The 1st Aviation Brigade is an aviation

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

. Most of its units are from the

Army Air Corps Army Air Corps may refer to the following army aviation corps: * Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), the army aviation element of the British Army * Philippine Army Air Corps (1935–1941) * United States Army Air Corps (1926–1942), or its p ...

(AAC). It was stood up on 1 April 2020 by combining the Wattisham Flying Station Headquarters (WFS HQ), formerly the Attack Helicopter Force (AHF) at

Wattisham Wattisham is a village and civil parish near to the town of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. From the 2011 Census the population of the parish was 110, according to the ONS, included in the civil parish of Hitcham, Suffolk, Hitcham. Wattisham Air ...

and the Aviation Reconnaissance Force at the

Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, (HMS ''Heron'') is an airfield of the Royal Navy and British Army, sited a few miles north of Yeovil, Somerset. It is one of two active Fleet Air Arm bases (the other being RNAS Culdrose (H ...

. It will reach initial operating capability on 1 April 2021 and full operating capability by 1 January 2023.

Structure

As of May 2021 the units of the brigade are as follows: * Headquarters, 1st Aviation Brigade, at AAC Middle Wallop **

1 Regiment Army Air Corps 1 Regiment Army Air Corps is a regiment of the Army Air Corps (AAC). History * Detmold , 9, 17 & 26 Flights , 1964-1969 * Detmold , 651, 657 & 658 Squadrons , 1969-1971 * HQ at Detmold , 651 at Verden, 657 at Soltau & 658 Squadron at Min ...

, at

RNAS Yeovilton Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, (HMS ''Heron'') is an airfield of the Royal Navy and British Army, sited a few miles north of Yeovil, Somerset. It is one of two active Fleet Air Arm bases (the other being RNAS Culdrose) ...

(Aviation Reconnaissance, equipped with

AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat The AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat (previously called the Future Lynx and Lynx Wildcat) is a British military helicopter. It is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx designed to serve in the battlefield utility, search and rescue and a ...

) ** 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, at Wattisham Flying Station (Aviation Attack, equipped with AgustaWestland Apaches) ** 4 Regiment Army Air Corps, at Wattisham Flying Station (Aviation Attack, equipped with AgustaWestland Apaches) ** 5 Regiment Army Air Corps, at

Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove or more simply JHC FS Aldergrove is located south of Antrim, Northern Ireland and northwest of Belfast and adjoins Belfast International Airport. It is sometimes referred to simply as Alder ...

, Aldergrove (Northern Ireland aviation support, equipped with

Aérospatiale Gazelle The Aérospatiale Gazelle (company designations SA 340, SA 341 and SA 342) is a French five-seat helicopter, commonly used for light transport, scouting and light attack duties. It is powered by a single Turbomeca Astazou turbine engine and wa ...

s) **

6 Regiment Army Air Corps 6 Regiment Army Air Corps is the sole Army Reserve regiment of the British Army Air Corps (AAC) falling under the Combat Arm of the British Army. The regiment consists of five Squadrons based around the south of the UK. 6 Regiment provides sold ...

(Army Reserve), at Blenheim Camp,

Bury St Edmunds Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as Bury, is a historic market town, market, cathedral town and civil parish in Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – ...

(Ground Crew Reserve) ** 47 Regiment Royal Artillery, at Larkhill operating Watchkeeper Unmanned Air Systems, since April 2021. ** No. 653 Squadron, Army Air Corps, at Wattisham Flying Station (Conversion Training Unit) **

7 Aviation Support Battalion REME 7 Aviation Support Battalion REME is a battalion of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers of the British Army. History The battalion was formed in 1992, as a regular REME battalion, from 8 Close Support Company, 71 Close Support Company, 7 ...

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME ) is a corps of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the Army uses. The corps is described as the "British Army's Professional Engineers". History Prior to REME's for ...

, at Wattisham Flying Station *** 132 Aviation Support Squadron, Royal Logistic Corps

Footnotes

References

* * {{Current British brigades Brigades of the British Army Aviation units and formations of the British Army Army aviation brigades Military units and formations established in 2020 2020 establishments in the United Kingdom

Structure

See also

Footnotes

References