The 171st Aviation Squadron is an Australian Army

Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...

 helicopter squadron. The 171st Aviation Squadron is equipped with S70A Blackhawk helicopters and provides support to Special Operations Command (Australia)

Special Operations Command (Australia)

The Special Operations Command is a command within the Australian Defence Force . Special Operations Command was established in May 2003, to unite all of the ADF special forces units. As of 2007 Special Operations Command is fully operational. Australia's Special Operations Command is of...

. The Squadron is currently based at Holsworthy Barracks

Holsworthy Barracks

Holsworthy Barracks is located in the outer south-western Sydney suburb of Holsworthy. It is part of the Holsworthy military reserve, which has been a training area and artillery range for the Australian Army since World War I. Following World War II it became a major base for the permanent...

 near Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

 and forms part of the 6th Aviation Regiment

6th Aviation Regiment (Australia)

The 6th Aviation Regiment is one of the Australian Army's three Army Aviation regiments. The Regiment was formed in 2008 to command the Army's special forces helicopter squadron and its surveillance aircraft squadron...

.

The 171st Aviation Squadron was formed in 1971 as a command and liaison squadron. The Squadron later formed part of the Australian 1st Aviation Regiment where it was equipped with UH-1 Iroquois

UH-1 Iroquois

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...

 helicopters and flew in the operational support role. In late 2004 the Squadron swapped designations with A Squadron, 5th Aviation Regiment and became an independent unit.

On 29 November 2006 a 171st Aviation Squadron Blackhawk helicopter crashed during Operation Quickstep

Operation Quickstep

Operation Quickstep was the name given to the deployment of military resources by the Australian Defence Force during the leadup to the 2006 Fijian coup d'état on 4-5 December 2006, during which the Fijian military took control of the Fijian government which, at the time, was led by Prime Minister...

 while attached to HMAS Kanimbla off the coast of Fiji

Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

. The helicopter's pilot, Captain Mark Bingley, and Trooper Joshua Porter from the Australian Special Air Service Regiment

Australian Special Air Service Regiment

The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army...

 were killed in the crash.

See also

• U.S. 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - Night Stalkers
  160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)
  The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment is a special operations unit of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and Special Operations Forces. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are usually conducted at...
  
  
• Italian 26th R.E.O.S. Special Operations Helicopter Unit
  26th Special Operations Helicopter Unit
  The 26th Squadron – Special Operations Helicopter Unit is a special operation unit of the Italian Army that provides helicopter aviation support for Italian special forces. The 26th REOS is headquartered in Viterbo near Rome...
  
  
• British Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing
  Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing
  The Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing is a joint-service organisation which provides aviation support to United Kingdom Special Forces, using both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. The Wing is based at RAF Odiham....
  
  
• Canadian 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron
• French 4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment