Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy)

The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, Eurofighter Typhoon AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King, and AgustaWestland Wildcat helicopters and the BAE Hawk. Helicopters such as the Lynx and Westland Wasp have been deployed on smaller vessels since 1964, taking over the roles once performed by biplanes such as the Fairey Swordfish.

The Fleet Air Arm was formed in 1924 as an organisational unit of the Royal Air Force which was then operating the aircraft embarked on RN ships – the Royal Naval Air Service having been merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps in 1918, to form the Royal Air Force – and did not come under the direct control of the Admiralty until mid-1939. During the Second World War, the Fleet Air Arm operated aircraft on ships as well as land-based aircraft that defended the Royal Navy's shore establishments and facilities.

Fleet Air Arm

Fighters

• Eurofighter Typhoon RN.3/5 x 144 (Multirole Fighter)
• Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II x 16 (Stealth Strike Fighter) - 38 more on order
• Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II x 16 (Stealth Strike Fighter) - 80 more on order

ELINT Aircraft

• Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye 2000 x 20 (AWACS Aircraft)

Maritime Patrol Aircraft

• Boeing Insitu ScanEagle x 12 (Patrol UAV)
• Boeing Poseidon MRA1 x 16 (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) - 8 more on order
• Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton x 15 (Unmanned Maritime Surveillance Aircraft) - 7 more on order
• Lockheed Martin Viking RN.3 x 32 (Carrier based ASW Aircraft)

Transport Aircraft

• Grumman C-2B Greyhound x 12 (COD Aircraft)
• Boeing Stingray KC1 x 24 (Carrier based Aerial Tanker)

Trainer Aircraft

• BAe Systems Hawk T1 x 22 (Advanced Trainer)
• Beechcraft Avenger x 8 (Trainer)
• Eurofighter Typhoon RN.4 x 24 (Conversion Trainer)
• Grob G115E Tutor x 10 (Trainer)

Helicopters

• AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin HM.2 x 58 (Maritime Helicopter/AEW Helicopter) - 22 more on order
• AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat x 42 (Maritime Helicopter) - 14 more on order
• Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II x 6 (Utility Helicopter)
• Westland Lynx HMA.8 x 28 (Maritime Utility Helicopter)
• Westland Sea King ASaC7 x 8 (AEW Helicopter) - to be replaced by the AW101 Merlin