6th Aviation Regiment (Australia)

6th Aviation Regiment
A 1st Commando Regiment soldier jumping from a 171st Aviation Squadron Black Hawk helicopter in 2013
Active	2008–current
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Aviation
Part of	16th Aviation Brigade
Headquarters	Holsworthy Barracks
Aircraft flown
Multirole helicopter	Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk

The 6th Aviation Regiment is one of the Australian Army's three Army Aviation regiments and was raised on 1 March 2008 to provide air mobility for the Australian Army Special Operations Command.

The 6th Aviation Regiment, equipped with S70A Black Hawk helicopters, forms part of the 16th Aviation Brigade and is headquartered at Luscombe Army Airfield, Holsworthy Barracks, Sydney which was vacated by 161st Reconnaissance Squadron of the 1st Aviation Regiment in 1995.

In November 2004, 'A' Squadron of the 5th Aviation Regiment based at RAAF Base Townsville swapped designations with the 171st Operational Support Squadron. The Squadron separated from the 1st Aviation Regiment and was placed under the command of the 16th Aviation Brigade as an independent squadron and was re-designated as the "171st Aviation Squadron" to provide support to Special Operations Command. From December 2006, the Squadron commenced relocating to Luscombe Airfield.

In March 2008, the 6th Aviation Regiment was raised following the implementation of a recommendation from the Board of Inquiry into the Crash of Black Hawk 221 and incorporated the 171st Aviation Squadron.

In November 2009, the Australian Army transferred all fixed wing surveillance aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force. 173rd Surveillance Squadron subsequently re-equipped with the Kiowa Light Utility Helicopter and re-roled as an Advanced Training Squadron for future Tiger ARH and MRH 90 Taipan pilots and was re-designated as the "173rd Aviation Squadron" based at Luscombe Airfield. In 2013, the Squadron converted to Black Hawk helicopters.

The regiment comprises:

Notable operations include:

The Regiment was planned to transition to the MRH 90 Taipan an Australian variant of the NHI NH90, however significant problems were encountered and it could not be certified for special operations including fast roping and there was an issue re-siting a machine gun used during fast roping or rappelling.