808 Squadron, RAN/ 808 Naval Air Squadron (UK) | |
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Active | 1940–1941 1942–1945 1950–1954 1955–1958 2011– |
Country | Australia United Kingdom (former) |
Branch | Royal Australian Navy Royal Navy (former) |
Type | Ship based helicopter squadron |
Role | Tactical transport |
Size | One squadron |
Part of | Fleet Air Arm (RAN) |
Motto(s) | Strength in Unity |
Equipment | MRH-90 Taipan |
Battle honours | Spartivento 1940 'Bismarck' 1941 Malta Convoys 1941 Atlantic 1943 Salerno 1943 Normandy 1944 Burma 1945 Korea 1951-2 |
808 Naval Air Squadron is a ship-based helicopter squadron of the Royal Australian Navy.
The squadron was originally part of the British Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm; it was formed in July 1940 as a fleet fighter squadron. It served on a number of the Navy's aircraft carriers during the Second World War, serving in most of the theatres of the war, before decommissioning at the end of the war.
It was re-formed in 1950 as 808 Squadron RAN, a carrier-based attack squadron of the Royal Australian Navy's Fleet Air Arm, and saw action during the Korean War before disbanding again in 1958.
It was re-formed in 2011 to operate the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter.