aircraft, becoming part of the Air Observation Post Squadrons.

[edit] The present Army Air Corps

In 1957 the Glider Pilot and Parachute Corps was renamed as The Parachute Regiment, 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. In July 2007 an order was placed for 4 Beechcraft King Air 350s for use in the surveillance role in Afghanistan, the type being much more capable than the Islanders currently used.

[edit] Present Day Units

British Army Arms and Services

Combat Arms Royal Armoured Corps Infantry Guards Division Scottish Division King's Division Queen's Division Prince of Wales' Division Royal Irish Regiment Parachute Regiment Royal Gurkha Rifles The Rifles Special Air Service Regiment Army Air Corps Combat Support Arms Royal Regiment of Artillery Corps of Royal Engineers Royal Corps of Signals Intelligence Corps Combat Services Royal Army Chaplains Department Royal Logistic Corps Army Medical Services Royal Army Medical Corps Royal Army Dental Corps Royal Army Veterinary Corps Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Adjutant General's Corps Army Legal Services Branch Royal Military Police Military Provost Staff Corps Small Arms School Corps Army Physical Training Corps General Service Corps Corps of Army Music

[edit] Regiments

• 1 Regiment, Army Air Corps
  • 652 Squadron (until September 1957 No. 652 Squadron RAF)
  • 661 Squadron
• 2 (Training) Regiment, Army Air Corps
  • 668 (Training) Squadron
  • 670 (Training) Squadron
  • 671 (Training) Squadron
  • 673 (AH Training) Squadron
  • 676 (Training) Squadron
• 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps
  • 653 Squadron
  • 662 Squadron
  • 663 Squadron
• 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps
  • 654 Squadron
  • 656 Squadron formerly No. 656 Squadron RAF
  • 664 Squadron
• 5 Regiment, Army Air Corps
  • 655 (Scottish Horse) Squadron
  • 665 Squadron
  • 1 Flight
• 6 (Volunteer) Regiment, Army Air Corps
  • 677 Squadron (Suffolk Yeomanry and Norfolk Yeomanry)
• '7 (Volunteer) Regiment, Army Air Corps
  • 658 Squadron
  • 666 Squadron
  • 3 Flight
  • 6 Flight
• 9 Regiment, Army Air Corps
  • 659 Squadron
  • 669 Squadron
  • 672 Squadron

[edit] 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

[edit] 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
• 10 Flight Army Cadet Force

[edit] Current Aircraft of the AAC

• Agusta A109A
• Bell 212HP AH1
• Beech King Air 350C (on order)
• Britten-Norman Islander AL1
• Eurocopter EC-155 Dauphin (on order)
• Eurocopter AS350B Squirrel
• Slingsby T.67M Firefly 160 (at Army Flying Grading)
• Slingsby T.67M Firefly 260 (at DEFTS)
• Westland Gazelle AH1
• Westland Lynx AH7
• Westland Lynx AH9
• Westland Apache AH Mk 1

[edit] Historic Aircraft Flight

• Agusta-Bell Sioux AH1
• Auster AOP9
• de Havilland Canada Chipmunk T10
• de Havilland Canada Beaver AL1
• Sud Alouette AH2
• Westland Scout AH1

See also List of aircraft of the Army Air Corps

[edit] 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:

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

[edit] Order of Precedence

Preceded by: Line Infantry and Rifles

British Army Order of Precedence

Succeeded by: Royal Army Chaplains' Department

[edit] See also

• List of airfields of the Army Air Corps
• Museum of Army Flying
• List of Army Air Corps aircraft squadrons
• Australian Army Aviation
• United States Army Aviation Branch
• Army aviation
• List of air forces

[edit] References

This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

[edit] 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

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