Fleet Air Arm OrBat

Fleet Air Arm / FAA	Other Air Forces
Aircraft Order of Battle

This map is kindly made available by Roy Digital Design

On this page you can find the aircraft order of battle of the Fleet Air Arm. Also we present links to Microsoft's Expediamaps service: with each airbase you can find a link to a map of the airbases' neighbourhood.

Of course, updates are always welcome. If you have corrections or additions please send them to us !

Airbases

RNAS Predannack (EGDO) Rwy: 01/19, 05/23, 10/28, 13/31 Pos: 50° 00' 04" N 005° 13' 51" W Elev: 295 feet
Back to top		Aerial Photo	Map
Squadron	Aircraft	Code range	Badge
FAAFS	Various	-
Click here for the RAF glider unit at Predannack.

The latest helicopter to reach squadron service with the Royal Navy is the Merlin HM1. The entire fleet will be based at RNAS Culdrose where it currently is replacing the ageing Sea King HAS6. Currently the Fleet Air Arm has planned to equip four squadrons with this new type which is also capable to operate from the decks of various Royal Navy vessels.

Culdrose, July 2001. Photo: Chris Lofting

RNAS Culdrose (EGDR) HMS Seahawk Rwy: 07/25, 12/30, 18/36 Pos: 50° 05' 08.00" N 005° 15' 17.00" W Elev: 267 ft.
Back to top		Aerial Photo	Map
Squadron	Aircraft	Code range	Badge
700M OEU	Merlin HM1	CU-533 to CU-539
750sq	Jetstream T2	CU-560 to CU-575
771sq	Sea King HAS5U	CU-820 to CU-826
814sq	Merlin HM1	CU-265 to CU-275
820sq	Sea King HAS6	CU-010 to CU-019
824sq	Merlin HM1	CU-580 to CU-589
829sq	Merlin HM1	to be activated mid-2002
849sq	Sea King AEW2A	CU-180 to CU-187
FRADU	Hawk T1 Hawk T1A Hawk T1W	-
Culdrose ETS	Sea King HAS5	-
SFDO	various	-
Nr. 700M has been renamed from IFTU (Intensive Flying Trials Unit) to OEU (Operational Evaluation Unit) during September 2001.

RNAS Yeovilton is the main airbase of the Royal Navy which is also known as HMS Heron. The base has a small base flight which operates with three Jetstream T3 aircraft for liaisons and transport duties. One of the Jetstreams of this unit is shown above. The last two digits of the code can be seen in the fin tip, the complete code however is 579.

ZE441/579 at Yeovilton. Photo: Paul Sliwinski

Plymouth-Roborough (EGHD) Pos: 50° 25' 22.00" N 004° 06' 21.00" W Elev: 474 feet Rwy: 06/24, 13/31
Back to top		Aerial Photo	Map
Squadron	Aircraft	Code range	Badge
FOST	AS365N2	-
727sq	Grob G-115	-
No. 727sq replaced the Naval Flying Grading Flight (NFGF) on 6 December 2001. The Grobs are civilian though, being owned and operated by VT Aerospace.

During the Falklands war (1982) the Sea Harrier FRS1 (FAA) and Harrier GR3 (RAF) proved to be very capable for both air-to-air tasks as for bombing missions. The Harrier has since been redesigned and currently the Fleet Air Arms operates with the Sea Harrier F/A2 single seat fighter and Harrier T8 dual seat conversion trainer.

Photo: Paul Sliwinski

RNAS Yeovilton (EGDY) HMS Heron Rwy: 04/22, 09/27 Pos: 51° 00' 33.69" N 002° 38' 19.75" W Elev: 75 feet
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Squadron	Aircraft	Code range	Badge
702sq	Lynx HAS3 Lynx HMA8	630 to 645
800sq	Sea Harrier F/A2	122 to 129
801sq	Sea Harrier F/A2	000 to 007
815sq	Lynx HAS3 Lynx HMA8	300 to 475
845sq	Sea King HC4	YA to YH
846sq	Sea King HC4	VH to VP
847sq	Gazelle AH1 Lynx AH7	(C)A to (C)H (L)L to (L)Y
848sq	Sea King HC4	ZS to ZZ
899sq	Sea Harrier F/A2 Harrier T.8	710 to 731 720 to 724
Heron Flight	Jetstream T3	577 to 579
RNHF	Various historical aircraft	Various
Yeovilton ETS	Harrier GR3	-
All three Sea Harrier units (No. 800, 801 & 899sq) form part of the JFH. Click here for more info about this command and the future of these units. The code range for No. 848 Squadron will probably change from ZS-ZZ to WS-WZ in the near future.

It is not easy to master the skills of aircraft carrier operations. Therefore the Royal Navy constructed a fake landing deck at RNAS Yeovilton, complete with a ski-jump. Here a Harrier T8 can be seen taking off from this deck. The aircraft is operated by No. 899sq which is the Fleet Air Arm Harrier conversion squadron.

Yeovilton, February 2001. Photo: Chris Lofting

RAF Shawbury (EGOS) Rwy: 05/23, 18/36 Pos: 52° 47' 53.41" N 002° 40' 04.95" W Elev: 249 ft.
Back to top		Aerial Photo	Map
Squadron	Aircraft	Code range	Badge
705sq	Squirrel HT1	last two
No. 705sq forms part of the DHFS. Click here for more info about this school. Click here for the RAF unit at Shawbury. Click here for the AAC units at Shawbury.

On this beautiful action picture by Chris Lofting a Hawk from the FRADU (Fleet Requirements and Air Direction Unit) can be seen in North Wales. A small fleet of Hawk jet trainers is operated by this unit from RNAS Culdrose. One of the tasks of this unit is to train crews of Royal Navy vessels in air defence by performing fake attacks.

North Wales, April 2000. Photo: Chris Lofting

RNAS Prestwick (EGPK) Rwy: 03/21, 13/31 Pos: 55° 30' 28.00" N 004° 35' 12.00" W Elev: 65 feet
Back to top		Navigation & Communication	Map
Squadron	Aircraft	Code range	Badge
771Sq/Det.	Sea King HAS6	PW-700 to PW-709

One of the bases which was closed during the defence cuts of the early 1990s was RNAS Portland. It used to be the home of the Royal Navy Lynx helicopter fleet of which an example is shown here landing at this base. The entire Lynx fleet subsequently moved to RNAS Yeovilton where they currently still are based.

Portland, 14 January. Photo: Chris Lofting

RNAS Gosport HMS Sultan
Back to top		Aerial Photo	Map
Squadron	Aircraft	Code range	Badge
AESS	Various instructional airframes	-
At Gosport the AESS technical school with various instructional airframes can be found

Landing Platforms

Royal Navy Landing Platforms and Shore Station Codes
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Shown below are the Royal Navy vessels, which normally have aircraft assigned during cruises. Usually those aircraft carry "Landing Platform Codes" allocated to that particular ship. As a bonus, the codes for the Shore Stations are repeated here.
Code	Squadron	Vessel	Type ship/ Station	Aircraft
AY-365/366	815sq	F231 HMS Argyll	Duke class (Type 23)	2* Lynx
CF-335	815sq	D108 HMS Cardiff	Sheffield class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
CL-350/351	815sq	F85 HMS Cumberland	Cornwall class (Type 22)	2* Lynx
CM-348/349	815sq	F87 HMS Chatham	Cornwall class (Type 22)	2* Lynx
CT-338/339	815sq	F86 HMS Campbeltown	Cornwall class (Type 22)	2* Lynx
CU	see above	HMS Seahawk	RNAS Culdrose
CV-336/337		F98 HMS Coventry	Boxer class (Type 22)	decommissioned jan02
CW-412/413	815sq	F99 HMS Cornwall	Cornwall class (Type 22)	2* Lynx
EB-411	815sq	D97 HMS Edinburgh	Manchester class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
EE-434/435	815sq	A171 HMS Endurance	Antarctic Patrol Ship	2* Lynx ICE
EX-420	815sq	D89 HMS Exeter	Sheffield class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
FL	see above		RNAY Fleetlands
GC-410	815sq	D96 HMS Gloucester	Manchester class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
GT-437	815sq	F80 HMS Grafton	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
GW-344	815sq	D88 HMS Glasgow	Sheffield class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
IR-406	815sq	F234 HMS Iron Duke	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
KT-425	815sq	F78 HMS Kent	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx comm. jun2000
L	various	R06 HMS Illustrious	Invincible Class Carrier	8* Sea Harrier 12* Sea King
LA-457	815sq	F229 HMS Lancaster	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
LP-332	815sq	D92 HMS Liverpool	Sheffield class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
MA-363/364	815sq	F233 HMS Marlborough	Duke class (Type 23)	2* Lynx
MC-360	815sq	D95 HMS Manchester	Manchester class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
MM-415	815sq	F235 HMS Monmouth	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
MR-444	815sq	F236 HMS Montrose	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
N	various	R05 HMS Invincible	Invincible Class Carrier	8* Sea Harrier 12* Sea King
NC-345	815sq	D87 HMS Newcastle	Sheffield class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
NF-361/362	815sq	F230 HMS Norfolk	Duke class (Type 23)	2* Lynx
NL-372	815sq	F238 HMS Northumberland	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
NM-417	815sq	D91 HMS Nottingham	Sheffield class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
PD-426	815sq	F79 HMS Portland	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx comm. may2001
PW	see above	HMS Gannet	RNAS Prestwick
R	various	R07 HMS Ark Royal	Invincible Class Carrier	8* Sea Harrier 12* Sea King
RM-474	815sq	F239 HMS Richmond	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
SD-352	815sq	F96 HMS Sheffield	Boxer class (Type 22)	2* Lynx
SM-355	815sq	F82 HMS Somerset	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
SN-334	815sq	D90 HMS Southampton	Sheffield class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
SU-422	815sq	F81 HMS Sutherland	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
VL	see above	HMS Heron	RNAS Yeovilton
WM-462	815sq	F237 HMS Westminster	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx
WU	see above		RNAS Wroughton
YK-407	815sq	D98 HMS York	Manchester class (Type 42)	1* Lynx
??	815sq	F83 HMS St. Albans	Duke class (Type 23)	1* Lynx Planned apr2002
HMS Endurance might also have Landing Platform Code ED assigned.

Aircraft carrier Illustrious was visiting Amsterdam on the first of October 1999. Iwan B�gels was lucky to take this shot when the sun broke trough the clouds. Fortune favours fools as they say :-)

Photo: Iwan Bögels, www.dappa.nl

Assault Ships
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Listed below are the Royal Navy Amphibious Assault Ships which can support aircraft operations during their cruises. Although having a flightdeck, the large landing ships from the Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad classes have no means to support aviation assets for prolonged times.
Vessel	Type ship	Aircraft
L10 HMS Fearless	Landing Platform Dock	decommissioned mar02
L11 HMS Intrepid	Landing Platform Dock	to reserve status aug1999 to be replaced 2002 4* Sea King HC4
L12 HMS Ocean	Amphibious Helicopter Carrier	12* Sea King 6* Lynx or 6* Gazelle 15* Sea Harriers (Ferry Role)
L14 HMS Albion	Landing Platform Dock	planned jan2003 2* Sea King or 2* Merlin
L15 HMS Bulwark	Landing Platform Dock	planned dec2003 2* Sea King or 2* Merlin

Fleet Support Auxiliary Ships
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Most transport ships in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary inventory have flight decks, though they seldom have hangars too. But only the ships mentioned below are believed to regularly have helicopters or aircraft assigned during their cruises. The number of aircraft shown should be considered as the maximum space is available for, not actually carried.
Vessel	Type ship	Aircraft
A135 RFA Argus	Aviation Support Ship	6* Sea King 8-12 (Sea) Harrier
A387 RFA Fort Victoria	Fort Victoria class	2* Sea King
A388 RFA Fort George	Fort Victoria class	2* Sea King
A385 RFA Fort Rosalie	Fort Grange class	2* Sea King
A386 RFA Fort Austin	Fort Grange class	2* Sea King
A389 RFA Wave Knight	Wave class	1* Merlin Planned feb2002
A390 RFA Wave Ruler	Wave class	1* Merlin Planned 2002

A wealth of information on the Royal Navy ships can be found at the Haze Gray Naval History internet site.

Send your comments !!

Do you have updates ? Or is something not listed correctly ? Please let us know ! Fill in the form and send it back to us. We appreciate your help very much. Only thanks to your input we can keep this page up to date. And you can help other aviation enthusiasts with your information as well !