No. 658 Squadron AAC

No. 658 Squadron AAC
Active 1 Sept 2013 - Present
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch United Kingdom Army Air Corps
Type Joint unit
Role Special forces aviation support
Garrison/HQ Credenhill Barracks
Aircraft flown
Helicopter Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II
Westland Gazelle AH1

No. 658 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps.

The squadron is now operational after the expanding of No. 8 Flight AAC.

History

8 Flight AAC

No. 8 Flight AAC was formed on 1 September 1957 as No. 8 Independent Reconnaissance Flight AAC in Asia before shortly moving to Kenya.[1]

During the mid-1960s the flight was renamed to No. 8 Flight AAC and operated in Aden in connection with No. 653 Squadron AAC.[1]

The original flight was a detachment of aircraft and personnel from 653 (Netheravon) and 666 (Topcliff) Squadrons AAC with 2 Scout helicopters. There were two pilots and 3 REME Technicians supporting the SAS Team.

In 1998 the flight moved to AAC Netheravon gaining Agusta A109As before moving to Credenhill Barracks around the year 2000 with Westland Gazelle AH.1 being added. During 2008/09 Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II replaced the A109A's.[1] Two of the Agustas were captured from the Argentine forces in the Falklands War in 1982 as war prizes and the other two were bought new.[2]

658 Squadron

Main article: No. 658 Squadron RAF

Current use

8 Flight was renamed No. 658 Squadron AAC on 1 September 2013.[3]

Aircraft operated

From To Aircraft Variant Notes
1 September 2013 Present Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II [3]
1 September 2013 Present Westland Gazelle AH1 [3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "8 Flight AAC". British Army units from 1945 on. 10 February 2016.
  2. Tim Ripley (10 December 2008). "UK Army Air Corps received Dauphins". Jane's Defence Weekly 45 (50): 10.
  3. 1 2 3 Gary Parsons (January 2014). "News briefs". AirForces Monthly (Stamford: Key Publishing): pg.7.
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