No. 652 Squadron AAC
No. 652 Squadron AAC is a squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).
No. 652 (Wildcat Fielding) Squadron AAC | |
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Active | 1 September 1957 - present |
Country | |
Branch | |
Part of | 1 Regiment Army Air Corps |
Garrison/HQ | RNAS Yeovilton |
Aircraft flown | |
Helicopter | AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1 |
History
During the Cold War, the squadron was part of No. 2 Regiment AAC (along with 662 Sqn), the two squadrons were at different locations, 662 Sqn was at Münster, and 652 was at Bünde. About 1984, as a result of changing the structure of AAC Regiments, 2 Regiment was disbanded and 652 Sqn became part of 1 Regiment AAC at Hildesheim, Germany - each regiment now consisting of three squadrons and a HQ Troop. Sometime after 1990, 1 Regiment moved to Gutersloh, Germany.
Deployments
- Between September 1984 and February 1985, the unit deployed to the Falkland Islands being split between Goose Green and Port Stanley.
- Between April 2005 and September 1998, the unit deployed four times to Iraq (Operation Telic) with Westland Gazelles and Westland Lynx's.
- Between 2004 and 2015, 652 Sqn deployed to Afghanistan (Operation Herrick) with Lynxes.
Present day
The unit converted to the AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1 and moved to RNAS Yeovilton becoming the Wildcat Fielding Squadron, training aircrews.[1]
The unit took part in Exercise Wildcat Zenith during March 2015.