RNLNAS Patch Netherlands Naval Aviation 7 Squadron Patch Lynx

RNLNAS Patch Netherlands Naval Aviation 7 Squadron Flying Suit Lynx Patch Late 1970s Lynx De Kooy Naval Air Station embroidered on twill merrowed edge 103mm four and one sixteenth inches Diameter.

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Netherlands Naval Aviation Service Marine-Luchtvaartdienst MLD is the naval aviation branch of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The main roles of the MLD were maritime patrol anti-submarine warfare and SAR search and rescue.

7 Squadron was established on 12 December 1949 at Morokrembangan Naval Air Station in the Netherlands East Indies equipped with Catalina flying boats and moved to Biak on 24 December 1949 to form the Netherlands Naval Aviation Service in Netherlands New Guinnea. Once established 7 Squadron was inactivated on being renamed 321 Squadron on 1 February 1951.

The Squadron was re-activated at Biak on 4 July 1955 equipped with Fairy Fireflys to provide air defence. 7 Squadron disbanded again in 1961 when the air defence role was allocated to 322 Squadron RNLAF.

On 15 October 1962 7 Squadron was re-activated at Valkenbrg Naval Air Station Netherlands with UH-1 Huey helicopters for Search And Rescue SAR and SAR Aircrew Training VIP and Liason duties. The Squadron relocated to De Kooy NAS in 1973 and converted to Lynx helicopters in 1976. Helicopters of 7 Squadron and 860 Squadron stationed in De Kooy NAS and on ships and were known as the Helicopter Group while 320 Squadron and 321 Squadron equipped with fixed wing maritime patrol aircraft were stationed at Valkenburg Naval Air Station NAS and was known as the Airplane
Group. This was formalised on 1 July 1977 when the Netherlands Naval Aviation Service MLD was split into two sections MARPAT Maritime Patrol controlling 320 and 321 Squadrons fixed wing Orion patrol aircraft while MARHELI Maritime Helicopters controlling 7 and 860 Squadrons.

In 2008 the Netherlands Naval Helicopters Group 7 Squadron and 860 Squadron were transferred with the RNLAF helicopter Squadrons to the newly formed Defence Helicopter Command DHC to bring all Dutch military helicopters under one single command at De Kooy NAS which was renamed De Kooy Maritime Air Station. 7 Squadron retained its training role while 860 Squadron was designated as DHCs Maritime Squadron with a large navy component providing SAR and anti-submarine Lynx Flights to Navy ships.

This patch dates from the late 1970s