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Fleet Air Arm (FAA)

Fleet Air Arm (FAA)

The responsibility of the Fleet Air Arm is to provide the ability to operate and maintain fixed and rotary wing aircraft for the ships of the Royal Navy. The following aircraft are currently operated by the Fleet Air Arm:

AugustaWestland Merlin Helicopter.
Westland Sea King Helicopter.
Westland Lynx Helicopter.
Harrier GR7/GR9.

The Fleet Air Arm can trace its historical roots back to 1914 when it was formed as the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). During WWI the RNAS were employed on coastal patrols, fleet reconnaissance, attacks on enemy coastal territory and the defence of the British coastline. At the end of WWI the Royal Air Force (RAF) was formed by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service. At the time of amalgamation the RNAS was operating nearly 3,000 aircraft with approximately 70,000 officers and men.

Returned to the Admiralty in May 1939 the Fleet Air Arm had approximately 230 aircraft at the start of WWII. At the end of the war the Fleet Air Arm consisted of some 4,000 aircraft and approximately 70,000 officers and men.

With the introduction of the jet aircraft, and the requirement for them to be operated from aircraft carriers, the angled flight deck and steam catapults were introduced into ‘carrier’ design but the arrival of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier V/STOL aircraft made it possible for fast jet operations to be carried out from virtually any size of ship thus making the conventional aircraft carrier virtually redundant. The Harrier is currently the primary fixed wing strike aircraft in use by the Royal Navy.

Whilst the Fleet Air Arm is widely associated with fast jet operations its main focus lies with rotary winged aircraft. In the initial years helicopters were to be found operating alongside their fixed wing partners on aircraft carriers but are now to be found operating from the ‘after end’ flight deck of most frigates and destroyers. Pilots and an Aircraft Servicing Team are attached to ‘small ships’ operating helicopters with the aircraft adding to both the offensive and defensive capability of the vessel they operate from.

The following units are part of the Fleet Air Arm:

• Naval Strike Wing (NSW)

The Naval Strike Wing was formed in March 2007 and is currently based at RAF Cottesmore as part of the Joint Force Harrier. The Wing operates the Harrier V/STOL GR7 and GR9 in the close air support role, consists of elements of 800 and 801 Naval Air Squadrons and is the only Royal Naval fast jet squadron available for front line operation. The Naval Strike Wing is capable of conducting operations from aircraft carriers and shore bases. The Wing has completed several operational tours in Afghanistan. With a fully integrated establishment of pilots, aircraft servicing teams, caterers and logisticians the Wing is capable of acting independently when deployed in the field.

• 700M Naval Air Squadron (700M NAS)

700M Naval Air Squadron was originally formed in January 1940 at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Hatston. The Squadron served with distinction during WWII but was disbanded in March 1944. It reformed 6 months later as a Test Pilot School. In the ensuing years the Squadron has been disbanded and reformed on many occasions but when activated has always been involved in the testing and evaluation of both fixed and rotary winged aircraft being introduced into service with the Royal Navy.

After disbandment in 1965 the current 700M Squadron was reformed in December 1998 tasked with evaluating the new Merlin HM Mk1 helicopter for operational acceptance into the Royal Navy. The Squadron was also tasked with the future development of the Merlin helicopter in conjunction with new technology. The Squadron was again disbanded in 2008.

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