# 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
| Manufacturer | Model | Variant | Role | Origin | In service | Withdrawn | Notes |
| AgustaWestland | Merlin | HM.1/2 | ASW/Transport | UK | 2000 | n/a | |
| AgustaWestland | Wildcat | HMA.2 | Attack | UK | 2015 | n/a | 28 ordered |
| Airspeed | Envoy | | Transport/trainer | UK | 1941 | 1941 | 1 ex-RAF |
| Airspeed | Oxford | | Trainer | UK | 1942 | 1954 | ex-RAF |
| Armstrong Whitworth | Whitley | | Trainer/transport | UK | 1942 | 1947 | |
| Avro | 652 | | Transport | UK | 1941 | 1942 | 2 impressed airliners |
| Avro | Anson | | Trainer/Communications | UK | 1942 | 1955 | |
| Avro | Bison | | Spotter | UK | 1922 | 1929 | |
| Avro | Lancaster | | Heavy bomber | UK | 1945 | 1947 | 3 ex-RAF |
| Avro | Rota | I | Autogyro | UK | 1935 | 1935 | |
| Avro | Tutor | | Trainer | UK | 1937 | 1942 | |
| Beechcraft | Expeditor/Navigator | | Transport | US | 1943 | 1954 | Lend-lease |
| Beechcraft | Avenger | | Trainer | US | 2011 | n/a | |
| Beechcraft | Traveller | | Communications | US | 1944 | 1946 | Lend-lease |
| Bellanca | Pacemaker | | Communications | US | 1939 | 1940 | 1 impressed ? |
| Blackburn | Baffin | | Torpedo bomber | UK | 1934 | 1946 | |
| Blackburn | Blackburn | | Spotter | UK | 1923 | 1931 | |
| Blackburn | Buccaneer | S.1/2/2C/2D | Strike | UK | 1962 | 1978 | |
| Blackburn | Firebrand | | Torpedo-fighter | UK | 1944 | 1956 | |
| Blackburn | Dart | | Torpedo bomber | UK | 1922 | 1935 | 117 aircraft |
| Blackburn | Ripon | | Torpedo bomber/reconnaissance | UK | 1929 | 1935 | |
| Blackburn | Roc | | Fighter | UK | 1938 | 1943 | |
| Blackburn | Shark | | Torpedo bomber/target tug | UK | 1934 | 1944 | |
| Blackburn | Skua | | Fighter/dive bomber/target tug | UK | 1938 | 1941 | |
| Boulton Paul | Defiant | | Target tug | UK | 1943 | 1946 | 295 aircraft |
| Boulton Paul | Sea Balliol | | Trainer | UK | 1952 | 1963 | |
| Brewster | Bermuda | | Dive bomber | US | 1942 | 1943 | 5 for evaluation only |
| Brewster | Buffalo | | Fighter | US | 1940 | 1941 | ex-Belgian |
| Bristol | Beaufighter | | Torpedo bomber | UK | 1943 | 1946 | |
| Bristol | Beaufort | | Torpedo bomber/trainer | UK | 1943 | 1946 | |
| Bristol | Blenheim | | Trainer | UK | 1941 | 1944 | ex-RAF |
| British Aerospace (BAe) | 125 | | VIP transport | UK | ? | n/a | ? |
| British Aerospace (BAe) | Harrier II | GR. | Strike | UK | 2006 | 2011 | |
| British Aerospace (BAe) | Jetstream | T.2/3 | Trainer | UK | 1979 | 2011 | 16 ex-RAF |
| British Aerospace (BAe) | Sea Harrier | FRS.1F/A.2T.8 | Fighter/reconnaissance/ground attack/trainer | UK | 1979 | 2006 | |
| Cierva | Rota | II | Autogyro | UK | 1939 | 1940 | |
| Curtiss | Cleveland | | Dive bomber | US | 1940 | 1940 | 1 for evaluation only |
| Curtiss | Helldiver | | Dive bomber | US | 1943 | 1945 | Lend-lease 26 for evaluation |
| Curtiss | Seamew | | Reconnaissance | US | 1944 | 1945 | Never used operationally |
| de Havilland | DHC-1 Chipmunk | | Trainer | UK | 1965 | 2005 | ex-RAF |
| de Havilland | DH.86 | | Transport/trainer | UK | 1940 | 1945 | 6 impressed/ex-RAF |
| de Havilland | Dominie | | Trainer/transport | UK | 1940 | 1963 | Some impressed |
| de Havilland | Flamingo | | Transport | UK | 1940 | 1946 | 2 impressed |
| de Havilland | Fox Moth | | Communications | UK | 1941 | 1943 | 1 impressed |
| de Havilland | Gipsy Moth | | Trainer | UK | 1940 | 1943 | 1 impressed |
| de Havilland | Hornet Moth | | Communications | UK | 1939 | 1945 | 1 impressed & 4 from Canada |
| de Havilland | Mosquito | | various | UK | 1944 | ? | |
| de Havilland | DH.60M Moth | | Trainer | UK | 1939 | 1943 | 6 impressed/ex-RAF |
| de Havilland | Leopard Moth | | ? | UK | 1940 | 1946 | 2 impressed |
| de Havilland | Puss Moth | | Communications | UK | 1940 | 1943 | 1 impressed |
| de Havilland | Queen Bee | | Target drone | UK | 1941 | 1946 | 5 examples |
| de Havilland | Sea Heron | | Transport | UK | 1961 | 1981 | Bought second hand |
| de Havilland | Hornet | | Fighter/night-fighter/reconnaissance | UK | 1947 | 1954 | 198 aircraft |
| de Havilland | Sea Vampire | | Fighter/trainer | UK | 1948 | 1968 | |
| de Havilland | Sea Venom | | Fighter/electronic countermeasures | UK | 1954 | 1961 | |
| de Havilland | Sea Vixen | | Fighter | UK | 1958 | 1972 | |
| de Havilland | Sea Devon | | Transport | UK | 1955 | 1981 | |
| de Havilland | Sea Mosquito | | Strike/target tug | UK | 1946 | 1950s | |
| de Havilland | Tiger Moth | | Trainer/communications | UK | 1939 | 1965 | 113 ex-RAF |
| de Havilland | Vampire | | Fighter/fighter-bomber | UK | 1948 | 1950s | |
| Douglas | Boston | | Medium Bomber | US | 1941 | 1943 | 9 ex-RAF |
| Douglas | Boston | | Medium bomber | US | 1943 | 1945 | ex-RAF |
| Douglas | Dakota | | Transport | US | 1944 | 1946 | 3 aircraft |
| Douglas | Dauntless | | Dive bomber | US | 1944 | 1946 | 9 evaluated but not used |
| Douglas | Skyraider | | Airborne Early Warning | US | 1951 | 1960 | |
| English Electric | Canberra | | Trainer/target tug/drone | UK | 1950s | 1992 | |
| Eurocopter | AS365N-2 Dauphin II | | Trainer helicopter | France | 1999 | n/a | |
| Fairey | IIID & F | | Spotter/target tug | UK | 1918 | 1940 | |
| Fairey | Albacore | | Torpedo/dive bomber | UK | 1940 | 1943 | |
| Fairey | Barracuda | | Torpedo/dive bomber | UK | 1943 | 1953 | 2,607 built |
| Fairey | Battle | | Trainer | UK | 1939 | 1944 | 3 ex-RAF |
| Fairey | Firefly | | Fighter/night fighter/ASW/trainer | UK | 1943 | 1956 | 1702 aircraft |
| Fairey | Flycatcher | | Fighter | UK | 1923 | 1934 | |
| Fairey | Fulmar | | Fighter/night fighter | UK | 1940 | 1945 | 600 aircraft |
| Fairey | Gannet | | ASW/transport/EW/trainer | UK | 1954 | 1979 | 342 including 44 AEW |
| Fairey | Gannet | AEW.3 | AEW | UK | 1954 | 1979 | 44 AEW |
| Fairey | Seafox | | Spotting/reconnaissance | UK | 1937 | 1943 | |
| Fairey | Seal | | Spotter/reconnaissance | UK | 1933 | 1943 | |
| Fairey | Swordfish | I | Torpedo bomber | UK | 1936 | 1946 | |
| Grumman | Avenger/Tarpon | | Torpedo bomber/ASW/EW | US | 1943 | 1962 | Lend-lease and MDAP |
| Grumman | Widgeon | | Transport | US | 1943 | 1946 | |
| Grumman | Wildcat/Martlet | | Fighter | US | 1940 | 1944 | 992 of various marks Lend-lease |
| Gloster | Gladiator | | Fighter | UK | 1938 | 1945 | |
| Gloster | Meteor | | Trainer/target tug | UK | 1940s | 1960s? | |
| Gloster | Nightjar | | Fighter | UK | 1920 | 1924 | |
| Gloster | Sea Gladiator | | Fighter/communications | UK | 1939 | 1945 | |
| Grob | Tutor | G115E | Trainer | Germany | 2000s | n/a | |
| Grumman | Goose | | Transport | US | 1942 | 1946 | Lend-lease |
| Grumman | Hellcat/Gannet | | Fighter/night fighter | US | 1943 | 1946 | 1,182 aircraft |
| Grumman | Tigercat | | Fighter | US | 1944 | 1945 | 2 for evaluation only |
| Handley Page | Harrow | | Transport | UK | 1942 | 1943 | 9 ex-RAF |
| Hawker | Audax | | Trainer | UK | 1941 | 1945 | 4 ex-RAF |
| Hawker | Hart/Hart Trainer | | Trainer | UK | 1939 | 1942 | 8 ex-RAF |
| Hawker | Henley | | Target tug | UK | 1939 | 1944 | 7 ex-RAF |
| Hawker | Hunter | | Trainer/drone | UK | ? | 1994 | |
| Hawker | Hurricane | | Fighter | UK | 1941 | 1945 | |
| Hawker | Nimrod | | Fighter/utility | UK | 1932 | 1942 | |
| Hawker | Osprey | | Fighter/reconnaissance | UK | 1931 | 1940 | |
| Hawker | Sea Fury | | Fighter | UK | 1947 | 1962 | |
| Hawker | Sea Hawk | | Fighter/fighter-bomber/ground attack | UK | 1953 | 1969 | |
| Hawker | Sea Hurricane | | Fighter | UK | 1941 | 1944 | |
| Hawker | Typhoon | | Fighter/ground attack | UK | 1943 | 1943 | 1 for evaluation only |
| Hawker Siddeley | Hawk | T.1/1A | Trainer | UK | 1994 | 2022 | |
| Hiller | HT | HT.1HT.2 | Trainer/communications | US | 19531962 | 1976 | MDAP |
| Hunting | Sea Prince | | Trainer/transport | UK | 1953 | 1978 | |
| Lockheed | Hudson | | Transport | US | 1944 | 1945 | 4 ex-RAF |
| Lockheed | Ventura | | Medium bomber | US | 1942 | 1942 | 1 for evaluation only |
| Lockheed Martin | F-35 Lightning | F-35B | Fighter | US | 2023 | n/a | 809 Naval Air Squadron |
| Martin | Baltimore | | Medium bomber | US | 1944 | 1946 | 14 ex-RAF |
| Martin | Maryland | | Medium bomber/target tug | US | 1940 | 1944 | 7 ex-RAF |
| McDonnell Douglas | Phantom | FGR.1 | Fighter/ground attack | US | 1968 | 1978 | |
| Miles | Magister | | Trainer | UK | 1937 | 1945 | |
| Miles | Martinet | | Target tug | UK | 1943 | 1947 | |
| Miles | Falcon Six | | Communications | UK | 1940 | 1941 | 1 impressed |
| Miles | Master | | Trainer | UK | 1940 | 1948 | |
| Miles | Monitor | | Target tug | UK | 1945 | 1955 | ex-RAF |
| Miles | Queen Martinet | | Target drone | UK | 1945 | 1946 | 3 examples |
| Miles | Whitney Straight | | Communications | UK | 1940 | 1943 | 1 impressed |
| North American | Harvard | | Trainer | US | 1943 | 1955 | |
| North American | Mitchell | | Medium bomber | US | 1943 | 1943 | 1 for evaluation only |
| Parnall | Panther | | Spotter | UK | 1919 | 1926 | |
| Parnall | Peto | | Submarine-borne reconnaissance | UK | 1926 | 1932 | |
| Parnall | Plover | | Fighter | UK | 1923 | 1924 | Operational evaluation |
| Percival | Petrel | | Transport | UK | 1939 | 1944 | 4 impressed/ex-RAF |
| Percival | Proctor | | Trainer | UK | 1939 | 1955 | |
| Percival | Vega Gull | | Communications | UK | 1939 | 1945 | 7 impressed |
| Pitcairn | PA-39 | | Autogyro | USA | 1941 | 1943 | |
| Short | Seamew | | ASW | UK | 1956 | 1957 | Evaluation only |
| Short | Sturgeon | | Target tug | UK | 1951 | 1959 | |
| Sikorsky | Hoverfly | I | Training/rescue/utility helicopter | US | 1943 | 1952 | 24 aircraft |
| Sikorsky | Hoverfly | II | training/deck landing evaluation/liaison helicopter | US | 1948 | 1952 | |
| Sikorsky | Whirlwind | HAR.21HAS.22 | ASW/transport/air-sea rescue | US | 19521953 | 1970 | MDAP |
| Sopwith | Cuckoo | | Torpedo bomber | UK | 1918 | 1923 | 232 aircraft |
| Stinson | Reliant | | Trainer/communications | US | 1944 | 1946 | Lend-lease |
| Supermarine | Attacker | | Fighter/fighter-bomber | UK | 1951 | 1957 | |
| Supermarine | Seafang | | Fighter | UK | 1946 | Evaluation only |
| Supermarine | Seafire | F.17 | Fighter/reconnaissance | UK | 1942 | 1954 | |
| Supermarine | Scimitar | | Fighter/tanker | UK | 1957 | 1970 | |
| Supermarine | Sea Otter | | Air-sea rescue/reconnaissance/spotting | UK | 1944 | 1950 | |
| Supermarine | Spitfire | | Fighter | UK | 1942 | 1945 | |
| Supermarine | Walrus | | Spotter/air-sea rescue/ | UK | 1936 | 1946 | |
| Vickers | Wellington | | Trainer/transport | UK | 1942 | 1946 | Ex-RAF |
| Vought | Kingfisher | | Reconnaissance | US | 1942 | 1943 | Lend-lease |
| Vought | Chesapeake | | Torpedo bomber/trainer | US | 1941 | 1944 | |
| Vought | Corsair | | Fighter | US | 1943 | 1947 | Lend-lease |
| Vultee | Vengeance | | Dive bomber/target tug | US | 1944 | 1947 | Lend-lease |
| Westland Aircraft | Dragonfly | HR.1HR.3HR.5 | Air-sea rescue helicopter | UK | 19501953? | 1970 | 72 aircraft |
| Westland Aircraft | Lysander | | Target tug | UK | 1940 | 1944 | 67 ex-RAF |
| Westland Aircraft | Walrus | | Spotter/reconnaissance | UK | 1921 | 1925 | |
| Westland Aircraft | Wessex | HAS.1HAS.3HU.5 | ASW/air-sea rescue/transport | UK | 1960?1965 | 1987 | |
| Westland Aircraft | Whirlwind | HAR.1HAR.3HAS.7HAR.9 | ASW/air-sea rescue/transport | UK | 1954195519601964 | 1973 | |
| Westland Aircraft | Wyvern | TF.1 | Torpedo/strike | UK | 1953 | 1958 | 127 including 10 two-seat trainers |
| Westland Helicopters/ Aérospatiale | Gazelle | AH.1HT.2 | Trainer/utility helicopter | UK | 1974 | 2010 | 40 aircraft |
| Westland Helicopters | Lynx | HAS.3/8AH.7 | ASW/air-sea rescue/transport helicopter | UK | 1976 | 2017 | |
| Westland Helicopters | Sea King | HAR.5HAS.5/6AEW.2AHC.4 | ASW/AEW/air-sea rescue/transport | UK | 1969 | 2018 | |
| Westland Helicopters | Wasp | HAS.1 | ASW | UK | 1963 | 1980 | |

## Helicopters to support the Royal Marines

* Westland Gazelle
* Agusta-Bell Sioux/Westland-Bell Sioux
* Westland Lynx
* Westland Scout
* AgustaWestland Merlin HC4/4A
* AgustaWestland Wildcat AH.1

## Airships and balloons

* List of British airships
* Barrage balloons

## UAVs and drones

* Airspeed Queen Wasp (retired)
* Curtiss Queen Seamew (retired)
* de Havilland DH.82 Queen Bee (retired)
* Miles Queen Martinet (retired)
* Boeing Insitu ScanEagle

## 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)

## 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).
* de Havilland Firestreak: Air-to-air missile – Carried by the Sea Venom and Sea Vixen (retired).
* Hawker Siddeley Red Top: Air-to-air missile – Carried by the Sea Vixen (retired).
* 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

* 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 (retired).
* Martin Marietta Bullpup: Air-to-surface missile – Carried by the Scimitar and Sea Vixen (retired).
* Hawker Siddeley/Matra Martel – Carried by the Buccaneer and Sea Harrier (retired).
* BAe Dynamics Sea Eagle: Anti-ship missile, carried by the Buccaneer and Sea Harrier (retired).
* British Aircraft Corporation Sea Skua: Anti-ship missile, carried by the Lynx (retired).
* Thales Air Defence Lightweight Multirole Missile (Martlet), Carried by the Wildcat
* MBDA Sea Venom: Anti-ship missile, on order for use on the Wildcat.

### Nuclear weapons 1950 to 2000

* AWRE Red Beard nuclear bomb – Carried by the Buccaneer, Scimitar and Sea Vixen (retired).
* AWRE WE.177 nuclear bomb – Carried by the Buccaneer, Sea Harrier and Sea Vixen (retired).
** AWRE WE.177 nuclear depth charge – Carried by the Westland Lynx, Wasp and Wessex helicopters (retired).

### Unguided rockets

* 2-inch RP - Air-to-air, air-to-surface rockets. Carried by the Buccaneer and Sea Vixen (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 rockets. Carried by the Attacker. Firefly, Scimitar, Sea Fury, Sea Hawk, Sea Hurricane, Sea Vixen, Swordfish, Tarpon/Avenger (retired).

### Torpedoes

* 18" Mark 30 torpedo – Carried by the Fairey Gannet and Westland Whirlwind helicopter (retired).
* British 18-inch torpedo Mark XVII – Carried by the Blackburn Firebrand (retired).
* General Electric/Western Electric Mark 24 mine (retired).
* Brush Development Company Mark 43 torpedo (retired).
* General Electric Mark 44 torpedo – Carried by the Westland Sea King, Wasp, Wessex and Whirlwind helicopters (retired).
* Aerojet/Honeywell/Raytheon Mark 46 torpedo – Carried by the Westland Lynx, Sea King, Wasp, Wessex and Whirlwind helicopters (retired).
* GEC-Marconi Sting Ray torpedo – Carried by the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Lynx and Sea King helicopters.

### Free fall bombs

* Hunting Engineering, Ltd BL755