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The origins of Naval aviation stem from early experiments that took place around 1908, and in 1914 the Royal Naval Air Service was formed. In 1918, when the Great War ended, this service was the largest air force in the world. It was then amalgamated with the Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force. From 1918 to 1937, naval aviation remained the responsibility of the Royal Air Force. The aviators being partly provided by secondment of Naval and Royal Marine officers from general service, and partly those supplied by the Royal Air Force. This was not a very satisfactory arrangement and in 1924 the Admiralty introduced the title of 'Fleet Air Arm'. In 1937, with the prospect of war becoming ever more certain, the Admiralty regained full administrative control of the Fleet Air Arm. The Fleet Air Arm entered World War 2 with just 340, mainly obsolete, aircraft. In November 1940, 21 Swordfish aircraft, flying from HMS Illustrious, crippled the Italian battle fleet lying at anchor at Taranto. This one action effectively put the Italian Navy out of the war. In 1945, having fought with distinction throughout the world, the Fleet Air Arm particularly distinguished itself fighting against Japanese kamikaze aircraft in the Pacific. The front line strength had, by then, risen to 1,300 aircraft and 70,000 officers and men.
NAVAL AVIATION PRIOR TO WORLD WAR I 1909 May 7 Admiralty tender for its first aircraft signed – HMA 1 1911 25 April First 4 Royal Navy fixed wing pilots completed flying training at Eastchurch: Lieutenants C R Samson RN, A N Longmore RN, R Gregory RN and E L Gerrard RMLI September 24 HM Rigid Airship Mayfly wrecked by side wind on being extracted from its shed November. Commander O Schwann becomes the first British aviator to take off from water in a biplane. December. Lieutenant C R Samson flies a Short biplane off a platform erected on the bows of the Battleship Africa. 1912 10 January First aircraft launch from a British warship – Samson flies from HMS Africa in an S27 13 April Royal Flying Corps, comprising Naval and Military Wings, constituted by Royal Warrant 2 May First launch of an aircraft from a ship under way – HMS Hibernia off Weymouth 15 July Naval Wing of the RFC formed 31 July Royal Review of the Fleet in Solent – first to include aircraft 3 September First rating qualified as a pilot – LS O’Connor at CFS – certificate #286 1913 January 1 Isle of Grain – first RN Air Station commissioned on Isle of Grain, Medway. This was to be followed by others at Calshot, Felixstowe, Yarmouth and Cromarty. May 7 Hermes (cruiser) commissioned as the first British warship to operate seaplanes 1914 1 January All Army airships transferred to Naval Wing of RFC 1 July Royal Naval Air Service formed out of the Naval Wing of the RFC The strength of the RNAS on formation: 52 seaplanes and "shipborne" aircraft; 39 aeroplanes; six airships; 128 officers and men. 15 July RNAS aircraft assisted in sinking of Konigsberg in Rufiji River 28 July First aerial torpedo drop. Sdn/Cdr Longmore in Short 81 27 August First RNAS squadron arrived deployed to Ostend 5 September Seaplane carrier Ark Royal 2 launched 8 October Zeppelin LZ25 destroyed in its shed at Dusseldorf by RNAS Tabloid, first to be destroyed in its base 31 October Seaplane carrier (former cruiser) Hermes (8th ship to bear the name) sunk by U27 off the Belgian coast. She was the depot Ship of the Naval Wing of the Royal Flying Corps. 21 November RNAS attacked Zeppelin sheds at Friedrichshaven with 3 Avro 504 aircraft. First strategic air raid in history 9 December Seaplane carrier Ark Royal commissioned – first ship in RN built to operate aircraft 21 December Squadron Commander Samson carried out first night bombing raid – Ostend/Maurice Farman biplane December 25 First attack on shore target by aircraft from ships at sea –
seaplanes from Empress, Riviera and Engadine against Cuxhaven 1915 January 29 Walney Island airship shed bombarded by U21 March 18 First flight of an SS non-rigid airship at Kingsnorth April 25 Landings at Gallipoli May 31 First flight of a coastal, non-rigid airship after only 3 weeks’ development June 7 F/S/Lt Warneford awarded VC for destroying LZ37. First RNAS VC August 12 First enemy ship sunk by airborne torpedo – Dardanelles November 19 Sqn Cdr Bell-Davies awarded VC for landing behind enemy lines at Ferrijik to rescue a colleague who had been shot down December 12 Cdr Samson dropped first 500lb bomb – on Turkish positions during Dardanelles Campaign 1916 February 16 Army took over the air defence of the UK from the RNAS April 20 HMS Furious launched (as a cruiser) May 31 Battle of Jutland – first use of an aircraft in a sea battle November 27 R9 made the first successful flight by
an RN rigid airship 1917 11 Janaury Ben-my-Chree sunk by Turkish batteries at Kastelorizo 20 May RNAS flying boat 8663 sank UC36 in North Sea. First U-boat sunk by RNAS 22 June Observer’s “wings” introduced on RNAS uniform 2 August First deck landing – Squadron Commander Dunning on HMS Furious 21 August Sopwith Pup from HMS Yarmouth shot down L23 – first ‘kill’ by aircraft from a cruiser 1 October First flight from a gun turret platform Squadron Commander Rutland/Sopwith Pup/HMS Repulse
1918 January 1 HMS Hermes (9th to bear the name) laid down at Elswick by Vickers Armstrong March 15 Furious commissioned – first carrier with aircraft lifts April 1 RNAS and RFC amalgamated to create RAF July 9 Camels from HMS Furious destroyed L54 & L60 at Tondern. First strike by aircraft from a carrier. September 14 First true aircraft carrier – Argus – commissioned. She was begun as the Italian Liner Conte Rosso in 1914, purchased by the Royal Navy in 1916 and finally completed in 1918. November 5 Campania sunk in collision with Royal Oak and Glorious in Fort
1919 September 11 HMS Hermes 9th), the first ship specially designed as an aircraft carrier is launched at Elswick and then towed to Portsmouth for completion.
1923 May 1 Hermes commissioned – the first carrier to be designed as such. First with Island
1924 February HMS Glorious commences conversion to a carrier. April 1 Ship borne element of the RAF given the name Fleet Air Arm 1925 July 1 First night deck landing. F/Lt Boyce/Blackburn Dart/Furious October 2 RN officers attached to RAF duties to wear foul anchor badge superimposed on the wings of an albatross
1928 March 1 HMS Courageous commissioned – first RN carrier with transverse arrester wires
1930 March HMS Glorious's conversion to a carrier completes
1931 April 2 Rear Admiral R G H Henderson appointed as the first aviation flag officer
1932 January 26 HM Submarine M2 sinks off Portland during aircraft trials
1933 January 2 HMS Courageous commissions. First RN carrier with arrester gear
1934 17 April First flight of a Fairey Swordfish
1935 September 9 First rotary wing landing on a carrier – Cierva autogyro on Furious
1937 February 9 First Flight of the Blackburn Skua, the RN’s first monoplane July 30 Cabinet approved ‘Inskip Award’ – return of FAA administration to Admiralty 19 07 1938 First appointment of 5th Sea Lord – responsible for naval aviation
1939 May 24 Full control of FAA restored to Admiralty from Air Ministry after Inskip Award 17 September HMS Courageous sunk by U29 in SW
Approaches
September 25 First operational use of air warning radar by the RN 26 09 1939 Lt McEwen in a Skua of 803 NAS shot down the first German aircraft of WW2
1940 April 10 Skuas of 800 & 803 NAS from Hatston in the Orkneys sink the German cruiser Konigsberg in Bergen Fjord. This is the first major warship to be sunk by dive bombers April 11 First operational torpedo attack – 816 & 818 from Furious off Trondheim June 18 HMS Glorious sunk by gunfire from Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. All her aircraft were on deck and no surveillance flights were being flown. Her escorts fought bravely but just two destroyers were no match for the large German ships. November 11 Fleet Air Arm attack on Taranto from HMS Illustrious
The first major sea/air success of the war - the Battle of Taranto - was also the first successful full-scale attack made by aircraft against a heavily defended battle fleet in harbour. Eleven torpedoes dropped by Swordfish aircraft, flying from HMS Illustrious, cripple half the Italian fleet.
1941
January 11 First operational launch from a fighter catapult ship, Pegasus February 2 Operation ‘Picket’, aircraft from Ark Royal attacked the Tirso Dam in Sardinia April 15 RAF Coastal Command placed under Admiralty operational control May 27 Bismarck sunk by Home Fleet. Nine Swordfish aircraft from HMS Victorious and fifteen Swordfish aircraft from HMS Ark Royal cripple the battleship and bring her into range of the ships and guns of the Home Fleet. In a letter 20 November 2008) to a national newspaper from Rodney Pattisson, Poole, Dorset it was stated : It was not Sub Lt Moffat's torpedo that crippled the mighty Bismarck. He was one of three Swordfish pilots in the first attack on her port side. Conclusive evidence obtained recently from deep-water exploration using a Russian submersible, showed that the torpedo which crippled her entered the starboard steering compartment, exploded and jammed the starboard rudder against the central propeller. Only two pilots successfully launched torpedoes on her starboard side: Lt Godfrey-Fausett and my late father, Sub Lt Pattisson. July 21 First ‘kill’ by a Sea Hurricane – 880 NAS off Norway August 3 First ‘kill’ by a fighter from a fighter catapult ship – 804 NAS/Maplin September 21 Martlet of 802 NAS shot down a FW200 Condor. First success for a fighter from an escort carrier The first successful use of the catapult fighter from the decks of merchantmen to counter the German Focke Wulf Condor is achieved. November 1 First operational launch from a CAM Ship. F/O Varley/Empire Foam November 14 Ark Royal sank off Gibraltar after attempts to salvage her failed December 10 Prince of Wales and Repulse sunk by Japanese naval aircraft December 21 Swordfish from Gibraltar (ex Ark Royal) sank U451 – first night sinking of a U-boat by aircraft December 21 HMS Audacity torpedoed by U751 west of Cape Finisterre 1942 February 12 Lt Cdr Esmonde awarded the VC for leading the unsuccessful attack by Swordfish aircraft of 825 Naval Air Squadron on the Gneisenau, Scharnhorst and Prinz Eugen during their escape up the Channel April 9 HMS Hermes sunk by Japanese naval aircraft at Batticaloa off Trincomalee. 287 lives are lost
August 11 HMS Eagle sunk during Operation ‘Pedestal’ (Heavily defended convoy to the beseiged Malta) September 9 Salerno landings supported by carrier-borne aircraft November 15 HMS Avenger sunk by U155 west of Gibraltar 1943 January 10 First Barracuda squadron formed at RNAS Stretton March 27 HMS Dasher sunk after accidental petrol explosion in Clyde April First of the MAC ships enter service. Convoy protection
from the air now covers the previous "gap" from land-based air support in the
Atlkantic crossings.
May 23 U752 sunk by rocket armed Swordfish from
Archer. First success of the weapon 1944
3 April TUNGSTEN - FAA attacks on TIRPITZ 4/44 PLANET (24th) - FAA attacks on TIRPITZ 4/44 RIDGE - Attack upon shipping off Norway 4/44
May
CROQUET - Attack on shipping off Norway 5/44 HOOPS - Attack on shipping off Norway 5/44 POTLUCK - Attack on shipping off Norway 5/44 TIGER CLAW (28th) - FAA attacks on TIRPITZ 5/44 (VICTORIOUS and FURIOUS but strike abandoned)
WANDERERS - Anti-submarine operations off Norway 6/44
EF - FAA minelay and shipping attacks off Norway 8/44 GOODWOOD (22nd) - FAA attacks on TIRPITZ in Altenfjord
8/44 GOODWOOD (24th) OFFSPRING - FAA minelay off Norway 8/44
HARDY - Home Fleet air minelay and shipping attacks 10/44
TRIAL - Passage of JW61 10/44 ACUMEN - Passage of JW62 11/44 COUNTERBLAST - Attack on shipping off Norway 11/44 FREEMAN - Transport of Norwegian troops in North Russia 11/44 FRETSAW - Attack on shipping off Norway 11/44 HARDFAST - FAA minelay off Norway 11/44 PROVIDENT - Attack on shipping off Norway 11/44 STEAK - Attack on shipping off Norway 11/44
COUNTERBLAST - Home Fleet attacks on Norwegian coast shipping 12/44 LACERATE - FAA attacks on Norwegian coast shipping 12/44 URBANE - FAA minelay and shipping attacks off Norway 12/44 GREYSTOKE – Passage of JW63
1945 January 2 First operational use of helicopters, Sikorsky R4s in MV
Daghestan JJanuary 29 Operation ‘Meridian 2’, strike on the Soengei Gerong refinery at Palembang by BPF May 4 Last air strike by the Home Fleet – Kilbotn anchorage March 25 First landing of a twin-engined aircraft – Mosquito on Indefatigable August 3 Lt Gray RCNVR awarded VC August 15 Aircraft from HMS Indefatigable flew the last operational mission of the war and shot down the last enemy aircraft December 3 First landing by a jet aircraft on a carrier – Lt Cdr Brown/Sea Vampire/HMS Ocean Lieutenant Commander Eric (Winkle) Brown becomes the first pilot to land a purely jet propelled aircraft on the deck of an aircraft carrier when he touches down on the light fleet carrier HMS Ocean in a modified 540mph Vampire.
1946 HMS Victorious carries war brides to Australia and other carriers used for
trooping duties HMS Eagle launched Fleet Air Arm renamed as Naval Aviation September. Lieutenant Alan Bristow carries out the first helicopter landing on a naval escort vessel at sea.
1947 HMS Vanguard sailed to South Africa for the Royal visit. HM The King reviews the fleet in the Clyde Total manpower of Naval Aviation is 182,560 excluding 10,000 WRNS and nurses.
May 7 705 Naval Air Squadron commissioned – first RN helicopter squadron. Also first outside USA
1948 HMS Centaur launched HMS Vengeance carries out cold weather trials in the Arctic with commercial helicopters embarked.
1949
HMS Implacable replaced the battleship HMS Howe as the Home Fleet flagship. HMS Bulwark launched HMS Campania used as a mobile exhibition during the Festival of Britain sailing under the Red Ensign. HMS Venerable sold to the Netherlands and renamed Karl Doorman HMS Terrible joined the Royal Australian Navy as HMAS Sydney Sea Vampire trials in HMS Implacable HMS Illustrious liberty boat on passage to Portland sank in Weymouth Bay with
29 dead or missing. An Albert medal was awarded to a Boy Seaman for a
rescue.
1950 HMS Victorious withdrawn for modernisation. HMS Ark Royal launched HMS Indefatigable brought out of reserve Construction of HMS Majestic to be resumed and the ship transferred to the Australian Navy and named HMAS Melbourne. Aviation Cadet Scheme introduced 19 June First landing on a carrier by a turboprop aircraft - a prototype Gannet on HMS Illustrious. The Korean War. The Light Fleet Carriers HMS Triumph, Theseus, Glory
and Ocean will fly thousands of arduous operational sorties.
1951
HMS Campania began Festival of Britain cruise. April. HMS Theseus relieved on station off Korea by
HMS Glory with 804NAS (Sea Furies) and 812NAS (Fireflies)
embarked. First Dragonfly squadrons form and within months the aircraft are operating in Korea. 31 July. HMS Vidal launched. The first small ship designed to carry a helicopter. August. FAAs first operational jet squadron forms, 800 NAS, flying Attackers
Supermarine Attacker. Wing Span 36'11": Length 37'6"; Height 9'6".
26 November. 803 NAS flying the Attacker forms RNAS Ford.
1952
January. HMS Glory with 804NAS (Sea Furies) and 812NAS (Fireflies) embarked relieves HMAS Sydney on station off Korea . March. HMS Eagle commissioned Hawker Sea Hawk enters service with 806 NAS at RNAS Brawdy. FAA helicopters operate ashore in Malaya, supporting ground troops fighting against terrorists. May. HMS Ocean with 802NAS (Sea Furies) and 825NAS (Fireflies) embarked relieves HMS Glory on station off Korea 6 July. 849 NAS forms at RNAS Brawdy under the command of Lieutenant Commander J D Treacher RN as the Royal Navy's first Airborne Early Warning squadron flying the Douglas Skyraider AEW1. 3 August MIG 15 shot down by Sea Furies over Korea by Lieutenant Carmichael and his flight. November. HMS Glory relieves HMS Ocean with 801NAS (Sea Furies) and 821NAS (Fireflies) embarked.
1953
February. 705 Squadron, the first Dragonfly squadron helps to save more than 600 lives in an international SAR mission when sea defences in Holland give way. The angled deck invented by Captain DRF Campbell DSO RN enters service with HMS Centaur. 2 March 806 Naval Air Squadron, the first operational Sea Hawk squadron, is commissioned at RNAS Brawdy 20 March. First Naval helicopter lift of assault troops by Whirlwind aircraft (Malaya). May. HMS Ocean with 807NAS (Sea Furies) and 810NAS (Fireflies) embarked relieves HMS Glory off Korea . 15 June The Queen's Coronation Naval Review at Spithead.
July. HMS Ocean leaves Korean waters with the Armistice signed on 27th July. Turboprop aircraft enter Fleet Air Arm service, the Wyvern (strike) and the Gannet (Anti/Submarine)
Within a matter of months of this advert appearing so plans were progressed
to close down the air stations:
1954 The steam catapult, conceived by Commander C C Mitchell OBE RNVR, enters service. Mirror Landing Sight is developed by Commander (E) H C N Goodhart enters service. March. The first anti-submarine helicopter squadron, 845 NAS, commissions. 20 March 890 Naval Air Squadron, the first jet all-weather squadron with Sea Venom FAW20 aircraft, commissioned at Yeovilton
1955 25 February. HMS Ark Royal IV commissions. First Royal Naval carrier built with an angled deck.
Ark Royal's Flight Deck one year later. Sea Venom 21s of 891 NAS, plus Gannets of 824 NAS and Skyraiders of 849B Flight await launch.
1956 November. The Suez Operation. 6 November The first
ever assault landing by helicopter 10 Whirlwinds from 845 NAS from HMS Theseus
and Sycamores from HMS Ocean ferry 500 Royal Marines of 42 Commando ashore
at Port Said. The success of this operation leads to the conversion of HMS
Albion and HMS Bulwark as commando carriers.
1957 First flight of the Westland Wasp helicopter. 10 March Air Branch of the RNVR disbanded after ten years post war existence.
1958 January. HMS Victorious re-commissions 28 October First flight of the Westland Wasp - the world's first small ship helicopter
1959 July. 892 NAS forms. The first front line Sea Vixen squadron October. The Sea Vixen enters service with 766 NAS 1960 January. First Buccaneer lands onboard HMS Victorious 19 January HMS Bulwark commissioned as the first Commando Carrier February. 890 NAS forms. The second front line Sea Vixen squadron.
September. 893 NAS forms. The third front line Sea Vixen squadron
1961 Construction of Empress State Building began to replace Queen Anne's Mansions. HMS Ashanti commissioned as the first frigate designed to operate an helicopter HMS Victorious spends 222 days at sea out of 333 on return to the UK having steamed 63,000 miles Torpedo range at Stokes Bay closed February. 899 NAS forms. The fourth front line Sea Vixen squadron Iraq threatens invasion of Kuwait. 42 Commando land from HMS Bulwark, 45 Commando fly in from Aden. 815 NAS commissions at RNAS Culdrose with Westland Wessex anti-submarine aircraft. Naval Air Stations close: Ford, Bramcote, Eglinton, Worthy Down go into the history books.
1962
HMS Albion commissioned as a Commando Carrier HMS Harrier, the Air Direction and Meteorology School at Kete, Pembroke, closed HMS Ark Royal ran aground whilst entering Plymouth 17th July. First front line Buccaneer squadron, 801 NAS Commissions at RNAS Lossiemouth.
14 December. HMS ALBION arrives off Borneo for operations in that area which would continue until 1966. 845 NAS (12 x Wessex) and 846 NAS (8 x Whirlwind) helicopters are embarked in ALBION. HMS BULWARK later relieves HMS ALBION on station.
845 NAS Wessex aircraft, Borneo. 1963 Build of a replacement carrier CVA01 announced Phantom aircraft to be purchased in preference to P1154 RNAS Abbotsinch to close as a repair facility HMS Centaur diverted whilst on passage to the Far east to rescue survivors from the Greek cruise liner Lanconis which sank after catching fire near Madeira 8 February First experimental touch and goes by VTOL P1127 on HMS Ark Royal
1964 HMS Blake to be converted to carry helicopters HMS Lofoten commissioned for anti-submarine helicopter training use. 50th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Navy Air Service celebrations attended by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh HMS Ausonia and HMS Surprise withdrawn from malta January. HMS Centaur sails from Aden for Dar-es-Salaam to quell the East African rioting. Carrying her normal air group of Gannets, Sea Vixen and Wessex aircraft she also had embarked two RAF Belvedere helicopters plus 45 RM Commando, the 16/5 Lancers and all associated equipment including vehicles. During the Indonesia Confrontation HMS Albions squadrons of Wessex and Whirlwind helicopters fly over 10,000 operational sorties.
Joint anti-submarine school at Londonderry closed. 10% of RN aircrew resigned because of uncertainity about the future of Naval Aviation. HMS Triumph commissioned for use as a Maintenance Ship.
31st August. RNAS Hal Far - HMS Falcon, Malta GC, handed over to the RAF Beira patrol instituted off the East African coast after Rhodesian Unilateral Declaration of Independence. HMS Eagle completes a 71 day patrol off Beira.
1966 End of the Indonesian Confrontation. For three and a half years FAA
helicopters supported British troops in the jungles of
Borneo.
The ship (expected to be called HMS Furious) would have carried 18 Phantom and 18 Buccaneer aircraft and would have entered service @ 1970-1972. Thus it would have been able to be employed in the Falklands War of 1982. As a result of the cancellation the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir David Luce and the Navy Minister of the Day resigned. Sir David Luce was replaced as First Sea Lord by a specialist in gunnery. Crashed Buccaneer aircraft from HMS Victorious recovered from Channel at depth of 360 feet. Pilot of Sea Vixen, Lieutenant Alan Tarver awarded the George medal for his attempts to release his Observer from their Sea Vixen before aircraft crashed into the sea. RNAS facility at Nega Ket given the name of RNAS Tauari (a local bird)
1967 13 March FAA aircraft, Sea Vixens and Buccaneers bomb the wreck of the tanker, the Torrey Canyon, ashore on the Longstones. 11 November Fire onboard HMS Victorious but no extensive damage caused 24 November Political decision to pay-off HMS Victorious having been taken the re-commissioning ceremony becomes a wake for the ship. First VTOL landing by an Harrier aircraft onboard HMS Bulwark
1968 Buccaneer aircraft flies direct to the Far east with "in-flight" refuelling. Royal Navy Fleet Club in Malta closes after 61 years. 12 August 3 Commando Brigade RM Air Squadron formed. 1 September FOAC re-named as FOCAS
1969 RNAS Arbroath nominated as a Commando Training Base. 14 January. 767 NAS commissions at Yeovilton with the F4K Phantom. The Squadron was tasked to train Royal Navy and Royal Air Force aircrew to fly and fight the aircraft.
March. 892 Naval Air Squadron commissions at RNAS Yeovilton as the first and only Naval front line squadron to fly the F4K Phantom.
HMS Victorious towed from Portsmouth Harbour to Faslane to be broken up. April HMS St Vincent closed. 4 -11 May Daily Trans Atlantic Air Race West to East was
won by a Phantom from RNAS Yeovilton, the winning aircraft was piloted by
Lieutenant Commander Brian Davies AFC RN The winner of the race was the
Observer, Lieutenant Commander Peter M Goddard RN whose time was 5 hours 11
minutes and 57 seconds.
1970 15 February First RN Hovercraft (BHN7) on trials at Lee on Solent. 24 February 824 NAS forms at RNAS Culdrose, the first operational deployment of the Westland Sea King. 11 July HMS Invincible commissioned - first Royal Navl carrier built with a ski-jump. 31 July Rum Ration abolished. Sailors "Tot Fund" set up. 12 November FONAC moved from RNAS Lee-on-Solent to RNAS Yeovilton.
1971 1972 1973
1974 HMS Hermes evacuates British subjects from Cyprus during the Turkish invasion.
1975 May. Thirty four Harrier FSR1 aircraft are ordered.
1977 HMS Invincible, the first of the new carriers is launched.
1978 13 November. First deck landing by a Sea Harrier on HMS Hermes. HMS Illustrious second of the Invincible class carriers is launched. 27 November. Phantom XT870/120 is catapulted from HMS Ark Royal the end of conventional fixed wing flying in the RN 15 December 892 Naval Air Squadron de-commissioned at RAF Leuchars.
1979 June. First Sea Harrier squadron, 700A Naval Air Squadron commissions. HMS Ark Royal IV the last RN carrier to operate steam catapults and arrester gear pays off.
1980 31 March 800 Naval Air Squadron, the first front line Sea Harrier Squadron, commissions. RNR (Air Branch) forms.
1981 HMS Hermes undergoes trials with the Ski Jump modification. HMS Ark Royal launched
1982 1st April to 14 June. The Falklands War. The FAA squadrons provide strike, fighter, anti submarine, anti surface units, general support, and rescue facilities. 5 April HMS Hermes (Flagship) and HMS Invincible sail to spearhead the Task Force
1990 The management of Naval Aviation comes under one authority the Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA).
March: Sea King HAS5 of 826 NAS deploys
operationally for the first time to a frigate, HMS BRAVE
1991 The First Gulf War. Much of the Iraqi Navy destroyed by the Sea Skua missile launched from Lynx
helicopters.
1993 1 November Womens Royal Naval Service formally integrated into the Royal Navy
1999 44 March. NATO launches operations in Kosovo
2003 19 March. Second Iraq War starts.
2005 June. The Battle Honour "AL FAW 2003" award to 845 and 847 Naval Air Squadrons.
847 NAS Lynx in the Gulf - Operation Telic
2005 April. 899 NAS decommissions. Future Harrier Pilots now to train under Joint Force Harrier flying not the FA2 but the GR7 and GR9 variants. April. Aerospatiale Gazelle goes out of service. Last Squadron to operate the aircraft is 847 NAS at Yeovilton.
2006 28 March. 801 NAS de-Commissions and the Royal Navy's Sea Harriers perform their last flight at RNAS Yeovilton.
31 March. 800 NAS re-Commissions with the Harrier GR7 and very shortly afterwards embarks onboard HMS Illustrious.
2007 RN/RM personnel constitute more than 50% of UK forces in southern
Afghanistan HMS Ark Royal rededicated following a two year
refit April. 2 April. 25th Anniversary of the invasion of the Falkland Islands marked in the United Kingdom and in Argentina. 15 Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel from HMS Cornwall, detained by Iranian authorities, released and returned to the UK. Two subsequently sell stories to national newspapers. June 17th June. The 25th Anniversary of the end of the Falklands Conflict (14th June 1982) commemorated across 8000 miles and five time zones, in London and the Falkland islands. HMS Seahawk, RNAS Culdrose celebrates the 60th anniversary of the air station.
November 845 Naval Air Squadron (Sea King Mk 4), the longest serving helicopter squadron on Operation Telic, returns to RNAS Yeovilton after 3 1/2 years of intense sustained operations.
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