5 Regiment Army Air Corps
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 5 Regiment Army Air Corps
| image =
| caption =
| dates = 1 October 1993 – present
| country = {{flagicon|UK}} United Kingdom
| allegiance =
| branch = {{army|United Kingdom}}
| type = Aviation
| role =
| size = Regiment
| command_structure = Joint Aviation Command
| current_commander =
| garrison = Middle Wallop Flying Station
| garrison_label =
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| colonel_of_the_regiment =
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto = Nothing is Impossible
| colors =
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| equipment =
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| identification_symbol = The Regimental emblem is the Army Air Corps Cap Badge with the Roman numerals V beneath.
| identification_symbol_label = Squadron Badge heraldry
| aircraft_recon =
}}
5 Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the British Army and is part of the Joint Aviation Command (JAC).{{cite web |title=Joint Helicopter Commando |url=https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/formations-divisions-brigades/joint-helicopter-command/ |website=British Army |access-date=21 March 2020}} The regiment was formerly based in Northern Ireland at Aldergrove Flying Station, but is now based at Middle Wallop Flying Station.
History
5 Regiment traces its origin to the Northern Ireland Regiment formed on 1 November 1979 at RAF Aldergrove.{{cite web |title=5 Regiment - History |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/5_regiment_history.htm |website=British Army |access-date=23 February 2020 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20061003191730/http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/5_regiment_history.htm |archive-date=3 October 2006 |date=12 April 2006 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Army Air Corps - Major Units 5 to 9 |url=http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/army-air-corps/major-units-5-to-9.html |website=British Army units from 1945 on |access-date=23 February 2020}} On 1 October 1993, the Northern Ireland Regiment was renamed 5 Regiment AAC.
The regiment consisted of No. 655 (The Scottish Horse) Squadron AAC, No. 665 Squadron AAC and 1 Flight AAC.{{cite web |title=Units of 5 Regiment Army Air Corps |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/5regtunits.htm |website=British Army |access-date=23 February 2020 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080109045132/http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/5regtunits.htm |archive-date=9 January 2008 |date=22 November 2006 |url-status=dead }} 655 Squadron operated the Westland Lynx AH7 helicopter.{{cite web|title=History of 655 Squadron|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/655_sqn_history.htm|website=British Army|access-date=23 February 2020|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20060515171408/http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/655_sqn_history.htm|archive-date=15 May 2006|date=12 April 2006|url-status=dead}} 665 Squadron operated the Westland Gazelle AH1 helicopter.{{cite web|title=5 Regiment - 665 Squadron|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/665_squadron.htm|website=British Army|access-date=23 February 2020|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080109172748/http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/665_squadron.htm|archive-date=9 January 2008|date=31 October 2006|url-status=dead}} 1 Flight operated the fixed wing Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander aircraft which had entered service on 10 March 1989.{{cite web|title=5 Regiment - 1 Flight AAC|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/1_flight_aac.htm|website=British Army|access-date=23 February 2020|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080109045440/http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/1_flight_aac.htm|archive-date=9 January 2008|date=31 October 2006|url-status=dead}}
The primary task of 1 Flight was photo reconnaissance under the direction of the Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (Northern Ireland) (RIC(NI).{{cite web |title=1 Flight AAC History |url=https://webarchive.nationhttp://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/1_flight_aac/1_flight_aac_history.htm |website=British Army |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20060704131322/http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/units/5_regiment_aac/1_flight_aac/1_flight_aac_history.htm |archive-date=4 July 2006 |access-date=5 June 2020 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Merritt|first1=Flt Lt|last2=Wright|first2=Flt Lt|title=A Brief History and Update for the Reconnaissance Intelligence and Geographic Centre (Northern Ireland) |url=https://www.instre.org/pages/notice-board/rigcni-40th-anniversary.php |website=The Institution of Royal Engineers |access-date=27 February 2020}} In 2000, the (RIC(NI)) was renamed the Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre and Geographic Centre (Northern Ireland) (RIGC(NI)).
In March 2007, 655 Squadron was disbanded as Operation Banner was drawing to a close and due to a need to reduce the Lynx fleet set to be retired in 2012.{{cite web |author1=Minister of State for the Armed Forces Adam Ingram |title=Written Ministerial Statements - 655 Squadron Army Air Corps |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo060327/wmstext/60327m01.htm#60327m01.html_spmin2 |website=UK Parliament |publisher=House of Commons |access-date=23 February 2020 |date=24 March 2006}}{{cite magazine |title=5 Regt AAC NI |magazine=LZDZ Newspaper of the Joint Helicopter Command |date=Summer 2007 |url=http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0A6B09EC-4B44-4195-81A8-770AE35611AF/0/lzdz_summer07.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904032414/http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0A6B09EC-4B44-4195-81A8-770AE35611AF/0/lzdz_summer07.pdf|archive-date=4 September 2009|url-status=dead}} The Lynx aircraft of 655 remained at RAF Aldergrove and was operated by 665 Squadron through to the end of Operation Banner on 31 July 2007. On 1 August 2007, Operation Helvetic commenced with 665 Squadron operating the Gazelle and 1 Flight operating the Islander.{{cite web |title=Operation HELVETIC - Joint Helicopter Force Northern Ireland (JHF(NI)) |url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Templates/RoleHubContentPage.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7b7EE3C4FE-EC2F-408A-9901-27B0A174F5C5%7d&NRORIGINALURL=%2fDefenceInternet%2fAboutDefence%2fWhatWeDo%2fAirSafetyandAviation%2fJHC%2fNorthernIreland%2ehtm&NRCACHEHINT=Guest |website=Ministry of Defence |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815194528/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Templates/RoleHubContentPage.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7b7EE3C4FE-EC2F-408A-9901-27B0A174F5C5%7d&NRORIGINALURL=%2fDefenceInternet%2fAboutDefence%2fWhatWeDo%2fAirSafetyandAviation%2fJHC%2fNorthernIreland%2ehtm&NRCACHEHINT=Guest |archive-date=15 August 2007}}
In July 2008, No. 651 Squadron of 1 Regiment AAC moved to RAF Aldergrove and became part of 5 Regiment.{{cite web |title=5 Regiment Army Air Corps |url=https://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/27834.aspx |website=British Army |access-date=23 February 2020 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20151002155112/https://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/27834.aspx |archive-date=2 October 2015 |url-status=dead }} 651 Squadron had been re-raised in 2006 at RAF Odiham to operate the Britten-Norman Defender fixed wing aircraft which had entered service in March 2004.{{cite web |title=651 Squadron Army Air Corps |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/30331.aspx |website=British Army |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170604232001/http://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/30331.aspx |archive-date=4 June 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Defender |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/23292.aspx|website=British Army |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113124949/http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/23292.aspx|archive-date=13 January 2018|url-status=dead}} 1 Flight was integrated into 651 Squadron following the squadron's move to Aldergrove.{{cite book |last1=Warner |first1=Guy |title=First in the Field : The Story of 651, the Army Air Corps' Premier Squadron |date=2011 |publisher=Pen & Sword Aviation |location=Barnsley |isbn=9781848842632|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hgbMDwAAQBAJ}}
In 2009, RAF Aldergrove was renamed Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove.{{cite web |title=JHC FS Aldergrove |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/jhfs-aldergrove/ |website=Royal Air Force |access-date=22 March 2020}} In 2010, the tri-service RIGC(NI) became part of 5 Regiment. In 2018, the RIGC(NI) was renamed No. 3 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron and transferred to the Royal Air Force as part of No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing.{{cite magazine |editor1-last=Haley |editor1-first=Sqn Ldr Sam |title=1 ISR Wing Fifth Anniversary |url=http://www.theinsightonline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Insight2021SummerWeb.pdf |access-date=13 August 2021 |work=INSIGHT - The magazine of RAF Waddington |publisher=Lance Print Ltd |publication-date=Summer 2021|location=Kettering|p=7}}{{cite web |title=RAF Waddington |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-waddington/ |website=Royal Air Force |access-date=13 August 2021}}
On 1 April 2019, 651 Squadron and its aircraft, the Britten-Norman Defender and Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, were transferred to the Royal Air Force as part of ISTAR Force in No. 1 Group based at RAF Waddington.{{Cite news|last1=Jennings|first1=Gareth|url=https://www.janes.com/article/87600/uk-transfers-defender-and-islander-special-mission-aircraft-from-aac-to-raf|title=UK transfers Defender and Islander special mission aircraft from AAC to RAF|work=Jane's Defence Weekly|date=2 April 2019|access-date=23 February 2020}}{{cite journal |last1=Hay |first1=Air Cdre Nick |editor1-last=Michell |editor1-first=Simon |title=ISTAR evolution |journal=Air & Space Power 2019 Multi-Domain Operations for the Next Generation Air Force |page=75 |url=https://issuu.com/globalmediapartners/docs/rafairandspacepower2019 |access-date=13 August 2021 |year=2019 |publisher=Global Media Partners |location=Essex}}{{Cite tweet |user=@HarvSmyth|author=Air Vice Marshal Harvey Smyth Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group|number=1112730019372195842|date=1 April 2019|title=Handover of Fixed Wing Manned Aerial Surveillance from Army to RAF.}} 651 Squadron continued to operate the aircraft until they were retired from service on 30 June 2021.{{cite news |title=Farewell Islander/Defender |url=https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/farewell-islander-defender |access-date=13 August 2021 |work=Scramble |publisher=Dutch Aviation Society |date=11 July 2021}}{{cite news |title=British Army Retires Final Defender, Islander Aircraft |url=https://www.key.aero/article/british-army-retires-final-defender-islander-aircraft |access-date=13 August 2021 |work=Key.Aero |publisher=Key Publishing |url-access=subscription |date=12 July 2021}} On 1 August 2021, 651 Squadron transferred back to the Army as part of 1 Regiment AAC.{{Cite tweet |user=@1_Regt_AAC|author= 1 Regiment Army Air Corps|number=1421870891508633600|date=1 August 2021|title=651 Sqn AAC moves to 1 Regt AAC.}}
By November 2024, the regiment had moved from Aldergrove Flying Station to Middle Wallop Flying Station, the home of the Army Aviation Centre and Headquarters, Army Air Corps.{{Cite web |date=14 November 2024 |title=Army Air Corps {{!}} The British Army |url=https://www.army.mod.uk/learn-and-explore/about-the-army/corps-regiments-and-units/army-air-corps/}}
The regiment had administrative responsibility for No. 29 (BATUS) Flight AAC based at Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Canada, which formerly operated Gazelle helicopters, until the flight was placed in suspended animation in October 2021.{{cite web |title=29 (BATUS) Flight Army Air Corps |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/30332.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20151002171030/http://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/30332.aspx |archive-date=2 October 2015 |access-date=23 February 2020 |website=British Army}}{{Cite web |title=20241128 FOI22256 response.pdf |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/status_of_29_batus_flight_aac/response/2844559/attach/html/3/20241128%20FOI22256%20response.pdf.html |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=www.whatdotheyknow.com}}
Structure
The regiment consists of: