No. 5 Squadron RNZAF
Encyclopedia
No. 5 Squadron RNZAF is a squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force
formed during November 1941 in Fiji
. It remains on active duty and logged 2,300 hours flight time in 2007.
. From the outbreak of hostilities with Japan
, the squadron operated the Short Singapore Mk.IIIs (transferred on October 1941 from No. 205 Squadron RAF
) mainly on maritime patrol
and anti-submarine duties, rescueing more than fifty survivors of ditched aircraft and successfully attacking a Japanese submarine in the process with the elderly Singapores. These types were superseded by Consolidated PBY Catalinas, which aided the air-sea rescue capability. The Squadron moved from Fiji in late 1944 to operate between Espiritu Santo
and the Admiralty Islands
. During this time the later conqueror of Mount Everest
, Edmund Hillary
, served with the squadron.
MR.5s and based at Lauthala Bay in Fiji
, tasked with "maritime surveillance" over the vast South Pacific Ocean, medical evacuation flights and communications flights for the colonial administrators". From 1965 the squadron relocated to Whenuapai
, Auckland
, to re-equip with Lockheed P-3B Orions in the anti-submarine role. The squadron withdrew its last flight of Sunderlands from Lauthala Bay in 1967.
No. 5 Squadron won the Fincastle trophy
for anti-submarine work on a number of occasions although in recent years focus has shifted from anti-submarine warfare to broader maritime patrol and search and rescue missions. The squadron is equipped with 6 Orions (6th frame purchased RAAF surplus).
The P-3B fleet was upgraded in the mid 1980s (Project Rigel) with a more modern radar (APS-134), an FLIR, a digital computing bus and electronic displays/information management system. They were subsequently redesignated P-3K.
and Gulf of Oman
.
In October 2004, a contract was signed with L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, of the United States, to upgrade the aircraft’s communication, navigation, surveillance and data management systems . The contract also included an upgrade of crew training, software testing and integration facilities and mission preparation and analysis systems.
In 2005 the first of the six P-3K Orions began being upgraded to the new P-3K2 standard, modernising the avionics
and mission systems.
In January 2006 No. 5 Squadron conducted trials
to prove the aircraft could operate from Antarctica. This would improve capabilities to better police illegal fishing, and the trial occurred at a time when New Zealand was under pressure to intervene in the increasingly heated dispute between Greenpeace
, Sea Shepherd
and Japan
ese commercial whaling
ships.
In 2006 an Orion was used to photograph Raoul Island
after a small volcanic eruption killed one Department of Conservation (DOC) worker.
On the 2 May, 2011 the RNZAF accepted the first upgraded P-3K2 Orion from the Ministry of Defence. The aircraft is due to undergo a period of Operational Testing and Evaluation (OT&E) before commencing active use .
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
formed during November 1941 in 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...
. It remains on active duty and logged 2,300 hours flight time in 2007.
World War II
Initially, the squadron was equipped with Vickers VincentsVickers Vildebeest
The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two- to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as a light bomber, torpedo bomber and in the army cooperation roles...
. From the outbreak of hostilities with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the squadron operated the Short Singapore Mk.IIIs (transferred on October 1941 from No. 205 Squadron RAF
No. 205 Squadron RAF
No. 205 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit formed on 1 April 1918. Prior to this it had existed as No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service. In 1929, it became the first RAF squadron to be permanently based in Singapore, taking as its motto Pertama di Malaya . No...
) mainly on maritime patrol
Maritime patrol
Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities....
and anti-submarine duties, rescueing more than fifty survivors of ditched aircraft and successfully attacking a Japanese submarine in the process with the elderly Singapores. These types were superseded by Consolidated PBY Catalinas, which aided the air-sea rescue capability. The Squadron moved from Fiji in late 1944 to operate between Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
and the Admiralty Islands
Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are a group of eighteen islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the south Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands form part of Manus Province, the smallest and...
. During this time the later conqueror of Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
, Edmund Hillary
Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
, served with the squadron.
Cold war
Following the war the squadron was re-equipped with 16 Short SunderlandShort Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
MR.5s and based at Lauthala Bay in 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...
, tasked with "maritime surveillance" over the vast South Pacific Ocean, medical evacuation flights and communications flights for the colonial administrators". From 1965 the squadron relocated to Whenuapai
Whenuapai
Whenuapai is a suburb and airport located in the western Waitakere area of Auckland City, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the northwestern shore of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres to the northwest of Auckland's city centre. It is one of the landing points for the Southern...
, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, to re-equip with Lockheed P-3B Orions in the anti-submarine role. The squadron withdrew its last flight of Sunderlands from Lauthala Bay in 1967.
No. 5 Squadron won the Fincastle trophy
Fincastle competition
The International Fincastle Competition is a contest of skills between the air forces of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. During the competition, crews compete in anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and intelligence and surveillance gathering.-Origins:The Fincastle...
for anti-submarine work on a number of occasions although in recent years focus has shifted from anti-submarine warfare to broader maritime patrol and search and rescue missions. The squadron is equipped with 6 Orions (6th frame purchased RAAF surplus).
The P-3B fleet was upgraded in the mid 1980s (Project Rigel) with a more modern radar (APS-134), an FLIR, a digital computing bus and electronic displays/information management system. They were subsequently redesignated P-3K.
Modern days
The aircraft have been deployed to assist international efforts on several occasions. From May 2003 - Feb 2004, a detachment operated in support of Operation Enduring Freedom by patrolling the Arabian SeaArabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
and Gulf of Oman
Gulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran...
.
In October 2004, a contract was signed with L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, of the United States, to upgrade the aircraft’s communication, navigation, surveillance and data management systems . The contract also included an upgrade of crew training, software testing and integration facilities and mission preparation and analysis systems.
In 2005 the first of the six P-3K Orions began being upgraded to the new P-3K2 standard, modernising the avionics
Avionics
Avionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...
and mission systems.
In January 2006 No. 5 Squadron conducted trials
Military activity in the Antarctic
As Antarctica has never been permanently settled by humans, there has historically been little military activity in the Antarctic. While the Antarctic Treaty, which came into effect on June 23, 1961, bans military activity in Antarctica, military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific...
to prove the aircraft could operate from Antarctica. This would improve capabilities to better police illegal fishing, and the trial occurred at a time when New Zealand was under pressure to intervene in the increasingly heated dispute between Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
, Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is a non-profit, marine conservation organization based in Friday Harbor, Washington in the United States. The group uses direct action tactics to protect sealife...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese commercial whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
ships.
In 2006 an Orion was used to photograph Raoul Island
Raoul Island
Anvil-shaped Raoul Island , the largest and northernmost of the main Kermadec Islands, , has been the source of vigorous volcanic activity during the past several thousand years that was dominated by dacitic explosive eruptions.The area of the island, including fringing islets and rocks...
after a small volcanic eruption killed one Department of Conservation (DOC) worker.
On the 2 May, 2011 the RNZAF accepted the first upgraded P-3K2 Orion from the Ministry of Defence. The aircraft is due to undergo a period of Operational Testing and Evaluation (OT&E) before commencing active use .