No. 658 Squadron AAC

No. 658 Squadron AAC
Active	1 Sept 2013 – Present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	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 2 3 "8 Flight AAC". British Army units from 1945 on. 10 February 2016.
↑ Tim Ripley (10 December 2008). "UK Army Air Corps received Dauphins". Jane's Defence Weekly. 45 (50): 10.
1 2 3 Gary Parsons (January 2014). "News briefs". AirForces Monthly. Stamford: Key Publishing: pg.7.

United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF)

Director Special Forces (DSF)

Naval Service	Special Boat Service Special Boat Service (Reserve)

Army	22 Special Air Service Special Reconnaissance Regiment 18 Signal Regiment

Joint Services	Special Forces Support Group Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing

Training	United Kingdom Special Forces Selection

Category

Army Air Corps (units)

Airfields

Regular units

1 Regiment	No. 652 Squadron AAC No. 661 Squadron AAC

3 Regiment	No. 653 Squadron AAC No. 662 Squadron AAC No. 663 Squadron AAC

4 Regiment	No. 656 Squadron AAC No. 664 Squadron AAC

5 Regiment	No. 651 Squadron AAC No. 665 Squadron AAC

9 Regiment	No. 659 Squadron AAC No. 669 Squadron AAC No. 672 Squadron AAC

Army reserve units

6 Regiment	No. 675 (The Rifles) Squadron AAC No. 677 (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Squadron AAC No. 678 (The Rifles) Squadron AAC No. 679 (The Duke of Connaught's) Squadron AAC

Training units

2 (Training) Regiment	No. 668 (Training) Squadron AAC No. 676 Squadron AAC

7 (Training) Regiment	No. 670 Squadron AAC No. 671 Squadron AAC No. 673 Squadron AAC No. 25 Flight AAC (Kenya)

Other

660 Squadron AAC (Defence Helicopter Flying School)
667 Squadron AAC (Development and Trials)
674 Squadron AAC (Defence Elementary Flying Training School)
Army Historic Aircraft Flight
The Band Of The Army Air Corps
Army Flying Grading
Blue Eagles Display Team
The Army Air Corps Parachute Display Team

Independent Flights

No. 7 Flight AAC (Brunei)
No. 29 (BATUS) Flight AAC (Alberta, Canada)

Independent Squadrons

657 Squadron (RAF Odiham) (Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing (JSFAW))
658 Squadron (Credenhill Barracks) (JSFAW)

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