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Army Air Corps

 
Wikipedia: Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)
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Army Air Corps
MAF0025.jpg
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: Wattisham
4 Regiment: 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 RAF roundel.svg
Aircraft flown
Attack Apache AH1
Patrol Lynx
Reconnaissance Gazelle AH1, Islander AL1
Trainer Eurocopter Squirrel AS350BB, Slingsby T-67 Firefly
Transport Bell 212HP, Lynx, Agusta A109A, Islander AL1

The Army Air Corps is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942. There are eight regiments (5 front line, 2 Territorial Army, 1 training) 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 offensive air elements of 16th Air Assault Brigade.

Contents

History of the AAC

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 aviation 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 (AOP) 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 withstood 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.

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.

Basic rotary flying training was carried out on the Sioux in the 1970s, the Gazelle in the 1980s and 1990s and is currently conducted on the Squirrel.

Fixed-wing types in AAC service have included the Auster AOP.6 and AOP.9 and Beaver AL.1 in the observation and liaison roles. Since 1989, the AAC have operated a number of Britten-Norman Islander and Defender aircraft for surveillance and light transport duties. The corps operated the Chipmunk T.10 in the training role until its replacement by the Slingsby Firefly T-67 in the 1990s.

A further boost in the Army Air Corps' capability came in the form of the Apache AH1 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 four Beechcraft King Air 350ERs (service designation Shadow R1) for use in the surveillance role in Afghanistan, the type being much more capable than the Islanders currently used. These will be operated by the RAF not the AAC, this is due to issues of who operate pressurized and non-pressurized airframes.[citation needed]

Present Day Units

British Army Arms and Services
Flag of the British Army.svg
Combat Arms
Royal Armoured Corps
Infantry
Army Air Corps
Combat Support Arms
Royal Artillery
Royal Engineers
Royal Corps of Signals
Intelligence Corps
Combat Services
Royal Army Chaplains Department
Royal Logistic Corps
Army Medical Services
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Adjutant General's Corps
Small Arms School Corps
Army Physical Training Corps
General Service Corps
Corps of Army Music

Regiments

Independent Squadrons and Flights

Independent Flights:

Independent Squadrons:

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 Flying Grading
  • Army Air Corps Historic Aircraft Flight
  • The Army Air Corps Blue Eagles Display Team
  • The Army Air Corps Parachute Display Team

Former units

The flight's base at Dhekelia has been closed for sometime and the Flight are no longer listed on the AAC Website as an active flight.[2]

Current Aircraft of the AAC

Army Air Corps Westland Apache WAH-64D Longbow displays at a UK airshow
Army Air Corps Westland Lynx in Bosnia
Main article: List of aircraft of the Army Air Corps
See also: List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

Historic Aircraft Flight

An Army Air Corps Auster AOP.5 Air Observation Post. One example is maintained by the Army Historic Aircraft Flight

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:

Order of Precedence

Preceded by:
Line Infantry and Rifles		 British Army Order of Precedence Succeeded by:
Royal Army Chaplains' Department

See also

Flag of the British Army.svg British Army portal

References

  1. ^ UK Parliament, Hansard 7 July 2008
  2. ^ http://www2.army.mod.uk/aac/units/flights/index.htm
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ Islander
  5. ^ [2]
  6. ^ Squirrel
  7. ^ Gazelle
  8. ^ a b http://www2.army.mod.uk/aac/equipment/lynx.htm Westland Lynx
  9. ^ Attack Helicopter

External links

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