817 Squadron RAN

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817 Squadron's crest

817 Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron.

1 Current Roles
2 History
3 Aircraft
4 Links
5 Sources

[edit] Current Roles

817 is currently active as a helicopter squadron equipped with Westland Sea King Mk 50 helicopters. 817 Squadron is a land based squadron operating the Sea King helicopter in Fleet Utility Support roles, including Search and Rescue, Surveillance, and Air and ground crew training. 817 Squadron also has responsibility for maintaining and operating aircraft on the Kanimbla class, HMAS Tobruk and HMAS Success. The Squadron is based at HMAS Albatross (NAS Nowra).

[edit] History

817 Squadron was first formed as a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron in 1941, operating Fairey Albacore aircraft in the ASW role in Icelandic and Mediterranean waters. The Squadron reformed in 1943 with Fairey Barracuda aircraft and carried out operations in Sumatra and the Nicobar area before disbanding in 1945

On 25 April 1950, 817 Squadron was re-formed as a Royal Australian Navy FAA squadron operating Fairey Firefly AS6 aircraft. The Squadron embarked on HMAS Sydney and served with distinction during the Korean War, operating the Fairey Firefly Mk5. In October 1953 the squadron embarked on HMAS Vengeance. The Squadron disbanded and reformed with Fairey Gannets in 1955, operating from HMAS Melbourne and conducting Fleet ASW support and training until 1958.

817 Squadron reformed in 1963 to conduct ASW, Fleet Utility support and training, equipped with Westland Wessex HAS.31A helicopters. These were updated to Wessex HAS.31Bs in 1968, and the Squadron was re-equipped with Westland Sea King MK50 helicopters in 1976. 817 Squadron operated from HMAS Melbourne, until the aircraft carrier decommissioned in 1982 without replacement.

Recent operational deployments have included UN operations in Somalia in 1993, peace keeping operations in Bougainville during 1998 and Operation Stabilise in East Timor 1999-2000. 817 Squadron has also provided operational air support to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and support to the people of the Solomon Islands 2000-2001 in Operation Trek after the civil insurgence. The squadron was also called upon in 2003 to provide further air support in the Solomon Islands as part of Operation Anode.

817 Squadron has been heavily committed to the fight against terrorism with continuing deployments to the Persian Gulf aboard HMAS Kanimbla and HMAS Manoora. These deployments have formed an integral part of the Australian contingent of the International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT). During late 2001 and 2002, 817 Squadron aircraft deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Slipper to enforce UN sanctions against Iraq and then in 2003 as part of Operation Falconer with the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq. The Squadron also has maintained one aircraft and crew at Christmas Island for various periods to provide a surveillance capability in defence of Australia's northern borders.

Most recently 817 Squadron has provided aircraft for Operation Sumatra Assist and Operation Sumatra Assist II, which were Australia's contribution to the humanitarian effort in Indonesia as a result of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the subsequent 2005 Sumatran earthquake. During the latter operation, Shark 02, one of the two Seakings embarked on HMAS Kanimbla, crashed on the Island of Nias with the loss of 9 personnel.

Battle Honours: Norway 1942

North Africa 1942

Biscay 1942

Sicily 1943

Korea 1951-2

Iraq 2003