List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm

This is a list of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA).

On 1 April 1918 the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was merged with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to form the Royal Air Force (RAF) which directly operated and controlled all naval aircraft. On 1 April 1924 the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force was created as a distinct component of the RAF, which existed until 24 May 1939 when command of the Fleet Air Arm was transferred back to Royal Navy control. Coastal Command patrol aircraft, including most large seaplanes, remained with the RAF despite their operations in a naval environment. Prototypes were largely under the control of the Air Ministry and not the Fleet Air Arm until their introduction into service.

Aircraft

Acronyms in table

ASW; Anti-submarine warfare

AEW; Airborne Early Warning

ECM; Electronic counter measures

EW; Electronic Warfare aircraft

List of minor aircraft of the Royal Navy

Helicopters to support the Royal Marines

• Westland Gazelle AH.1 - 12 helicopters (1974-2005)
• Agusta-Bell Sioux/Westland-Bell Sioux AH.1 - 14 helicopters (1968-1975)
• Westland Lynx AH.1, Lynx AH.7 and Lynx AH.9, Lynx AH.9A - (1982-2013)
• Westland Scout AH.1 - Six helicopters (1968-1982)
• AgustaWestland Merlin HC4/4A
• AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1 - (2014- )

Airships and balloons

• List of British airships
• Barrage balloons
• R80 (airship) - One airship
• Operation Outward

UAVs and drones

• AeroVironment Puma - (2019- )
• AeroVironment Wasp III - (2019- )
• QinetiQ Banshee 80+ - (2023- )
• Schiebel Camcopter Peregrine - (2024)

Obsolete UAVs and drones

• ARSAERO CT 10 target drone - (early 1950s)
• Boeing Insitu ScanEagle - (2014-2017), Operated by No.700 Naval Air Squadron.
• Northrop Chukar D.1 and Chukar D.2 target drone - 98 aircraft (1980s- )
• Northrop Sheldduck D.1 target drone - (1959-1980s)
• RAE Larynx cruise missile - (1920s)

Gliders

• Akaflieg München Mü13 – One former Luftwaffe (1945–1957)
• DFS SG 38 Schulgleiter – Three (1947–1952)
• Eliotts Olympia I – One (1946–1955)
• DFS Kranich I – One (1946–1960)
• DFS Kranich II – One (1946–1953)
• Schneider Grunau Baby – Six (1946–1952)
• Slingsby Cadet – One (1946–1949)
• Slingsby Prefect – One (1953–1956)

Prototypes and minor aircraft

• Airspeed Fleet Shadower - Three-seat carrier-based maritime reconnaissance aircraft. One aircraft
• Armstrong Whitworth A.W.16 - Single-seat naval fighter biplane.
• Armstrong Whitworth Starling II - Single-seat fighter biplane. Naval variant of the Armstrong Whitworth Starling. One aircraft.
• Avro 571 Buffalo - Carrier-based torpedo bomber biplane. One aircraft, 1940-1941.
• Bell P-39 Airacobra - One P-39D aircraft (1944- )
• Blackburn B-3 - Two-seat torpedo-bomber biplane. Two aircraft
• Blackburn B-54 - Carrier-based anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Three aircraft
• Blackburn Airedale - Three-seat reconnaissance aircraft. Two aircraft
• Blackburn Blackburd - Single-seat torpedo-bomber biplane. Three aircraft
• Blackburn Firecrest - Single-seat streak fighter aircraft. Two aircraft
• Blackburn Nautilus - Two-seat spotter, interceptor fighter biplane. One aircraft
• Blackburn Sprat - Two-seat advanced trainer biplane. One aircraft
• Blackburn Turcock - Single-seat fighter biplane. One aircraft
• British Aerospace 125-600B - One aircraft. Used for testing Blue Vixen radar and other avionics for the Sea Harrier F/A.2.
• Bristol Type 173 Helicopter - One aircraft
• Fairey Ferret - Two-seat general purpose biplane.
• Fairey Firefly III - Single-seat fighter biplane. Naval variant of the Fairey Firefly Mk IIM. One aircraft
• Fairey Fleetwing - Two-seat fleet reconnaissance biplane. One aircraft
• Fairey Pintail - Two-seat fighter reconnaissance biplane. Three aircraft
• Fairey Spearfish - Two-seat torpedo-bomber, dive-bomber aircraft. Five aircraft
• Fairey Ultra-light Helicopter - Two-seat light helicopter.
• General Aircraft Fleet Shadower - Carrier-based fleet shadower aircraft. One aircraft
• Gloster Gnatsnapper - Single-seat carrier-based fighter biplane. Two aircraft
• Gloster TSR.38 - Three-seat torpedo-bomber, spotter, reconnaissance biplane. One aircraft
• Handley Page H.P.31 Harrow - Two-seat bomber, torpedo-bomber, reconnaissance biplane. Two built
• Handley Page H.P.46 - Two-seat carrier-based torpedo-bomber biplane. One aircraft
• Handley Page Hanley - Single-seat torpedo-bomber biplane. Three built
• Handley Page Hendon - Two-seat torpedo-bomber biplane. Six aircraft
• Hawker P.1052 - Single-seat research aircraft. Two aircraft
• Hawker Hedgehog - Three-seat naval reconnaissance biplane. One aircraft
• Hawker Hoopoe - Single-seat naval fighter biplane. One aircraft
• Hawker Siddeley P.1154 - Cancelled in 1965. Not built
• Miles M.20 - Single-seat light-weigth fighter aircraft. One aircraft
• Miles M.39B Libellula - Single-seat bomber aircraft. One aircraft
• Parnall Perch - One aircraft
• Parnall Pike - Two of three-seat naval reconnaissance biplane. One aircraft
• Parnall Pipit - Single-seat naval fighter biplane. Two aircraft
• Parnall Puffin - Two-seat amphibious fighter reconnaissance aircraft. Three aircraft
• Saro P.531 - Five-seat utility helicopter.
• Saro Skeeter - Three test and evaluation aircraft. Operated by No.705 Naval Air Squadron.
• Saunders-Roe SR.177 - Cancelled in 1957. Not built
• Short S.6 Sturgeon - Three-seat naval reconnaissance. Two aircraft
• Short Gurnard - Two-seat naval fighter biplane. Two aircraft
• Short Shirl - Single-seat torpedo-bomber biplane. Four aircraft
• Supermarine Type 322 - Three-seat naval torpedo-bomber, dive-bomber, reconnaissance aircraft. Two aircraft
• Supermarine Type 525 - Single-seat naval jet fighter aircraft. One aircraft
• Supermarine Seagull (1948) - Three-seat air sea rescue amphibious flying-boat. Two aircraft
• Supermarine Seamew - Twin-engined amphibious flying-boat. Two aircraft
• Supermarine Seal II - Three-seat reconnaissance, fleet spotter, amphibious flying-boat. One aircraft
• Taylorcraft Auster Mk I, III and V - Communication aircraft. Seven aircraft (1943- )
• Vickers Type 123 - Single-seat fighter biplane. One aircraft
• Vickers Type 177 - Single-seat fighter biplane. Naval variant of the Vickers Type 143. One aircraft
• Vickers Type 207 - Two-seat carrier-based torpedo-bomber biplane.
• Vickers Vanellus - Three-seat amphibious flying-boat. One aircraft
• Vickers Vendace - Two-seat trainer biplane. One aircraft

Weapons of the Fleet Air Arm

Air-to-air missiles

• Hughes/Raytheon AMRAAM: Medium-range air-to-air missile – Carried by the Sea Harrier (retired).
• MBDA UK ASRAAM: Short-range air-to-air missile.

Obsolete air-to-missiles

• de Havilland Firestreak: infrared homing air-to-air missile – Carried by the Sea Venom and Sea Vixen.
• Hawker Siddeley Red Top: Air-to-air missile – Carried by the Sea Vixen.
• Raytheon Sidewinder: Short-range air-to-air missiles – Carried by the Buccaneer. Phantom, Scimitar and Sea Harrier.
• Raytheon Sparrow: Medium-range air-to-air missile – Carried by the Phantom

Air-to-surface missiles

• MBDA Sea Venom: Anti-ship missile. Carried by the Wildcat helicopter.
• Thales Air Defence Martlet: Lightweight Multirole missile. Carried by the Wildcat helicopter.

Obsolete air-to-surface missiles

• Nord AS.11: Air-to-surface anti-tank, anti-ship missile. Carried by the Wessex and Wasp helicopter (retired).
• Aérospatiale AS.12: Air-to-surface anti-ship missile. Carried by the Wasp and Wessex helicopters.
• Martin Marietta Bullpup: Air-to-surface missile. Carried by the Scimitar and Sea Vixen.
• Hawker Siddeley/Matra Martel: Carried by the Buccaneer and Sea Harrier.
• Paveway II and III: Air-to-surface laser-guided bomb. Carried by The Harrier II
• Raytheon UK Paveway IV: Air-to-surface laser-guided bomb. Carried by the Harrier II.
• Raytheon Maverick: Air-to-surface missile. Carried by the Harrier II.
• BAe Dynamics Sea Eagle: air-to-surface anti-ship missile. Carried by the Buccaneer and Sea Harrier.
• British Aircraft Corporation Sea Skua: Anti-ship missile, carried by the Lynx helicopter.

Anti-submarine weapons

• Mark 11 depth charge
• Marconi Electronic Systems Sting Ray Torpedo: Lightweight acoustic homing anti-submarine torpedo. Carried by the Augusta Westland Wildcat and Merline helicopters.

Obsolete anti-submarine weapons

• 18-inch Mark 30 torpedo: Air-dropped, passive ascostic homing anti-submarine. Carried by the Fairey Gannet and Westland Whirlwind helicopter.
• General Electric Mark 44 Torpedo: Air-dropped lightweight anti-submarine torpedo. Carried by the Westland Sea King, Wasp, Whirlwind and Wessex helicopters.
• Aerojet/Honeywell/Raytheon Mark 46 Torpedo: Air-dropped lightweight anti-submarine torpedo. Carried by the Westland Sea King, Wasp, Whirlwind and Wessex helicopters.

Nuclear weapons 1950 to 2000

• AWRE Red Beard nuclear bomb free-fall nuclear bomb – Tactical nuclear weapon, carried by the Buccaneer, Scimitar and Sea Vixen (retired).
• AWRE WE.177 free-fall nuclear bomb – Carried by the Buccaneer, Sea Harrier and Sea Vixen (retired).
• AWRE WE.177 nuclear depth bomb – Carried by the Westland Lynx, Wasp and Wessex helicopters (retired).

Unguided rockets

• 2-inch RP: 2-inch air-to-air, air-to-surface rocket projectile: Carried by the Buccaneer and Sea Vixen (retired).
• CRV7: Unguided air-to-surface rockets. Carried by the BAe Harrier II (retired).
• Thomson-Brandt/Matra SNEB – 68-mm (2.7-inch) air-to-surface rockets. Carried by the Buccaneer, Phantom, Sea Harrier and Sea Vixen (retired).
• RP-3: 3-inch (76-mm) air-to-surface rocket projectile. Carried by the Attacker. Firefly, Scimitar, Sea Fury, Sea Hawk, Sea Hurricane, Sea Vixen, Swordfish, Tarpon/Avenger (retired).

Torpedoes

Obsolete Torpedoes

• British 18-inch torpedo: Air dropped torpedo.
• General Electric/Western Electric Mark 24 mine (retired).
• Brush Development Company Mark 43 torpedo (retired)..

Flares

• Lepus Flares: Carried by the Buccaneer, Phantom and Sea Harrier.

Free fall bombs

• Hunting Engineering, Ltd BL755

Aircraft guns

• 0.50-inch Browning M3M heavy machine gun: It can be carried by the Wildcat helicopter.
• 25-mm GAU-12 Equalizer Fitted to the F-35 Lightning II.

Obsolete aircraft guns

• 0.303-inch (7.7-mm) Browning machine gun
• 0.303-inch (7.7-mm) Lewis Gun:
• 0.303-inch (7.7-mm) Vickers machine gun
• 0.303-inch (7.7-mm) Vickers K machine gun
• 0.30-inch (7.6-2mm) M1919 Browning machine gun
• 0.50-inch M2 Browning machine gun
• 7.62-mm (0.30-inch) FN MAG general-purpose machine gun: Carried by the Lynx helicopter.
• 20-mm Hispano cannon
• 20 M61 Vulcan cannon: Fitted to the F-4 Phantom.
• 30-mm Aden cannon
• 25-mm Aden cannon

See also

• List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force
• List of aircraft of the Royal Naval Air Service
• List of aircraft of the Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

• Fleet Air Arm - Phantom F4K