Fleet Air Arm ( RAN ) The Fleet Air Arm ( FAA ) , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group , is the division of the Royal Australian Navy ( RAN ) responsible for the operation of aircraft . The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carrier s from the Royal Navy . FAA personnel fought in the Korean War ( operating from the carrier ) and the Vietnam War ( attached to a Royal Australian Air Force squadron and a United States Army Aviation company ) , and participated in later conflicts and operations from host warships . Initially operating only fixed - wing aircraft , helicopters were first acquired by the FAA in 1952 , forming Australia ' s first helicopter squadron . Helicopter usage increased over time , particularly after 1982 , when the carrier was decommissioned and not replaced . In 2000 , following the removal from service of the land - based Hawker Siddeley HS 748 aircraft , the FAA became an all - helicopter force , operating in the anti - submarine warfare and maritime support roles . As of 2011 , the FAA consists of three active squadrons , operating four helicopter types . History . During the 1920s , the RAN attempted to acquire government support for an Australian Fleet Air Arm , modelled loosely on the Royal Naval Air Service and its Royal Air Force - controlled successor , the Fleet Air Arm . This was approved as part of improvements to Australia ' s military , but opposition by the Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) prompted the Cabinet to disband the organisation in January 1928 , shortly after its establishment . The RAAF assumed responsibility for naval aviation , which consisted primarily of amphibious aircraft flown by No . 101 Flight RAAF ( and its successors , No . 5 Squadron , then No . 9 Squadron ) from the RAN ' s cruisers and the seaplane tender . The successes of naval aviation during World War II reignited the idea of a RAN - controlled aviation force , with suggestions that Australia provide the personnel to operate a British aircraft carrier and the attached squadrons voiced during 1944 , although the offer was withdrawn in mid 1945 because of manpower shortages . A review by the Australian Government ' s Defence Committee held after World War II recommended that the post - war forces of the RAN be structured around a Task Force incorporating multiple aircraft carriers . Initial plans were for three carriers , with two active and a third in reserve , although funding cuts led to the purchase of the " Majestic " class light fleet carriers , " Majestic " and " Terrible " from the Royal Navy in June 1947 . A Fleet Air Arm was established on 3 July 1947 by the Commonwealth Defence Council to operate aircraft from these two carriers , and also maintain two former Royal Australian Air Force bases as support facilities : these became at Nowra , New South Wales , and at Schofields , New South Wales . As " Terrible " was the closer of the two ships to completion , construction was finished without major modification . The ship was commissioned into the RAN as on 16 December 1948 . " Sydney " s maiden voyage saw the delivery of the first two squadrons operated by the Fleet Air Arm : 805 Squadron with Hawker Sea Furies , and 816 Squadron with Fairey Fireflies . The two squadrons operated as the 20th Carrier Air Group ( CAG ) . " Sydney " returned to England in 1950 to collect the 21st CAG : 808 and 817 Squadrons , with Sea Furies and Fireflies , respectively . During the Korean War , " Sydney " was deployed to Korean waters in late 1951 , with a wartime CAG of 805 , 808 , and 817 Squadrons embarked . The Fleet Air Arm operated in a strike , ground support , and escort role during the deployment , which saw three RAN pilots killed and a fourth seriously wounded , while thirteen aircraft were lost . Nine of these were shot down by North Korean flak artillery , with aircraft damaged by flak on at least ninety other occasions . The other four were lost in deck accidents , or crashed because of foul weather . Meanwhile , " Majestic " was undergoing major upgrades during construction to operate jet aircraft , including the installation of an angled flight deck , steam catapult , and a mirror landing aid . To allow the RAN to operate as a two - carrier force while " Majestic " was completed , the Royal Navy loaned the Colossus class light carrier to the RAN in late 1952 . " Vengeance " arrived in Australia with three Bristol Sycamore helicopters for the Fleet Air Arm . Although not the first helicopters to see military service in Australia ( that title belonging to a Sikorsky S - 51 of the Royal Australian Air Force ) , the Sycamores formed the first Australian military helicopter squadron , and prompted the establishment of Australia ' s first helicopter pilot school . " Vengeance " was returned to the United Kingdom in 1955 , with the crew transferred to " Majestic " , which was commissioned into the RAN as on 28 October 1955 . The new carrier delivered new aircraft to the Fleet Air Arm : the de Havilland Sea Venom jet fighter - bomber for 805 and 808 Squadrons , and the turboprop - driven Fairey Gannet anti - submarine aircraft for 816 and 817 Squadrons . These aircraft were due to become obsolete in the late 1950s , and the RAN considered purchasing modern aircraft of French or Italian design , which were smaller than British developments and better suited to light carrier operations . By the end of the 1950s , with " Sydney " decommissioned from service and refitted as a troop transport , it was decided that fixed - wing naval aviation would be replaced by a force of 27 Westland Wessex anti - submarine helicopters , to operate from " Melbourne " . This decision was rescinded in 1963 , with Grumman S - 2E Tracker anti - submarine aircraft and McDonnell Douglas A - 4G Skyhawk fighter aircraft ordered for the Fleet Air Arm . Although " Melbourne " and her air group played no role in the Vietnam War , Australian naval aviators saw action as part of Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam ( a component of the joint Australian - American Experimental Military Unit ) and the RAN Detachment , 9 Squadron Vietnam ( attached to No . 9 Squadron RAAF ) . In 1972 , the Fleet Air Arm ' s Wessex helicopters were replaced with Westland Sea King anti - submarine helicopters , although a small number of Wessexes continued to serve in utility and search - and - rescue roles . " Melbourne " remained in service until mid - 1982 , when she was placed in reserve . The Australian government initially planned to purchase from the Royal Navy and operate Harriers and helicopters from her , but the British withdrew the offer after the ship ' s performance in the Falklands War , and the 1983 election of the Australian Labor Party saw the cancellation of plans to replace " Melbourne " . With no aircraft carrier , carrier - borne fixed - wing aviation in the RAN ended on 30 June 1983 with the decommissioning of several squadrons , and many RAN pilots joined the Army and RAAF , or transferred to the aviation branches of other nations ' navies . The RAN Skyhawks were sold to the Royal New Zealand Air Force , and the Trackers were removed from service and sold to a private company for disposal . Before being sold off , the RAN Trackers were flown from land bases as patrol and surveillance aircraft , and HS 748 aircraft continued on in the electronic warfare training and transport roles after all other fixed - wing assets were disposed of . The shift from full , carrier - embarked squadrons to single - or two - helicopter flights operating from frigate s forced overhauls of the management and organisational style of the FAA , with squadrons made to act with increasing independence and less experienced junior officers taking greater responsibility for the aviation activities of their assigned ship . During the 1980s , the Eurocopter Ecureuil ( Squirrel ) and Sikorsky S - 70 Seahawk were acquired to operate from the " Adelaide " class frigates . During the early 1990s , these helicopters operated aboard Australian ships deployed to support the international coalition during the Gulf War ; they were used for anti - air surveillance and surface search , to deliver boarding parties to interdicted ships , and provide search - and - rescue capabilities . During 1992 , FAA Sea Kings were embarked aboard for Operation Solace , part of the famine - relief operation in Somalia . During the 1990s , the FAA ordered several refurbished Kaman SH - 2G Super Seasprite helicopters to operate from the " Anzac " class frigates in the anti - submarine and anti - surface roles . Although due to enter service in the early 2000s , the helicopters were not operational until 2006 , and were grounded shortly after with concerns over their airworthiness , flight control system , crash survivability , and inability to operate in poor weather . The delays and problems with the acquisition led to the cancellation of the project in March 2008 , and the completed helicopters were returned to Kaman . Since 2000 , when the last pair of HS 748s were retired , the Fleet Air Arm has been an entirely rotary - winged force . The Fleet Air Arm became responsible for the operation and maintenance of the RAN ' s helicopter force from the frigates of the " Adelaide " and " Anzac " classes and from the RAN ' s amphibious and support ships . Current squadrons . RAN squadrons follow the same numbering system as those of the Royal Navy , with operational units numbered from 800 onwards and training units numbered from 700 onwards : Aircraft . Current . Since 2000 , when the last pair of HS 748s were retired , the Fleet Air Arm has been an entirely rotary winged force . Air defence of the fleet is primarily the task of the " Adelaide " class guided missile frigates , armed with the SM - 2 Standard SAM ; these are supported when possible by the F / A - 18 Hornet s of the RAAF . Future . The Royal Australian Navy replaced its ageing Sea King helicopters with six marinised NHIndustries NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters ( designated the MRH - 90 , or Multi Role Helicopter in Australian service ) in December 2011 . These aircraft were purchased as part a joint Army - Navy purchase totalling 46 helicopters , with another 7 marked for sharing between both forces . In addition , the 2009 Defence White Paper , " " , stated that the RAN needed 24 new naval combat helicopters by 2014 , to replace the Seahawks and compensate for the cancelled Super Seasprite acquisition . They are to be capable of both anti - submarine and anti - surface warfare , while also being capable of search - and - rescue and troop transport ( primarily of boarding parties ) . Two aircraft were under consideration , the NATO Frigate Helicopter variant of the NH90 , and the MH - 60 Romeo version of the Sikorsky SH - 60 Seahawk . The NFH - 90 has 80 % commonality with the RAN and Army MRH - 90s , airframes are to be assembed at existing facilities in Queensland , is built from composite fibre which is corrosion - resistant and better able to survive crashes at sea , and although on order with several European navies , did not enter operational service until late 2010 . The MH - 60 Romeo has been operational with the United States Navy since the end of 2005 , and the commonality with the RAN ' s existing Seahawks will cut down on refamiliarisation training for pilots and maintenance personnel , the airframe has less interior space than the NFH - 90 for the same approximate external size . By October 2009 , the RAN was recommending the MH - 60 Romeo , as they would be cheaper and less of a technological risk . On 1 June 2011 , Defence Minister Stephen Smith announced that the MH - 60 Romeo was successful , and the 24 helicopters would be delivered between 2014 and 2020 . Under current plans , the Royal Australian Navy ' s " Canberra " class amphibious vessels will operate up to sixteen Army or Navy helicopters . Although the ships are potentially capable of operating STOVL aircraft like the F - 35B Lightning II , the ability to operate STOVL aircraft was not a tender criterion , and despite numerous suggestions , the Australian Government does not intend to purchase STOVL aircraft . Historic . Examples of many aircraft operated by the Fleet Air Arm are on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at HMAS " Albatross " Footnotes . A LADS - equipped Bombardier Dash 8 is owned by the RAN , but this is attached to the Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Service , not the FAA .