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ing aircraft 3 1 1 f 35b lightning ii 3 2 rotary wing aircraft 3 2 1 merlin hm2 3 2 2 merlin hc4 4a 3 2 3 wildcat hma2 3 2 4 wildcat ah1 3 3 training aircraft 3 4 uncrewed aircraft 3 4 1 current systems 3 4 2 future development 4 squadrons and flights 5 traditions and insignia 6 notable members 7 see also 8 references toggle references subsection 8 1 sources 9 external links toggle the table of contents fleet air arm 25 languages azərbaycanca brezhoneg català čeština dansk deutsch español فارسی suomi français עברית italiano 日本語 bahasa melayu nederlands norsk bokmål polski português русский simple english slovenčina svenska türkçe українська 中文 edit links article talk english read edit view history tools tools move to sidebar hide actions read edit view history general what links here related changes upload file permanent link page information cite this page get shortened url switch to legacy parser print export download as pdf printable version in other projects wikimedia commons wikidata item appearance move to sidebar hide from wikipedia the free encyclopedia aviation arm of the royal navy for the u s aviation regulator see federal aviation administration fleet air arm founded 1914 as the royal naval air service 1924 as the fleet air arm of the royal air force country united kingdom branch royal navy size 5 000 personnel c 160 aircraft 1 part of naval service engagements second world war 1945 palestine 1946 48 malayan emergency 1948 60 korean war 1950 53 suez crisis operation musketeer 1956 kuwait operation vantage 1961 indonesian confrontation borneo 1962 66 tanganyika east african intervention 1964 aden emergency radfan 1964 67 northern ireland operation banner 1969 2007 cod wars 1974 and 1975 76 falklands war operation corporate 1982 gulf war operation granby 1990 91 bosnian war nato intervention 1992 95 kosovo war operation allied force 1999 sierra leone operation palliser 2000 02 war in afghanistan operation herrick 2001 14 iraq war operation telic 2003 11 libya operation ellamy 2011 red sea crisis houthi attacks 2023 present website www royalnavy mod uk our organisation the fighting arms fleet air arm commanders commodore in chief catherine princess of wales commodore fleet air arm commodore stuart finn 2 3 insignia white ensign roundels fin flashes aircraft flown fighter f 35b lightning ii attack helicopter wildcat hma2 cargo helicopter commando merlin hc4 4a multirole helicopter merlin hm2 observation helicopter commando wildcat ah1 peregrine uav trainer helicopter juno ht1 4 reconnaissance puma ae le uav 5 trainer avenger t1 prefect t1 tutor t1 transport t150 uav military unit his majesty s naval service of the british armed forces components royal navy surface fleet fleet air arm submarine service royal naval reserve royal navy medical service nursing service qarnns chaplaincy royal navy police royal marines royal marines reserve royal marines band service equipment uniforms special forces special boat service naval careers service history and future before 1707 after 1707 future history of the royal marines coloured squadrons customs and traditions command flags operations current deployments naval parties shore establishments equipment current fleet historic ships equipment personnel the admiralty senior officers uniforms officer rating insignia auxiliary services royal fleet auxiliary marine services v t e the fleet air arm faa is the naval aviation component of the united kingdom s royal navy rn the faa is one of five rn fighting arms 6 the contemporary fleet air arm provides the royal navy s principal aviation capabilities operating fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft in support of naval operations its carrier aviation includes the f 35b lightning ii providing fifth generation carrier strike and air combat capability from the queen elizabeth class aircraft carriers maritime aviation is centred on the merlin hm2 providing anti submarine warfare and airborne surveillance and control and the wildcat hma2 providing maritime reconnaissance surveillance and attack capability from royal navy and allied ships the commando helicopter force operates merlin hc4 4a and wildcat ah1 helicopters in support of the united kingdom commando force providing tactical mobility reconnaissance and fire support for amphibious and littoral operations fleet air arm aircraft also undertake maritime security search and rescue humanitarian assistance and other operations in support of the royal navy and wider uk defence commitments following the creation of the royal air force raf in 1918 through the merger of the royal naval air service rnas and the british army s royal flying corps naval aviation became part of the new service the fleet air arm was established within the raf on 1 april 1924 comprising raf units responsible for naval aviation and the operation of aircraft embarked in royal navy ships under the inskip award administrative control of the fleet air arm was transferred from the raf to the admiralty on 24 may 1939 returning naval aviation to direct royal navy control during the second world war the fleet air arm operated carrier borne and land based aircraft in a wide range of roles including reconnaissance fighter defence anti submarine warfare strike and support of amphibious operations history edit beginnings edit main article royal naval air service british naval flying started in 1909 with the construction of an airship for naval duties 7 in 1911 the royal navy graduated its first aeroplane pilots at the royal aero club flying ground near eastchurch isle of sheppey under the tutelage of pioneer aviator george bertram cockburn 8 in may 1912 naval and army aviation were combined to become the royal flying corps rfc the naval wing of the rfc lasted until july 1914 when the royal navy reformed its air branch under the air department of the admiralty naming it the royal naval air service rnas 9 by the outbreak of the first world war in august 1914 the rnas had more aircraft under its control than the remaining rfc 10 page needed the roles of the rnas were fleet reconnaissance patrolling coasts for enemy ships and submarines attacking enemy coastal territory and defending britain from enemy air raids along with deployment along the western front in april 1918 the rnas which at this time had 67 000 officers and men 2 949 aircraft 103 airships and 126 coastal stations merged with the rfc to form the royal air force raf 11 fleet air arm edit on 1 april 1924 the fleet air arm of the royal air force was formed encompassing those raf units that normally embarked on aircraft carriers and fighting ships 12 the year was significant for british naval aviation as only weeks before the founding of the fleet air arm the royal navy had commissioned hms hermes the world s first ship to be designed and built as an aircraft carrier over the following months raf fleet air arm fairey iiid reconnaissance biplanes operated off hermes conducting flying trials on 24 may 1939 under the terms of the inskip award of 1937 administrative control of the fleet air arm was transferred from the royal air force to the admiralty restoring full naval control of ship borne aviation 13 14 at the onset of the second world war the fleet air arm consisted of 20 squadrons with 232 first line aircraft and 191 trainers 15 by the end of the war the strength of the fleet air arm had expanded to 59 aircraft carriers about 3 700 aircraft approximately 72 000 officers and men and 56 naval air stations 16 during the second world war the fleet air arm operated a wide range of aircraft including fighter aircraft torpedo bombers and reconnaissance aircraft during the norwegian campaign in april june 1940 fleet air arm aircraft from the aircraft carriers hms ark royal hms glorious and hms furious provided reconnaissance fighter defence and offensive air support while the carriers also enabled the raf s 263 squadron s gladiators and 46 squadron s hurricanes to be deployed to norway 17 the campaign demonstrated both the flexibility of carrier aviation in projecting air power and reinforcing land based forces and its limitations when british carriers operated within range of german land based air power the loss of hms glorious on 8 june while evacuating raf aircraft highlighted the vulnerability of carriers without adequate fighter protection 17 18 following the dunkirk evacuation and as the battle of britain began the fleet air arm was called upon to reinforce raf fighter command which was experiencing a shortage of fighter pilots fleet air arm personnel were employed either individually within raf fighter squadrons or through the deployment of complete fleet air arm squadrons under raf operational control among these were 804 and 808 naval air squadrons while other fleet air arm fighter pilots and observers served alongside raf personnel equipped with gloster sea gladiators 804 squadron undertook the defence of naval dockyards during the battle of britain 19 fairey swordfish i in november 1940 the fleet air arm demonstrated the offensive potential of carrier aviation in operation judgement the attack on the italian fleet at taranto on the night of 11 12 november 21 fairey swordfish of the fleet air arm operating from hms illustrious attacked the italian fleet at anchor sinking the battleship conte di cavour and heavily damaging littorio and duilio and a heavy cruiser the raid effectively halved the strength of the italian battle fleet and demonstrated for the first time in combat the ability of carrier borne aircraft to inflict decisive damage on a major fleet in harbour 20 at the battle of cape matapan in march 1941 fleet air arm aircraft from hms formidable played a decisive role in the destruction of the italian fleet a fairey albacore torpedo attack damaged and temporarily immobilised the italian battleship vittorio veneto enabling the british fleet to pursue the withdrawing italians while a subsequent strike torpedoed the heavy cruiser pola whose immobilisation led the italian command to detach zara fiume and destroyers to her assistance allowing the british battleships to intercept and destroy them in the subsequent night action 21 the fleet air arm also played a decisive role in the destruction of the german battleship bismarck in may 1941 820 naval air squadron operating fairey swordfish torpedo bombers from hms ark royal attacked bismarck on the evening of 26 may a torpedo hit the stern and jammed the battleship s rudders leaving her largely unable to manoeuvre and preventing her escape towards occupied france bismarck was intercepted and sunk by royal navy surface forces the following morning 22 23 on 30 july 1941 fleet air arm aircraft from the aircraft carriers hms victorious and hms furious attacked german shipping and installations at kirkenes and petsamo during operation ef in support of the soviet union following the german invasion of the ussr the raids achieved limited material results and at heavy cost with twelve fairey albacores and four fairey fulmars lost but the admiralty considered the attacks to have had a significant effect on german morale and dispositions demonstrating the fleet air arm s ability to project carrier based air power into the arctic while providing an immediate demonstration of british support for its new soviet ally 24 25 for the malta convoy operations of 1941 fleet air arm aircraft from hms ark royal provided fighter protection for the convoys while also reinforcing malta s air strength during operation substance in july its fairey fulmars engaged italian torpedo bombers attacking convoy gm 1 while six fairey swordfish were flown off to reinforce malta in operation halberd in september the carrier s fulmars again provided air defence while its aircraft conducted reconnaissance and attacks against the italian fleet 26 27 28 during the channel dash on 12 february 1942 six fairey swordfish of 825 naval air squadron of the fleet air arm attacked the german battlecruisers scharnhorst and gneisenau and heavy cruiser prinz eugen as they attempted to break through the english channel from brest to germany all six fairey swordfish were shot down by german fighters and anti aircraft fire with 13 of the 18 aircrew killed although some aircraft launched their torpedoes none struck the german ships lieutenant commander eugene esmonde who led the attack was posthumously awarded the victoria cross for his actions 29 during operation pedestal in august 1942 fleet air arm fighter aircraft from the aircraft carriers hms eagle hms indomitable and hms victorious provided vital carrier borne air defence against sustained german and italian attacks with hms indomitable s fighters alone destroying 28 enemy aircraft and probably destroying a further six 30 despite the loss of hms eagle the carrier fighters helped shield the surviving ships of the convoy enabling several merchant vessels including the oil tanker ss ohio to reach malta and deliver vital supplies 31 supermarine seafire mk iic of 885 naval air squadron on the flight deck of hms formidable in the mediterranean december 1942 operation torch took place in november 1942 and fleet air arm aircraft from carriers including hms furious hms formidable hms victorious and hms argus provided fighter cover reconnaissance and offensive air support for the allied landings in north africa attacking vichy french airfields and coastal defences the operation was also significant as the supermarine seafire s first combat deployment establishing the navalised fighter in operational service with the fleet air arm 32 33 in british home waters and the atlantic raf coastal command operated alongside the royal navy against axis submarines and shipping using long range patrol aircraft and flying boats for maritime reconnaissance and anti submarine warfare and land based torpedo bombers and fighter bombers for offensive operations 34 35 during the battle of the atlantic the fleet air arm s role in anti submarine warfare expanded significantly in 1943 as increasing numbers of its aircraft operated from escort carriers and merchant aircraft carriers to provide air support for convoys faa aircraft extended the reach of convoy air patrols and equipped with airborne radar and anti submarine weapons detected and attacked u boats and supported surface escorts making an increasingly important contribution to the defence of allied maritime trade and the closing of the mid atlantic gap 36 37 grumman martlet on hms formidable fleet air arm seafires and martlets operated from the aircraft carriers hms indomitable and hms formidable in support of operation husky providing fighter cover for the invasion fleet and helping protect the landings from axis air and naval attack the operation demonstrated the growing importance of carrier aviation in major amphibious operations although the principal air support for forces ashore was provided by the mediterranean air command 38 39 fleet air arm supermarine seafires provided an e...
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