173rd Special Operations Aviation Squadron

September 2026 November 2019 June 2020 Contains large amounts of out of date information 173rd Special Operations Aviation Squadron 1974–present Australia Australian Army Training Special operations aviation One squadron 6th Aviation Regiment Holsworthy Barracks UH-60M Black Hawkfn1 The 173rd Special Operations Aviation Squadron (173 SOAS) is an Australian Army helicopter training squadron that provides support to the Special Operations Command. The squadron is being equipped with UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.fn1 The Army received the first three UH-60Ms in August 2023 from an order of 40 UH-60Ms. The squadron is based at Luscombe Airfield, Holsworthy Barracks, Sydney and forms part of the 6th Aviation Regiment.6th Aviation Regiment http://www.army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/16th-Aviation-Brigade/6th-Aviation-Regiment Australian Army 30 July 2016 12 September 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160912102027/http://army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/16th-Aviation-Brigade/6th-Aviation-Regiment deadPittaway Nigel Vigilance https://www.keymilitary.com/article/vigilance 10 January 2022 AirForces Monthly 359 Key Publishing 0955-7091 68 February 2018 The squadron originally operated fixed-wing aircraft designated as the 173rd General Support Squadron and was later renamed the 173rd Surveillance Squadron. In 2010, the squadron was renamed the 173rd Aviation Squadron when it transitioned to rotary aircraft and was later renamed the 173rd Special Operations Aviation Squadron. History On 17 February 1974, the 173rd General Support Squadron was formed as part of the 1st Aviation Regiment based at Oakey and initially operated 6 Pilatus PC-6 Porters. In 1978, the squadron also received 11 GAF Nomad aircraft.Eather 1995 150. During this time, the squadron undertook a variety of Army co-operation roles utilising the short take-off and landing characteristics of its aircraft. These included: artillery spotting, troop transport, field resupply, medevac, ground-air liaison. It was also used for survey work in the South Pacific and flood relief in Australia.Eather 1995 150–151. In 1978, the squadron was involved in Operation Cenderawasih a mapping program in Irian Jaya in Indonesia with the Indonesian Army.1st Aviation Regiment http://www.fourays.org/aviation_units/1_avn_regt/1_avn_regt.htm The Australian Army Aviation Association dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090822081754/http://www.fourays.org/aviation_units/1_avn_regt/1_avn_regt.htm 2009-08-22 With the retirement of the Porters in October 1992, the following year the squadron adopted the title of "173rd Surveillance Squadron" under this guise it undertook the aerial surveillance and survey roles and was also used as a vehicle to deliver parachute troops. In 1993, it acquired 12 more Nomads, mainly unsold civilian variants which had been kept in storage, to replace the Porters. thumb|right|A King Air B350 at Kingsford Smith International Airport in 2006 In August 1995, following the fatal crashes involving Nomads from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the School of Army Aviation, the aircraft were withdrawn from service. Most of the Nomad fleet was sold to the Indonesian Navy but two were retained as unflyable training aids.http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/3a18.htm Army & RAAF A18 Government Aircraft Factory N22 & N24A Nomad Crick, D Avery, L adf-serials.com.au 17 March 2016 As a consequence, the squadron operated 4 Embraer EMB 110P1 Bandeirante aircraft leased from Flight West temporarily while a replacement for the Nomad was found.Eather 1995 151. From 1996, these aircraft were replaced with 3 Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft leased from Hawker Pacific to be based at Oakley and 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 320 aircraft leased from Hawker Pacific to be based in Darwin.1st Aviation Regiment http://www.fourays.org/avnregt/index.html The Australian Army Aviation Association dead https://web.archive.org/web/20021207202337/http://www.fourays.org/avnregt/index.html 2002-12-07 On 9 November 1997, Twin Otter VH-HPY was lost in a tropical mountainous training accident in Papua New Guinea, resulting in serious injuries to the three trainees and instructor onboard.https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/24886/aair199703719_001.pdf Investigation Report 9703719 Bureau of Air Safety Investigation June 1999 The squadron served in several East Timor operations including INTERFET, UNTAET, UNMISET and Operation Astute.Army aviation in Australia 1970–2015 http://www.army.gov.au/~/media/Files/Our%20work/Community%20engagement/2015_02_AHQ_ArmyAviation_Factsheet.pdf Australian Army Australian Army Flying Museum 4 August 2016 24 February 2015 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20161008154311/http://www.army.gov.au/~/media/Files/Our%20work/Community%20engagement/2015_02_AHQ_ArmyAviation_Factsheet.pdf 8 October 2016 A squadron King Air was the first ADF aircraft to land in Dili ahead of the INTERFET peace-keeping taskforce in 1999.History of Australian Army Aviation http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-army-today/rar-sasr/army-aviation.htm Unofficial history of the Australian & New Zealand Armed Services Lt Colonel A Argent AAAvnC (Ret), Colonel R Harding AAAvnC (Ret) and Brigadier Brian H Cooper AAAvnC (Ret) with the assistance of the Head of the Aviation Corps, Brigadier Robert Walford 4 August 2016 By 2004, the remaining Twin Otter aircraft based in Darwin had been withdrawn from service, while the King Air B200 was replaced by the more modern King Air B350 variant leased from Hawker Pacific.Jamieson Cpl Cameron Fit for a king – Handover of Army's first modified new surveillance aircraft http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1134/topstories/story18.htm Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper 1134 Department of Defence Canberra, Australia 1 December 2005 0729-5685 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110404165030/http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1134/topstories/story18.htm 2011-04-04 173 heads back to Queensland http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1113/topstories/story07.htm Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper 1113 10 February 2005 Department of Defence Canberra, Australia 0729-5685 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110322034753/http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1113/topstories/story07.htm 2011-03-22 Restructuring of Army's aviation capability saw the squadron separated from 1st Aviation Regiment and placed under the command of 16th Aviation Brigade as an independent unit.1st Aviation Regiment http://www.army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/16th-Aviation-Brigade/1st-Aviation-Regiment Australian Army 8 March 2012 4 August 2016 8 June 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150608124339/http://www.army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/16th-Aviation-Brigade/1st-Aviation-Regiment dead By 2007, further re-organisation assigned all fixed-wing military aircraft to the RAAF and the squadron was to relocate to Sydney as a helicopter training and surveillance squadron under the newly raised 6th Aviation Regiment. In March 2008, the squadron became part of the 6th Aviation Regiment. On 20 November 2009, the squadron handed the King Air over to the RAAF.Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper Fixed Wings Freed 10 December 2009 6 Hamilton Eamon Department of Defence Canberra, Australia http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1227/1227.pdf 1227 19 March 2012 0729-5685 https://web.archive.org/web/20110602163343/http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1227/1227.pdf 2 June 2011 dead On 11 February 2010, the squadron was renamed as the "173rd Aviation Squadron" and converted to rotary aircraft operating a fleet of Bell 206B-1 Kiowa helicopters. The squadron moved to the recently redeveloped Luscombe Army Airfield where 171st Aviation Squadron was based.Brooke Michael Team effort raises sqn http://www.defence.gov.au/Publications/NewsPapers/Army/editions/1231/1231.pdf 4 August 2016 Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper 1231 18 March 2010 Department of Defence Canberra, Australia 0729-5685 https://web.archive.org/web/20210818154006/https://www.defence.gov.au/Publications/NewsPapers/Army/editions/1231/1231.pdf 18 August 2021 dead The Kiowas were operated to provide training for graduate pilots unable to undertake operational conversions to the delayed MRH 90 Taipan and Tiger ARH helicopters. The Kiowa had been retired on 26 October 2009 from the 1st Aviation Regiment.Ashby-Cliffe Cpl Jane Kiowas' final salute http://www.defence.gov.au/Publications/NewsPapers/Army/editions/1225/1225.pdf 1 August 2016 Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper 1225 12 November 2009 Department of Defence Canberra, Australia 0729-5685 https://web.archive.org/web/20160825174751/http://www.defence.gov.au/Publications/NewsPapers/Army/editions/1225/1225.pdf 25 August 2016 dead In 2013, the squadron transitioned to the S-70A-9 Black Hawk helicopter with the role of providing support to the Special Operations Command and returned the Kiowa to the Army Aviation Training Centre at Oakey. The squadron has been renamed the "173rd Special Operations Aviation Squadron"; it has had a new name from at least 2017.6th Aviation Regiment Craftsman: The Corps of Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 2017 68 67 https://cfn.raeme.org.au/Craftsman/RAEME%20CRAFTSMAN%20Issue%2068.pdf 14 October 2023 Walsh Media Services 0156-6318 In February 2019, the squadron commenced transitioning from the retiring S-70A-9 Black Hawk helicopters to the MRH90 Taipan helicopters with the transition completed in December 2021.Jennings Gareth Australia begins SOF helo transition from Black Hawk to MRH90 https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/australia-begins-sof-helo-transition-from-black-hawk-to-mrh90 17 December 2020 Janes 6 February 2019Australian National Audit Office 2019–20 Major Projects Report - Department of Defence 2020 The Auditor-General Canberra 9781760336066 https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/default/files/Auditor-General_Report_2020-2021_19_PDSS_Multi-Role_Helicopter.pdf 18 December 2020 ANAO Report No.19 2020–21 Multi-Role Helicopter Project Data Summary SheetMcLaughlin Andrew With a new Black Hawk on the way, the original is retired https://adbr.com.au/with-a-new-black-hawk-on-the-way-the-original-is-retired/ 11 January 2022 Australian Defence Business Review 10 December 2021 In January 2023, the Army announced the MRH90 would be replaced by the UH-60M Black Hawk.Black Hawk helicopters for Defence https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/releases/2023-01-18/black-hawk-helicopters-defence Department of Defence 11 July 2023 18 January 2023 In July 2023, a MRH90 fatally crashed while the squadron was participating in exercise Talisman Sabre near Lindeman Island.Banville Kate EXCLUSIVE: Chopper crash victims identified as recovery mission continues https://countrycaller.com.au/2023/07/30/exclusive-chopper-crash-victims-identified-as-recovery-mission-continues/ 14 October 2023 Country Caller 30 July 2023Exercise Talisman Sabre incident https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2023-08-01/exercise-talisman-sabre-incident Department of Defence 14 October 2023 1 August 2023 In September 2023, the MRH90 fleet was retired earlier than planned following the fatal crash.Minister for Defence Richard Marles Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy Army helicopter fleet update https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2023-09-29/army-helicopter-fleet-update Department of Defence Ministers 14 October 2023 29 September 2023 In August 2023, the Army began receiving deliveries of UH-60Ms.Blenkin Max First Army UH-60M Black Hawks arrive in Australia https://www.australiandefence.com.au/defence/land/first-army-uh-60m-black-hawks-arrive-in-australia 14 October 2023 Australian Defence Magazine 7 August 2023 Notes References 30em Bibliography Eather Steve 1995 Flying Squadrons of the Australian Defence Force Aerospace Publications Weston Creek, Australian Capital Territory 1-875671-15-3 External links Bandeirante – ADF-Serials Twin Otter – ADF-Serials Category:Aviation units and formations of the Australian Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1974 Category:Cold War history of Australia