744 Naval Air Squadron
744 Naval Air Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1943[1] 2018 – present | – 1956
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Helicopter flying squadron |
Role | Test and evaluation |
Part of | Air and Space Warfare Centre |
Home station | MOD Boscombe Down |
Aircraft |
|
Website | Official website |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Commander Bradley Watson |
744 Naval Air Squadron (744 NAS) is a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.
The squadron originally formed as an anti-submarine training unit on 6 March 1944 and continued in this role until 1 December 1947 when it was renamed 815 Squadron. It reformed in July 1951 from 737 Squadron X Flight as an anti-submarine trials and development unit and continued in this role until 31 October 1956 when it was disbanded.[2]
As of 14 November 2018, the squadron has been re-activated to introduce the Crowesnest Airborne Early Warning Merlin Mk2 aircraft and the Chinook Mk5s and Mk6s. It will be a joint unit under the Air Warfare Centre's Mission Systems and Armament Test and Evaluation Squadron.[3][4]
References[]
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 65.
- ^ Ballance, Theo (2016). The Squadrons and Units of the Fleet Air Arm. Air-Britain. pp. 69–70. ISBN 978 0 85130 489 2.
- ^ Royal Navy (14 November 2018). "Naval squadron re-forms after 60 years to test cutting-edge weaponry". Royal Navy. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ Fleet Air Arm Association (19 October 2018). "744 NAS Commissioning". Fleet Air Arm Association. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
Bibliography[]
- Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
Categories:
- 700 series Fleet Air Arm squadrons
- Military units and formations established in 1943
- Military units and formations of the Royal Navy in World War II
- United Kingdom navy stubs