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s 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 joint royal navy royal air force lightning force 809 naval air squadron was re formed at raf marham in december 2023 as a frontline f 35b lightning ii squadron alongside the raf s 617 squadron the two squadrons comprise personnel from both services and operate the aircraft from land bases and the queen elizabeth class carriers 157 158 the f 35b lightning ii provides the principal fixed wing component of the uk s carrier strike capability in 2026 f 35b lightning iis of 809 naval air squadron operated from hms prince of wales during nato s ramstein flag exercise and subsequent carrier strike group operations including air defence and long range strike missions 159 160 while 47 f 35b aircraft including 3 or 4 based in the u s were in the u k inventory by march 2026 161 as the former u k defence secretary ben wallace had reported the raf and royal navy faced a considerable challenge in providing even the existing modest f 35b fleet with qualified pilots as of late 2022 there were only 30 qualified british pilots plus three exchange pilots from the united states and australia for the f 35 the average wait time for raf trainee typhoon and f 35 pilots after completing the military flying training system was approximately 11 and 12 months respectively a further gap of 68 weeks existed between completing basic flying training and beginning advanced fast jet training the resulting pilot shortage was a factor in delaying the ability to stand up the first fleet air arm squadron 809 squadron on a timely basis 162 in february 2023 the chief of the air staff air chief marshal sir mike wigston reported that the number of f 35 pilots had grown to 34 uk pilots with a further 7 to complete training by august 2023 163 however in 2025 the national audit office nao reported that a consistent shortage of pilots remained along with other shortages including of f 35 engineers 164 pilot to aircraft ratios were reported at about 1 1 which were argued by some to be far below the 1 3 to 1 5 considered healthy in most air forces 165 rotary wing aircraft edit today the largest section of the faa is the rotary wing section pilots designated for rotary wing service train under no 1 flying training school at raf shawbury 166 the school is a tri service organisation consisting of civilian and military instructors including naval instructors and a naval air squadron that take the student from basic flying through to more advanced flying such as instrument flying navigation formation and captaincy within the school 705 naval air squadron provides helicopter flight training the curriculum encompasses non procedural instrument flying fundamental night flying low level and formation flying winching and mountain flying since april 2018 705 nas has been training pilots and aircrew from all three branches of the military under the 2 maritime air wing 167 its aviators fly one of four types of helicopters merlin hm2 edit a merlin hm2 aircraft of 824 nas the agustawestland merlin hm2 is the fleet air arm s principal anti submarine warfare asw helicopter operated by the merlin helicopter force from royal naval air station culdrose it uses sonobuoys dipping sonar and other sensors to locate and track submarines and can employ sting ray torpedoes against underwater targets merlin hm2 also provides maritime surveillance and airborne early warning and control including the crowsnest system used to provide the carrier strike group with an extended radar picture beyond the horizon 168 merlin with crowsnest replaced the asac7 variant of the sea king with the first merlin hm2 test flight equipped with crowsnest was completed in april 2019 169 while crowsnest was deployed with the uk carrier strike group in 2021 it experienced operating challenges finally achieving initial operating capability in july 2023 and full operating capability in 2025 170 while all merlins in the royal navy will be equipped to operate crowsnest only ten kits for the system are being acquired it has been reported that initially five merlins will be equipped with crowsnest three of these being normally assigned to the high readiness aircraft carrier 171 in 2025 nine merlin hm2s from 820 squadron were specifically assigned to embark on hms prince of wales as part of the royal navy s carrier strike group deployment to the indo pacific region six of the merlins deployed in the asw role and three in the aew role 170 the merlin hm2 forms an important part of the air group embarked aboard the queen elizabeth class aircraft carrier where its anti submarine and airborne surveillance roles complement the f 35b merlin helicopters also operate from other royal navy ships and undertake maritime security search and rescue and other supporting tasks as required 172 merlin hc4 4a edit a merlin hc4 of commando helicopter force the merlin hc4 and hc4a are the fleet air arm s commando transport helicopters and are operated by the commando helicopter force in support of the royal marines and united kingdom commando force the aircraft provide tactical mobility between ships and shore air assault littoral ship to shore movement and the insertion and extraction of personnel and equipment they can also undertake joint personnel recovery deployed search and rescue non combatant evacuation counter narcotics and maritime intra theatre lift missions 173 845 and 846 naval air squadrons operate the merlin mk4 as frontline elements of the commando helicopter force with the aircraft designed to support amphibious operations and the royal marines developing littoral warfare capability 846 nas also houses the operational conversion flight responsible for training pilots aircrewmen and engineers to operate the merlin mk4 174 the faa received the merlin hc3 hc3a fleet from the raf replacing the commando sea king in september 2014 these have been marinised and updated to hc4s hc4as under the merlin life sustainment programme mlsp that was placed on contract in december 2013 175 wildcat hma2 edit a wildcat hma2 of 700 w nas conducting trials off hms monmouth the wildcat hma2 is the fleet air arm s principal maritime attack and reconnaissance helicopter operated by 815 naval air squadron and its shipborne flights it is designed to operate from the relatively small flight decks of royal navy frigates and destroyers and extends the surveillance and targeting capabilities of the ships from which it operates 176 the wildcat hma2 can conduct anti surface warfare asuw and maritime security operations using weapons including the martlet and sea venom missiles and m3m heavy machine gun while its sensors support reconnaissance and surveillance it can also employ the sting ray torpedo and undertake secondary roles including search and rescue load lifting troop movement and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief 176 wildcat ah1 edit the wildcat ah1 battlefield reconnaissance helicopter brh used by 847 nas the wildcat ah1 is the battlefield reconnaissance and utility variant operated by the commando helicopter force 847 naval air squadron employs the type in support of royal marines and wider uk commando force operations providing battlefield reconnaissance intelligence surveillance and target acquisition fire control support troop movement and other battlefield tasks the aircraft can also undertake winching casualty evacuation and disaster relief missions 177 under the 2026 defence investment plan dip these helicopters are projected to be retired from 2027 with no confirmed timeline for their replacement by autonomous systems 178 training aircraft edit grob tutor t1 fleet air arm aircrew undergo training through the united kingdom s integrated military flying training system with royal navy personnel training alongside personnel from the other armed services initial pilot assessment is conducted by 727 naval air squadron at royal naval air station yeovilton where students undergo pilot grading and assessment using the grob 115e tutor t1 the squadron assesses students suitability for further flying training and their potential for different aviation streams including fast jets and helicopters 179 grob prefect t1 elementary flying training is provided through no 3 flying training school including 703 naval air squadron using the grob prefect t1 the course develops basic flying skills navigation instrument flying and emergency handling before students progress to specialist military flying training 180 airbus juno ht1 royal navy helicopter pilots subsequently undergo basic rotary wing training with 705 naval air squadron at raf shawbury part of no 1 flying training school flying the airbus juno ht1 the training includes instrument night low level and formation flying as well as winching and mountain flying before fleet air arm students progress to type specific training 181 beechcraft avenger t1 specialist training for royal navy observers is provided by 750 naval air squadron at royal naval air station culdrose using beechcraft avenger t1 aircraft as airborne training platforms the squadron trains observers in navigation sensor operation maritime operations and the management of airborne missions before they specialise on operational aircraft such as merlin and wildcat 182 type specific operational conversion is subsequently conducted by specialist fleet air arm squadrons including 824 naval air squadron for merlin hm2 825 naval air squadron for wildcat hma2 and 846 naval air squadron s operational conversion flight for merlin hc4 hc4a 183 184 174 uncrewed aircraft edit the fleet air arm is increasingly integrating remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft with its crewed aviation forces 700x naval air squadron is the royal navy s specialist uncrewed aircraft unit and provides training operational support research and evaluation of remotely piloted air systems and other emerging technologies 185 current systems edit peregrine schiebel camcopter s 100 aboard hms lancaster as of 2024 the royal navy operated a number of small unmanned aerial vehicles uav including the aerovironment puma ae and ebee vision 186 187 188 189 in 2024 the navy reported that there were a total of nine qualified puma teams six of which were dedicated to supporting the royal marines in 40 and 45 commando 190 as of 2024 a total of 75 puma ae 15 puma le long endurance and 39 aerovironment wasp iii uavs were in the uk inventory 191 192 the faa s inventory was further boosted with the addition of the peregrine rotary wing uav which started trials on hms lancaster in august 2024 193 194 195 in 2025 it was announced that as part of its deployment east of suez hms prince of wales will carry a small fleet of malloy aeronautics t150 uavs the drone is designed to provide lightweight logistics transport support for royal navy deployments nine t 150 drones are operated by 700x naval air squadron 196 in august 2026 trials were carried out deploying the t 150b heavy lift uav from the river class patrol vessel trent 197 future development edit a number of unmanned systems are under development for the fleet air arm including fixed wing uavs envisaged for potential operation from the queen elizabeth class carriers these programs are in the conceptual or planning stages under a program known as project vixen 198 the 2026 defence investment plan dip envisages the establishment of hybrid carrier air wings through the investment of about 240m investment in project pantheon the development of autonomous systems as part of the hybrid carrier air wing early trials are anticipated for jet powered drones to operate alongside the f 35b force under project vanquish 1...
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