A huge crowd was on hand at HMAS Albatross on Thursday as the 725 Squadron was commissioned.
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It is the fourth time the squadron has been bought into service, once in the Royal Navy and three times by the RAN.
The 2015 reincarnation is home for the MH-60 Romeo Seahawk, the next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter.
The new squadron will operate as the training squadron for the MH-60R, with 816 Squadron the operational support squadron.
The ceremony was attended by Minister for Defence, Kevin Andrews, Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer, and Commander Fleet Air Arm, Commodore Vince Di Pietro, as well as special guest Gaby Kennard, the first Australian woman to circumnavigate the globe by airplane in 1989, following Amelia Earhart’s route as much as possible.
Over the years 725 Squadron has flown a variety of aircraft, including Douglas C474 Dakota, Auster J5-G Autocar, Hawker Sea Fury Mark II, Fairey Firefly AS-5s and Fairey Gannet AS1s.
In 1969 its role changed to anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training.
It then progressed to flying Westland Wessex 31A helicopters before decommission.
In June 2011, the government announced the acquisition of 24 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk Romeo naval combat helicopters as replacements for the Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawks.
