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eet air defence role through the harrier s expeditionary strike role and an eight year carrier fast jet gap into a smaller but technologically advanced and highly integrated fifth generation carrier force modernisation and consolidation of naval helicopters edit helicopters had become important combat platforms since the second world war initially used in the search and rescue role they were later developed for anti submarine warfare and troop transport during the 1956 suez crisis they were used to land royal marine commando forces the first time this had ever been done in combat 119 the fleet air arm entered the 21st century with its rotary wing capability centred on the sea king and lynx but the introduction of the merlin helicopter brought a significant increase in the capability of its heavyweight maritime helicopters the merlin hm1 entered operational service around 2000 progressively assuming the principal anti submarine warfare role from the sea king its greater range endurance payload and sensor capability allowed it to operate as an integral part of the royal navy s anti submarine and maritime forces while the subsequent merlin hm2 upgrade introduced a substantially modernised avionics and mission system from 2014 merlin hm2 operated from a range of royal navy and royal fleet auxiliary vessels including the queen elizabeth class aircraft carrier type 23 frigates and type 45 destroyers providing anti submarine warfare and maritime surveillance capabilities 120 commando helicopter force merlin hc3 3a merlin also transformed the fleet air arm s support of the royal marines following the transfer of the commando helicopter force s merlin mk3 force to the royal navy 845 and 846 naval air squadrons progressively replaced the sea king mk4 with merlin bringing the heavyweight helicopter capability of the fleet air arm s maritime and amphibious forces onto a common platform the introduction of the merlin mk4 from 2019 provided an aircraft specifically adapted for amphibious operations including a folding rotorhead and tail for shipboard use and improved avionics the type became the principal heavy lift and troop carrying helicopter of the commando helicopter force supporting royal marines operations from ships and land bases 121 122 the fleet air arm s lighter shipborne helicopter capability was meanwhile modernised through the replacement of the lynx by the wildcat hma2 the first wildcats were delivered to 815 naval air squadron in 2016 beginning the final transition from the lynx which had served with the royal navy for more than four decades before its withdrawal in march 2017 designed principally for operation from frigates destroyers and royal fleet auxiliary vessels wildcat combined a digital cockpit with modern sensors and weapons systems providing a more capable platform for anti surface warfare reconnaissance force protection and maritime surveillance while retaining the ability to operate from the small flight decks of the royal navy s surface combatants 123 124 the adoption of merlin and wildcat resulted in a smaller but more technologically sophisticated fleet air arm helicopter force merlin became the heavyweight maritime and commando platform providing anti submarine warfare maritime surveillance airborne surveillance and control troop transport and amphibious support while wildcat provided the principal helicopter capability embarked on the royal navy s frigates and destroyers the two types also formed the core of the commando helicopter force with merlin providing heavy lift and wildcat providing battlefield reconnaissance and armed support by the 2020s this structure had replaced the larger and more varied sea king and lynx fleets with a more specialised force designed around networked sensors modern weapons and the ability to deploy aviation capability across the royal navy s surface fleet and amphibious forces 125 126 royal naval volunteer reserve air branch edit the royal naval volunteer reserve air branch rnvr a was formed in 1937 with training beginning in 1938 when 33 aircrew were on its books 127 by october 1945 8 000 fleet air arm pilots and observers were serving as reservists in 1952 the rnvr a comprised 12 squadrons grouped into five dedicated air divisions scottish northern midland southern and channel each numbering roughly 1 000 personnel and including pilots observers air engineering and intelligence officers fighter direction officers and maintenance personnel the air branch was disbanded in 1957 following the 1956 defence review the government subsequently explained that the decision reflected financial and manpower considerations despite the branch retaining an operational role 128 in 1958 the royal naval reserve and royal naval volunteer reserve were amalgamated with the title royal naval reserve retained for the unified organisation 129 museums edit the fleet air arm has a museum near rnas yeovilton hms heron in somerset england at which many of the great historical aircraft flown by the service are on display along with aircraft from other sources there is also a fleet air arm museum inside the museum of transport technology in auckland new zealand on display there is a full size replica fairey swordfish along with historic items and memorabilia historic flight edit until march 2019 the fleet air arm had responsibility for the royal navy historic flight a heritage unit of airworthy aircraft representing the history of aviation in the royal navy the historic flight was disbanded on 31 march 2019 with responsibility for maintaining and operating the aircraft transferred to navy wings a charitable body that also runs the fly navy heritage trust 130 the faa today edit the fleet air arm is the aviation branch of the royal navy providing air power for carrier strike maritime warfare and support to the royal marines its aircraft operate from royal navy aircraft carriers warships naval air stations and other air bases providing capabilities including strike anti submarine warfare maritime surveillance reconnaissance and amphibious support 131 carrier aviation edit hms queen elizabeth flight deck with f 35b lightning ii the fleet air arm s fixed wing combat capability is provided by the f 35b lightning ii operated as part of the joint royal navy royal air force lightning force 809 naval air squadron was re formed in december 2023 as the lightning force s second front line f 35b squadron joining no 617 squadron raf the two squadrons operate the f 35b from raf marham when ashore and are intended to provide an interchangeable pool of royal navy and royal air force personnel for carrier operations 132 133 the f 35b provides fifth generation strike and air combat capability for the queen elizabeth class aircraft carriers in 2024 809 nas operated f 35bs from hms prince of wales during carrier training while in 2025 f 35bs from 809 nas and 617 squadron formed the fast jet component of the uk carrier strike group s deployment to the indo pacific 134 135 in 2026 f 35bs of 809 nas operated from hms prince of wales during exercise ramstein flag alongside the carrier s merlin and wildcat helicopters with sorties extending across northern europe 136 maritime aviation edit merlin hma2 with crowsnest asac arriving on hms queen elizabeth the fleet air arm s principal maritime helicopter types are the merlin hm2 and wildcat hma2 merlin hm2 is operated primarily in the anti submarine warfare and airborne early warning and control roles 820 naval air squadron provides the principal merlin force for the protection of the queen elizabeth class carrier strike groups with its aircraft using dipping sonar sonobuoys and torpedoes to detect and attack submarines while the airborne surveillance and control aircraft use radar to provide an extended air picture for the task group 137 merlin hm2 also provides airborne surveillance and control beyond carrier strike operations during the uk carrier strike group deployment in 2025 820 naval air squadron provided merlin aircraft for both anti submarine warfare and airborne surveillance and control with crowsnest equipped aircraft providing radar coverage over the task group 138 wildcat hma2 equipped with martlet missiles the wildcat hma2 provides the royal navy with a shipborne maritime attack and reconnaissance helicopter 815 naval air squadron operates the type in front line service employing the wildcat for anti surface warfare reconnaissance and surveillance while its weapons include the martlet and sea venom missiles sting ray torpedoes and the m3m heavy machine gun the aircraft can operate from the relatively small flight decks of royal navy frigates and destroyers and is also used for maritime security search and rescue logistics and humanitarian assistance 139 825 naval air squadron provides wildcat maritime conversion and training for pilots observers and engineers before they join the operational force 140 the combination of merlin and wildcat allows the fleet air arm to provide complementary capabilities within carrier strike groups and individual ship deployments merlin provides the principal airborne anti submarine and surveillance capability while wildcat provides a smaller shipborne force optimised for reconnaissance maritime security and engagement of surface targets 137 139 commando aviation edit wildcat ah1 of commando helicopter force the commando helicopter force provides aviation support to the uk commando force and royal marines it comprises 845 and 846 naval air squadrons which operate the merlin mk4 and mk4a and 847 naval air squadron which operates the wildcat ah1 141 the merlin mk4 is used for tactical mobility and amphibious operations including the movement of royal marines and equipment between ships and shore 845 naval air squadron provides tactical mobility including ship to shore strike air assault and the tactical insertion and extraction of personnel and equipment while also undertaking roles including personnel recovery search and rescue evacuation and maritime intra theatre lift 142 846 naval air squadron is the second frontline merlin mk4 squadron and also operates the operational conversion flight responsible for training pilots aircrew and engineers for the type 143 847 naval air squadron operates the wildcat ah1 in the armed reconnaissance and light transport roles in support of the royal marines its capabilities include intelligence surveillance target acquisition and reconnaissance fire control offensive action casualty evacuation and combat recovery the aircraft can operate either embarked or from land bases and is designed to support the commando force in a range of environments 144 uncrewed and autonomous aviation edit peregrine remotely piloted helicopter for surveillance tracking and target identification the fleet air arm is increasingly incorporating remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft into naval aviation 700x naval air squadron is the royal navy s specialist unit for remotely piloted air systems rpas and operates deployable flights using the puma rpas for surveillance the squadron also operates the malloy t 150 uncrewed aircraft system for transporting supplies and the peregrine remotely piloted helicopter for surveillance tracking and target identification it is responsible for training and experimentation in rpas and supports the royal navy s development of a hybrid navy in which uncrewed systems operate alongside crewed aircraft 145 in september 2025 the royal navy declared the malloy t 150 and peregrine ready for front line operations the t 150 was intended to transport supplies to royal marines in demanding environments while peregrine was introduced to provide intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance from royal navy warships 146 the royal navy is also developing the integration of uncrewed systems with conventional fleet air arm aircraft in 2025 a merlin hm2 operated with a puma remotely piloted aircraft during trials intended to demonstrate the use of crewed aircraft and drones together while subsequent trials in 2026 demonstrated a wildcat operating with multiple uncrewed systems and sensors 147 148 future development edit the fleet air arm s future development is increasingly centred on the integration of crewed and uncrewed aircraft the 2025 strategic defence review called for the royal navy s carrier air wings to evolve into a hybrid force combining crewed combat aircraft autonomous collaborative platforms and single use drones it also identified greater use of uncrewed systems as part of the future development of maritime surveillance and anti submarine warfare capabilities 149 the resulting force is therefore increasingly based on the combination of crewed aircraft and networked uncrewed systems f 35b provides the principal fixed wing carrier strike capability merlin provides anti submarine warfare and airborne surveillance and control wildcat provides shipborne maritime attack and reconnaissance and the commando helicopter force provides aviation support to the royal marines uncrewed systems are being introduced to extend surveillance provide logistical support and complement crewed aircraft forming part of the fleet air arm s evolving approach to naval aviation 131 149 aircraft edit further information list of active united kingdom military aircraft the fleet air arm operates fixed wing rotary wing and uncrewed aircraft in support of royal navy and royal marines operations its aircraft provide carrier strike air defence anti submarine warfare maritime surveillance and reconnaissance surface warfare amphibious assault tactical mobility and logistical support aircraft are operated from royal navy aircraft carriers warships shore bases and austere locations with training conducted through the united kingdom s integrated military flying training system 150 it uses the same aircraft designation system as the raf fixed wing aircraft edit f 35b lightning ii edit the fleet air arm operates the f 35b from the queen elizabeth class aircraft carriers for uk f 35b procurement see lockheed martin f 35 lightning ii procurement the f 35b lightning ii is the fleet air arm s principal fixed wing combat aircraft the short take off and vertical landing variant operates from the royal navy s queen elizabeth class aircraft carrier and provides fifth generation air combat air defence and strike capabilities its stealth sensors and networked systems allow it to conduct air to air and air to ground missions while also contributing to intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance 151 in january 2019 initial operating capability for the uk s f 35b lightning ii was announced 152 with 18 f 35b lightning iis jointly delivered to the uk 153 as of december 2022 26 aircraft were operational in the uk and based at raf marham these aircraft regularly deployed for operations on the queen elizabeth class aircraft carriers 154 155 156 fleet air arm f 35b lightning iis are operated as part of the 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