[1][2] In the late 1950s the squadron's numerical was transferred to the AAC and since its formation in 1969, it has operated as a British Army unit flying various types of battlefield helicopters.

1 Flying Training School RAF,[3] but it has been deployed operationally to Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and Brunei throughout its existence.

[9][10] The squadron moved to Salamanca Barracks, at Soest-Bad Sassendorf Airfield in 1971, becoming part of 4 Regt AAC the following year.

In January 1973, it was renamed 660 Squadron AAC and in May 1974, while a Salamanca Barracks, it was the first unit to receive the Westland Gazelle AH.1 for operational service in May 1974.

It also provided anti-smuggling and immigration-control capabilities and supported Army exercises, being heavily involved in stemming the flood of illegal-immigrants from the People's Republic of China (PRC).

The Siouxs were then phased out, with their last flights in Hong Kong being undertaken towards the end of 1974 when they were replaced by Gazelles.

By the end of 1975 the Gazelle had been found unsuitable for Hong Kong, and they were returned to the UK, leaving the squadron with just its Scout helicopters.

[10][17] The Defence Helicopter Flying School concept was born during the Defence Cost Study of 1994, leading to the selection of a single site for basic helicopter training using contractor-owned aircraft and a proportion of civilian (ex-military) flying instructors.

660 Sqn AAC is commanded by an Army major and equipped with civilian-owned Airbus Helicopters H135 (known as Juno).

[18] In October 1996, a contract had been placed with FBS, a company formed between Flight Refuelling Aviation, Bristows Helicopters Ltd and SERCo.

In practice, FBS now sub-contracts the support of the DHFS and RAF Shawbury to FB Heli Services (formerly FR Aviation Services) thus maintaining the partnership between the company and RAF Shawbury forged over the 5 years previous to that contract.

Also included in the contract was the provision of 40% of the helicopter instructors, operations-support staff and flight-systems operators in the Central Air Traffic Control School.