ADF’s 732 Helicopter Training Squadron Increases Graduate Output by 50%

The Australian Defence Force's (ADF) 723 helicopter training squadron which operates the EC-135T2+ helicopter at the Joint Helicopter School at HMAS Albatross has increased its graduate output by 50%.

Australia’s Department of Defence in a release, said 723 Squadron had substantially increased its flying hours over the past two-and-a-half years. Following the increase in the flying rate of effort in 2021, 723 Squadron delivered the highest-flying output in the ADF’s rotary community for 2023, a trend Defence says, is set to continue into 2024.

Commanding Officer 723 Squadron Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Schadel said the squadron was committed to the training of aircrew for combat, “and the quality, rate and effort at which they excel in their work is a credit to themselves and the Fleet Air Arm.”

723 is a Navy squadron that is commanded by an Army officer and features staff from the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force.

The Squadron conducts Pilot Rotary Conversion (PRC), Aviation Warfare Officer Rotary Conversion (AvWORC) and Aircrewman Rotary Conversion (ARC), while its secondary duties include limited fleet support in range clearances and flight deck procedural training, and some embarked support on major warships.

The squadron’s EC-135T2+ helicopter fleet is supported by Boeing Defence Australia.