| Army Air Corps | |
|---|---|
 Cap Badge of the Army Air Corps. | |
| Active | 1942–1949 1957–present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Army aviation |
| Role | Battlefield support, reconnaissance |
| Size | 2,000 personnel Approx. 150 aircraft[1] |
| Garrison/HQ | Middle Wallop Flying Station |
| March | Quick:Recce Flight Slow:Thieving Magpie |
| Battle honours | Falkland Islands 1982 Wadi al-Batin,Gulf 1991 Basra,Iraq 2003 |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel-in-Chief | William, Prince of Wales |
| Colonel Commandant | Major General M. R. Keating, CBE[2] |
| Commander | Colonel E. ButterworthADC |
| Commander | Warrant Officer Class 1 O. Mercer |
| Insignia | |
| Tactical Recognition Flash |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Apache AH-64E V6 |
| Reconnaissance | Wildcat AH1 |
| Trainer | Jupiter HT1 Juno HT1 |
| Transport | AS365N3 Dauphin II |
TheArmy Air Corps (AAC) is the aviation arm of theBritish Army, first formed in 1942 during theSecond World War by grouping the variousairborne units of the British Army. Today, there are eight regiments (sevenRegular Army and oneReserve) of the AAC, as well as two independent flights and two independent squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations around the world. Regiments and flights are located in the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Canada. Some AAC squadrons provide the air assault elements of16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, throughJoint Aviation Command.
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The British Army first took to the sky during the 19th century with the use of observation balloons.[3] In 1911 theAir Battalion of theRoyal Engineers was the first heavier-than-air British military aviation unit.[4] The following year, the battalion was expanded into theMilitary Wing of the Royal Flying Corps which saw action throughout most of theFirst World War until 1 April 1918, when it was merged with theRoyal Naval Air Service to form theRoyal Air Force.[5] Between the wars, the army used RAFco-operation squadrons.[6] At the beginning of theSecond World War,Royal Artillery officers, with the assistance of RAF technicians, flewAuster observation aircraft under RAF-ownedair observation post (AOP) squadrons. Twelve squadrons were raised, three of which belonged to theRoyal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and each performed vital duties in many theatres.[7][8][9]
In 1942,Winston Churchill announced the establishment of a new branch of army aviation, the Army Air Corps. The corps initially comprised theGlider Pilot Regiment and the Parachute Battalions (subsequently theParachute Regiment),Air Landing Regiments, and the air observation post squadrons. In March 1944, theSAS Regiment was added to the corps.[10]
One of their most successful exploits during the war was thecapture of the Caen canal and Orne river bridges bycoup de main, which occurred on 6 June 1944, prior to theNormandy landings. Once the three gliders landed, some roughly which incurred casualties, the pilots joined the glider-borne troops (Ox & Bucks Light Infantry) to act as infantry. The bridge was taken within ten minutes of the battle commencing and the men withstood numerous attempts by the Germans to re-capture the location. They were soon reinforced and relieved by soldiers from the1st Special Service Brigade (Lord Lovat).[11] The AAC was disbanded in 1949, with the SAS regaining independent status, while the Parachute Regiment and Glider Pilot Regiment came under the umbrella of the Glider Pilot and Parachute Corps.[10]
In 1957 the Glider Pilot and Parachute Corps was split, with theParachute Regiment becoming an independent formation, while theGlider Pilot Regiment was merged with the Air Observation Squadrons of the Royal Artillery into a new unit, the Army Air Corps.[12]
In 1958 theSaunders-Roe Skeeter 7 was introduced as the AAC's first helicopter, it was replaced by theAérospatiale Alouette II andWestland Scout AH.1 during the early 1960s. Thede Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver AL.1 was introduced during the 1960s along with theAgusta/Westland Sioux AH.1 in 1964.[13]
From 1970, nearly every armybrigade had at least one Aviation Squadron that usually numbered twelve aircraft. The main rotor aircraft during the 1970s were theWestland Scout andBell Sioux general purpose helicopters. The Sioux was replaced from 1973 by theWestland Gazelle used for Airborne reconnaissance;[14] initially unarmed, they were converted to carry 68mmSNEB rocket pods in 1982, during the Falklands War. The Scout was replaced from 1978 by theWestland Lynx, which was capable of carrying additional firepower in the form ofdoor gunners.[15]
Basic rotary flying training was carried out on the Sioux in the 1970s, on the Gazelle in the 1980s and 1990s, and is currently conducted on theEurocopter H145/H135 throughNo. 1 Flying Training School RAF.[16]
Fixed-wing types in AAC service have included theAuster AOP.6 andAOP.9 andBeaver AL.1 in observation and liaison roles. In 1989, the AAC commenced operating a number ofBritten-Norman Islander aircraft for surveillance and light transport duties.[17] The corps operated theDHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 in a training role until its replacement by theSlingsby T67 Firefly in the 1990s. The Firefly was replaced by theGrob Tutor in 2010.[18]
During theCold War the majority of Army Air Corps units were based in Germany and part of theBritish Army of the Rhine. At the beginning of 1989 the Army Air Corps structure was as follows:[19][20][21][22]
A further boost in the Army Air Corps' capability came in the form of theAgustaWestland Apache AH.1 attack helicopter, introduced in 2004. In 2006, British Apaches deployed toAfghanistan as part of theNATOInternational Security Assistance Force. In 2004,Britten-Norman Defender fixed wing aircraft were purchased for Afghanistan and Iraq.[17]
In April 2019, 651 Squadron personnel and aircraft, the Islander and Defender, were transferred from5 Regiment toNo. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing Royal Air Force.[23][24] 651 Squadron continued to operate the aircraft until they were retired from service on 30 June 2021.[25][26]
In October 2021,29 (BATUS) Flight was placed in suspended animation, with the UK no longer providing BATUS with aviation support.[27]
The Army Air Corps adopted their first Corps Mascot – Zephyr, a bald eagle – in October 2011.[28]
The training of future Army Air Corps aircrew is delivered by the joint serviceUK Military Flying Training System. Elementary Flying Training is delivered atRAF Shawbury andArmy Aviation Centre, Middle Wallop.[29]
Training Units,Army Aviation Centre, Middle Wallop
The strength of the Army Air Corps is about 2,000 regular personnel, of which 500 are officers. However, the AAC draws an additional 2,600 personnel from theRoyal Logistic Corps, theRoyal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and theAdjutant General's Corps.[30] Therefore, total related Army Air Corps personnel is around 4,600.[31]
Since 2019, the AAC solely operates rotary-wing aircraft operationally. Some fixed-wing aircraft are flown with the historic flight. The AAC uses the samedesignation system for aircraft as theRoyal Air Force and theFleet Air Arm. The sole fixed-wing trainer is theGrob Tutor, used for Army Flying Grading.[32][33]
Circa 2023, AAC aviators fly four types of helicopter, and within each type there are usually several marks/variants which carry out different roles. Pilots train withNo. 1 Flying Training School[34] atRAF Shawbury. The school is a tri-service organisation consisting of civilian and military instructors that take the student from basic flying through to more advanced flying such as instrument flying, navigation, formation flying and captaincy. In service aircraft include theAirbus Helicopters H135 Juno,[35] theAgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1,[36] theEurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II, and theBoeing AH-64E Version 6 Apache.[37]
In May 2023, the Royal Air Force took over the helicopter support role in Brunei and thus, theBell 212HP AH1, previously in service, was retired.[38]
In October 2023, the Gazelle helicopter was retired from service, after 49 years in the British Army.[39]
In March 2024, the finalApache AH.1 was formally withdrawn from service. The AH-64E was declared "operationally ready" on the same day.[40]
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| Arms of theBritish Army |
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| Combat Arms |
| Combat Support Arms |
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Below is the current structure of the Army Air Corps:[41]
The Army Air Corps is classed, in UK military parlance, as a "Combat Arm". It, therefore, carries its ownguidon and is awarded battle honours. The honours awarded to the AAC are:
| Preceded by | British Army Order of Precedence | Succeeded by |
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