Australian 171st Aviation Squadron

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The 171st Aviation Squadron is an Australian Army helicopter squadron. The 171st Aviation Squadron is equipped with S70A Blackhawk helicopters and provides support to Special Operations Command (Australia). While the Squadron is currently based at RAAF Base Townsville it will relocate to Holsworthy Barracks near Sydney by 2008.

The 171st Aviation Squadron formed part of the Australian 1st Aviation Regiment until late 2004 when the Squadron swapped designations with A Squadron, 5th Aviation Regiment. As part of the 1st Aviation Regiment the 171st Squadron operated as an operational support squadron and was equipped with UH-1 Iroquois helicopters.

On 29 November 2006 a 171st Aviation Squadron Blackhawk helicopter crashed during a training exercise with HMAS Kanimbla off the coast of Fiji. The helicopter's pilot, Captain Mark Bingley, and Trooper Joshua Porter from the Australian Special Air Service Regiment were killed in the crash.

[edit] See also

• 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - 'Nightstalkers' US equivalent

Special Forces of Australia

Current special forces units Special Operations Command Special Air Service Regiment | 1st Commando Regiment | 4 RAR (Commando) Tactical Assault Groups | Incident Response Regiment | 171st Aviation Squadron Current related units RAAF Airfield Defence Guards | RAN Clearance Diving Teams | Regional Force Surveillance Units Former units Allied Intelligence Bureau | Independent and Commando Companies | No. 200 Flight RAAF | Coastwatchers Special Operations Australia | Far Eastern Liaison Office | M Special Unit | Z Special Unit