Misplaced Pages

723 Squadron RAN
Royal Australian Navy EC-135T2+
Active	1952–present
Country	Australia
Branch	Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
Type	Naval Aviation
Role	Rotary Training
Garrison/HQ	HMAS Albatross (Joint Helicopter School)
Motto(s)	Wings of the Albatross
Battle honours	Vietnam 1967–1971 Kuwait 1991 East Timor 1999
Commanders
Commanding Officer	Commander Samuel Dale
Aircraft flown
Trainer helicopter	EC-135T2+

723 Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron. The squadron was first raised in 1952 and throughout its history has served operationally during the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and in East Timor. It currently operates as a helicopter training squadron and is based at HMAS Albatross at Nowra, New South Wales.

History

The Royal Navy's original 723 Naval Air Squadron arrived at Nowra in January 1945 after travelling from the United Kingdom on the troopship Athlone Castle. The squadron "towed drogue targets ‘attacking aircraft’ for ship and aircraft gunnery practice, radar calibration and radar interception targets." It was disbanded on May 31, 1946.

723 Squadron was first commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 7 April 1952 and was equipped with one Dakota, one Wirraway, one Sea Otter and two Sea Fury aircraft.

On 11 March 1953 the Squadron took delivery of the RAN's first helicopter, a Bristol Sycamore. 723 Squadron also took delivery of the RAN's first jet aircraft, a de Havilland Vampire Mk T.34 on 18 June 1954.

During the Vietnam War, personnel from the squadron operated as part of the Experimental Military Unit, a joint Australian-American helicopter assault and transport unit. During the squadron's history, the battle honours "Vietnam 1967–71", "Kuwait 1991", and "East Timor 1999" have been earned.

Current roles

723 Squadron was previously equipped with 13 Aerospatiale AS 350BA Ecureuil (Squirrel) and three Bell 429 helicopters. The Squadron is based at HMAS Albatross (NAS Nowra). The Squirrels were used for conversion training all pilots, observers and aircrew from fixed wing to rotary wing aircraft. The Bell 429 joined the Squadron in 2012 on lease from Raytheon Australia and were used for multi engine training for pilots moving onto other aircraft such as the S-70B-2 Seahawk.

It is currently active as the Australian Defence Force's helicopter training squadron operating the EC-135T2+ helicopter at the Joint Helicopter School.

Aircraft

Current

• EC-135T2+ - training and personnel transport.

Previous

• Supermarine Sea Otter
• de Havilland Tiger Moth
• Auster Autocar
• CAC Wirraway
• Bristol Sycamore
• Hawker Sea Fury
• Fairey Firefly
• Westland Scout
• de Havilland Sea Venom
• de Havilland Vampire
• Douglas C-47 Dakota
• Bell UH-1
• Bell/CAC 206B-1 Kiowa
• Westland Wessex
• Hawker Siddeley HS 748
• Agusta A109E
• Aerospatiale AS 350BA Ecureuil (Squirrel)
• Bell 429

References

1. "723 Naval Air Squadron". www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
2. "723 Squadron History Part 1". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
3. Australian Naval Aviation Museum (ANAM) (1998). Flying Stations: A Story of Australian Naval Aviation. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. pp. 179–81. ISBN 1-86448-846-8. OCLC 39290180.
4. "Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours". Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
5. "Royal Australian Navy Ship/Unit Battle Honours" (PDF). Royal Australian Navy. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
6. "723 Squadron". Royal Australian Navy. 3 December 2019.
7. "723 Squadron". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
8. Article from The Australian newspaper online, retrieved 2007-08-30.

External links

• RAN webpage on 723 Squadron's history
• Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia webpage on 723 Squadron

• Australia
• Royal Australian Navy

v t e Royal Australian Navy
Australian Defence Force
Command	Chief of Navy Deputy Chief of Navy Commander Australian Fleet Director-General Maritime Operations Commodore Flotillas Warrant Officer of the Navy
Organisation	Royal Australian Naval Reserve Australian Navy Cadets Maritime Border Command Royal Australian Navy School of Underwater Medicine Units and Formations Fleet Command Surface Force Fleet Air Arm (723 Squadron, 725 Squadron, 808 Squadron, 816 Squadron) Submarine Service Patrol Boat Forces Mine Warfare Forces Clearance Diving Branch Australian Hydrographic Service (Laser Airborne Depth Sounder Flight) Navy Headquarters Navy Engineering, Regulation, Certification and Safety Navy Capability Navy People Training and Resources Royal Australian Naval College
Ships and equipment	Current fleet (Anzac-class frigate, Adelaide-class frigate, Collins-class submarine, Canberra-class landing helicopter dock, Bay-class landing ship, Armidale-class patrol boat, Huon-class minehunter, HMAS Sirius, Leeuwin-class survey vessel, Paluma-class motor launch, Young Endeavour, Cape-class patrol boat) All ships Aircraft Naval procurement programme Equipment Craft of Opportunity Program
Installations	Fleet Base East Fleet Base West (HMAS Stirling) HMAS Albatross HMAS Cairns HMAS Cerberus HMAS Coonawarra HMAS Creswell HMAS Harman HMAS Kuttabul HMAS Moreton HMAS Penguin HMAS Waterhen HMAS Watson
Personnel	Admiral of the Fleet List of admirals List of personnel Badges Ranks
Current operations	Operation Sovereign Borders Operation Resolute Operation Highroad Operation Manitou
History	Australia Station Colonial navies of Australia Jervois-Scratchley reports World War I World War II Malayan Emergency Korean War Vietnam War Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Operation Navy Help Darwin International Force East Timor Gulf War Iraq War Afghanistan War Middle East deployments Battle honours of the Royal Australian Navy List of Royal Australian Navy losses
Other	Royal Australian Navy Memorial Minister for the Navy Australian Naval Aviation Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre Australian White Ensign Navy News Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam Naval Stores, Kangaroo Point Esther Williams Trophy Navy League of Australia Admiral Garden Island Naval Chapel Royal Australian Navy Tridents Rugby League Team
Former entities	Department of the Navy Women's Royal Australian Naval Service Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Australian Navy Beach Commandos Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train Australian Commonwealth Naval Board
Category Portal

v t e Royal Australian Navy flying units
Active units	Fleet Air Arm 723 Squadron 725 Squadron 808 Squadron 816 Squadron 822X Squadron Related RAAF units No. 2 Flying Training School No. 32 Squadron
Disbanded units	Fleet Air Arm 724 Squadron 805 Squadron 817 Squadron 850 Squadron 851 Squadron RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam Australian Hydrographic Service Laser Airborne Depth Sounder Flight Related RAAF units No. 101 Flight No. 5 Squadron No. 9 Squadron
List of Fleet Air Arm flying squadrons

• Flying squadrons of the Royal Australian Navy
• Helicopter units and formations
• Military units and formations established in 1952
• 1952 establishments in Australia