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Fleet Air Arm S-70B-2 Seahawk

The Fleet Air Arm (more formally known as the Australian Navy Aviation Group) is the operational part of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft aboard ship. The FAA is currently an mixed force, operating helicopters, AEW aircraft, ASW aircraft, and strike fighters from aircraft carriers, surface combatants, underway replenishment ships, and shore bases in both the following roles.

• Fleet Air Defence
• Anti-Surface Warfare
• Land Attack
• Anti-Submarine Warfare
• Reconnaissance
• Vertical Replenshment
• Coastal maritime patrol
• Amphibious Operations (transport of troops and supplies, aerial fire support, and air defence)

The Fleet Air Arm performs mainly operational roles, it has few training resources. The RAN outsources all of its flying training, except conversion training, shipborne helicopter training, and carrier training. BAe Systems perform flight screening, the RAAF perform Basic, and Advanced Flying Training, Navigation Training, Fast Jet Training, and Lead-In Fighter Training. The Army (through the ADF Helicopter School) performs helicopter flight training.

Fleet Air Arm pilots also go on exchange postings to the Royal Navy and Air Force, and American Navy, and Marine Corps.

Future Fleet Air Arm plans include the replacement of the F/A-18 Hornet (which will coincide with the replacement of HMA Ships Australia and Vengeance), replacement of the S-70B-2 Sea Hawk, and AS 350BA.

Fleet Air Arm Units

Carrier Units

• 808 Squadron (VFA-808), RAN (HMAS Albatross)
  • 12 Boeing F/A-18A+ Hornet
• 805 Squadron (VFA-805), RAN (HMAS Fremantle)
  • 12 Boeing F/A-18A+ Hornet
• 809 Squadron (VFA-809), RAN (HMAS Albatross)
  • 12 Boeing F/A-18A+ Hornet
• 815 Squadron (VFA-815), RAN (HMAS Fremantle)
  • 12 Boeing F/A-18A+ Hornet
• 810 Squadron (HS-810), RAN (HMAS Albatross, Detachment at HMAS Fremantle)
  • 10 Sikorsky S-70B-9 Seahawk
  • 2 Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk
• 814 Squadron (VS-814), RAN (HMAS Albatross, HMAS Fremantle)
  • 16 CAC/Grumman AS-2T Turbo Tracker
• 811 Squadron (VAW-811), RAN (HMAS Albatross, HMAS Fremantle)
  • 10 CAC/Grumman E-1T Turbo Tracer
• 819 Squadron (VRC-819), RAN (HMAS Albatross, HMAS Fremantle)
  • 10 CAC/Grumman C-1T Turbo Trader

Surface Combatant Units

• 816 Squadron (HS-816), RAN (HMAS Albatross)
  • 12 Sikorsky S-70B-9 Seahawk
  • 15 Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk
• 851 Squadron (HS-851), RAN (HMAS Fremantle)
  • 10 Sikorsky S-70B-9 Seahawk
  • 17 Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk

Vertical Replenishment

• 817 Squadron (HC-817), RAN (HMAS Albatross)
  • 10 Sikorsky S-70A-44 Black Hawk
• 850 Squadron (HC-850), RAN (HMAS Fremantle)
  • 10 Westland Sea King Mk 50A

Training Units

• 724 Squadron (VT-724), RAN (RAAF Williamtown)
  • 8 Boeing F/A-18A+ Hornet
  • 8 Boeing F/A-18B+ Hornet
• 725 Squadron (HT-725), RAN (HMAS Albatross)
  • 12 Sikorsky S-70B-9 Seahawk
  • 4 Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk
• 726 Squadron (VT-726), RAN (HMAS Albatross)
  • 4 CAC/Grumman TAS-2T Turbo Tracker
  • 8 CAC/Grumman AS-2T Turbo Tracker
• 723 Squadron (HT-723), RAN (HMAS Albatross)
  • 12 Aerospatiale AS 350BA Squirrel
  • 3 Agusta A190E Power

Non-Fleet Air Arm

• RAN Hydrographic Service¹
  • 1 Fokker F27 Friendship Laser Airborne Depth Sounder

¹Not part of the Fleet Air Arm, located for convience.

Aircraft Inventory

• 64 Boeing F/A-18A+/B+ Hornet
  • 56 Boeing F/A-18A+ Hornet
  • 8 Boeing F/A-18B+ Hornet
• 28 CAC/Grumman AS-2T Turbo Tracker
  • 24 CAC/Grumman AS-2T Turbo Tracker
  • 4 CAC/Grumman TAS-2T Turbo Tracker
• 10 CAC/Grumman C-1T Turbo Trader
• 10 CAC/Grumman E-1T Turbo Tracer
• 38 Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk
• 44 Sikorsky S-70B-9 Seahawk
• 6 Westland Sea King ASaC Mk.57
• 10 Sikorsky S-70A-44 Black Hawk
• 10 Westland Sea King Mk 50A
• 3 Agusta A190E Power
• 12 Aerospatiale AS 350BA Squirrel
• 1 Fokker F27 Friendship Laser Airborne Depth Sounder¹

¹Not part of the Fleet Air Arm, located for convience.

Fleet Air Arm Deployment

Cruisers carry two S-70B-2 Seahawks. Frigates and destroyers carry one or two S-70B-2 Seahawks or S-70B-9 Seahawks. Voyager class destroyers carry 5 S-70B-2 Seahawks or S-70B-9 Seahawks. S-70A-44 Black Hawk and Westland Sea Kings are generally land based, but are routinely deployed to HMAS Success, Endurance, and Sirius for Vertical Replenishment operations. They can also be deployed to the RAN's Amphibious ships.

The aircraft carriers HMAS Australia, and HMAS Vengeance each carry 24 F/A-18A+ Hornets, 6 S-70B-2 Seahawks, 6 AS-2T Turbo Trackers, and 4 E-1T Turbo Tracers. When the ships were originally acquired (Australia: 1978, Vengeance: 1980), they operated 12 F-8 Crusaders, 10 A-4G Skyhawks, 6 S-2G Trackers, 4 Sea Kings and 2 Wessex.

The AS-2T Trackers have upgraded with equipment similar to that used on the RAAF's AP-3C Orions.

The RAN's Hornet force carries out the following missions:

• Fleet air defence
• Maritime strike
• Close air support
• Land strike
• Air defence training (for the Army and Navy)

Two squadrons are deployed, 1 Squadron on HMAS Australia is home based at HMAS Albartoss, the other in HMAS Vengeance based at HMAS Fremantle. The third squadron is a training/replacement squadron and is home based at HMAS Albatross.

S-70B-2 Seahawks are used for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue, vertical replenishment, boarding party support, and plane guard (on aircraft carriers). They are being replaced by S-70B-9 Seahawks. Both types serve side-by-side in the squadrons. There are three operational squadrons, an aircraft carrier squadron based at HMAS Albatross (with a detachment at HMAS Fremantle), and two surface combatant squadrons (one on each coast). A single training squadron at HMAS Albatross provides conversion and crew training.

E-1T Turbo Tracers used for airborne early warning on the aircraft carriers. The S-70A-44 Black Hawk is replacing the Sea King Mk.50 in the vertical replinshment role. The single remaining VERTREP Sea King squadron also does conversion training for AEW Sea Kings. Conversion training for the S-70A-44 is done by 725 Squadron (who also train Seahawk crews)

The RAN's AS 350BA Squirrel helicopters are used in the naval helicopter training role, and are based mostly at HMAS Albatross, though some are based at RAAF Fairbairn with the Defence Force Helicopter School. The Agusta A109E Power supports the Squirrel in 732SQN.

The Fleet Air Arm has two main bases, in line with the Two Ocean Navy Policy. HMAS Albatross (Naval Air Station East) in New South Wales supports units based at HMAS Kuttabul (Fleet Base East) in Sydney, New South Wales, most notably it is the land base for the air group of HMAS Australia. HMAS Albatross is also the Fleet Air Arm's headquarters, and training base. HMAS Fremantle in Western Australia supports the units based at HMAS Stirling (Fleet Base West) (most notably the air group of HMAS Vengeance). RAAF Pearce, and RAAF Williamtown also perform a training function for the RAN through the training of RAN fast jet pilots by 79SQN RAAF, 76SQN RAAF, and 2OCU RAAF.

Fleet Air Arm Aircraft

F/A-18 Hornet

Given the RAAF's selection of the F/A-18 and the RAN's commitment to conventional aircraft carriers, it was a foregone conclusion that the RAN would operate the F/A-18 Hornet. For financial and production reasons, the RAN didn't receive its first Hornet until 1989. The RAN's Hornets were assembed by ASTA in Victoria, and apart from the landing system and the nose gear, they are the same as the RAAF's Hornets. Like the RAAF's Hornets, the RAN's Hornets have seen combat, but unlike the RAAF's Hornets, the RAN's Hornets have seen air-to-air combat, shooting down three Iraqi aircraft in the Gulf War.

F-8 Crusader

Delays in acquisition of the F/A-18 Hornet forced the RAN to seek an interim fighter. The only possibility which was quick and cheap was the F-8J Crusader. 40 F-8 Crusaders were acquired from Davis Monthan Air Force Base in the US. They served well between 1979 and 1989. The RAN had a mixed experience with the Crusader. Pilots (especially experienced pilots) liked the Crusader's flying qualities and roomy cockpit. In air combat exercises against RAN Skyhawks, and RAAF Mirages, Phantoms, and F-111s the Crusader gave a good account of itself. Against RAAF Eagles and Hornets, the Crusader's age showed. The RAN lost seven Crusaders at sea, mostly in landing accidents. In these accidents, three pilots were killed. The Crusader gave only average availability, and was far less relaible than the Skyhawk or Corsair II. Compared to the Hornet, the Crusader was a 'hangar-queen'. These problems were (correctly) attributed to the age. In US service during the Vietnam War, the Crusader displayed great reliability.

The F-8J Crusader was retired from RAN service in 1989. Some of the aircraft were sold as spares to the French Navy, twelve remain in Australia as museum pieces and gate guards. The rest were either scrapped or transferred to the RAAF for training and evaluation purposes. These included testing the effects of weapons on aircraft structures, targets on air weapons ranges, instructional airframes, fire-fighting training.

The RAN operated 32 F-8J Crusaders, and 8 TF-8A Crusaders.

A-7 Corsair II

For the first few years of their service, the A-4G Skyhawk served as the attack aircraft of the Australia class aircraft carriers, but a new attack aircraft was being considered, with the options Vought A-7E Corsair II, and the Dassault Super Etendard.

The French believed that the RAN had promised to purchase the Super Etendard, however the RAN felt it could purchase whatever it felt necessary. This led to the first controversy associated with the carriers when the French Government and Dassault sued the Australian Government for breach of contract after the RAN chose the Vought A-7 Corsair. The Australian Government won the case and the Corsair purchase went ahead with the aircraft entering service in 1984. A total of 38 A-7 Corsairs were acquired, including 6 TA-7C trainers.

Unlike the F-8, the RAN had an excellent experience with the A-7 Corsair, finding it highly reliable, easy to fly, and extremely effective. In joint operations, the A-7 proved a far better attack aircraft than the Mirage IIIO, and more suited to close support than the F-111C.

The RAN retired its Corsair IIs in 1991. They were operated by the Air Force for four years. After 1995, some of the Corsairs were put on display, several were put into storage in Woomera. These were subsequently sold to Thailand. In eleven years of operation, not one Corsair was lost. Two Australian Corsairs are in flying condition, one with the Royal Australian Navy Historical Flight

A-4G Skyhawk

The A-4G Skyhawk served the RAN between 1967 and 1984 on three carriers, Melbourne, Australia, and Vengeance. They also served with the RAAF in ground attack alongside the A-4K Skyhawk between 1988 and 1991. Eight A-4G Skyhawks were purchased in 1967 to replace the De Havilland Sea Venom on HMAS Melbourne. Two TA-4G trainers were procured to support them. In 1971, a further eight A-4G and two TA-4G were purchased. Finally in 1978, the RAN purchased a third batch of Skyhawks in the same proportion (8 A-4G, 2 TA-4G) to serve on the new Australia class aircraft carriers.

Unlike American Skyhawks, the Australian Skyhawks had a fleet defence role, armed with Sidewinder missiles. Melbourne would generally embark four Skyhawks. The remainder would operate from HMAS Albatross. The TA-4G was too small to operate from Melbourne. They participated in a number of exercises over the next eleven years, and one third of the force were lost in crashes. The root cause of these crashes was the age and unreliability of the Melbourne, and the fact that it was really too small for an aircraft like the Skyhawk.

The Skyhawk was to serve as an interim attack aircraft on the RAN's French-designed Australia class aircraft carriers. The introduction of the new Australia class carriers produced an immediate drop in the accident rate. The longer more powerful catapults of the new carriers, and their larger landing spaces produced more safety.

On Australia and Vengeance, the A-4 Skyhawk lost its fleet defence role, and could concentrate on its intended role of ground attack. Skyhawks served on HMAS Australia for five years, and on HMAS Vengeance for three years. After this, they were replaced by A-7E Corsair II. After this, the surviving twenty Skyhawks (sixteen A-4G, four TA-4G) were placed in storage while a buyer was sought. None came forward, but no buyer came forward. In 1988 they were turned over to the RAAF, and used to equip an ex-RNZAF squadron which (after New Zealand joining the Commonwealth of Australia) found itself a part of the Royal Australian Air Force. The Skyhawks served with the RAAF (alongside fourteen A-4K Skyhawks from New Zealand) for three years and was replaced by the A-7E Corsair II (again). There are currently four G-model Skyhawks flying in Australia, two with the RAN Historic Flight. One TA-4K is flying in New Zealand.

S-2 Tracker

The S-2 Tracker entered RAN service in 1967 as a replacement for the Fairey Gannet. They have operated from HMAS Melbourne, HMAS Australia, and HMAS Vengeance, as well as from the land bases of HMAS Albatross, RAAF Pearce, and HMAS Fremantle in the training and coastal patrol roles. The RAN has operated 55 Trackers (and variants). The RAN has lost only one Tracker in flight, although 10 wre destroyed by arson in 1976. 14 S-2E Trackers were ordered introduced in 1967. Six S-2 Trackers were ordered in 1976 (the order was increased to 16 after the hangar fire). These were frequently embarked on Melbourne, and provided an excellent ASW capability. Although they appeared to be less advanced than the Fairey Gannets they replaced (the Tracker for instance has piston engines rather than the turboprops of the Gannet), its electronics were better. To provide extra aircraft for a two carrier Navy, nine more S-2G Trackers were ordered in 1980.

The new aircraft carriers heralded other changed. The Fleet Air Arm was to have it's first (and Australia's first) airborne early warning capability. Carrier on board delivery aircraft were to be acquired as well. The RAN wanted the Lockheed S-3 Viking and the Grumman E-2C Hawkeye. Both aircraft had cost issues, and the E-2C was regarded as too large for the French-designed carriers. The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation offered converted Trackers, Tracers and Traders to fulfill the RAN's requirements. Their conversion was to be the first Turbo Tracker, powered by Garrett TPE331 turboprop engines. The first aicraft, a C-1T Turbo Trader flew in 1982. The aircraft had an updated cockpit, and new avionics but was otherwise a standard C-1 Trader. The first Tracker flew in 1983. The RAN's E-1T Turbo Tracer was to be radically different from the US Navy's Tracers. It was intended to be fitted with a Thorn-EMI Skymaster radar, and two new consoles for the fighter controllers. The E-1T disposed of the Tracer's old radome, using instead the same radome as in the Tracker. The E-1T Turbo Tracer first flew in 1985.

Conversion were carried out rapidly with the base airframes being acquired from the RAN's existing stock, or from the US Navy. The first Traders and Trackers entered fleet service in 1986. The Turbo Tracer entered service in 1989 after protracted testing. The entire fleet was upgraded with new navigation and communications equipment during the mid nineties.

Between 1999 and 2002, the RAN upgraded its Turbo Tracker fleet with equipment similar to that in the AP-3C Orion. They are now among the most advanced anti-submarine aircraft in the world.

Sikorsky S-70

The Sikorsky S-70, which is manufactured in Australia by Hawker De Havilland, is the ADF's standard medium helicopter. In the RAN, it replaced three types (Westland Sea King, Westland Wessex, Westland Scout). It has replaced the Sea King twice (first in the anti-submarine role, and now in the utility role), and in the anti-submarine role is replacing a previous version of itself. The RAN operates three versions of this versatile helicopter:

• HdH/Sikorsky S-70B-2: Australian version of the SH-60B, with Australian-specified avionics. Introduced in 1989. 82 acquired, 32 remain in service. Seen action in the 1991 Gulf War.
• HdH/Sikorsky S-70B-9: Australian version of the MH-60R. Entered service in 2005. 82 ordered, 42 in service.
• HdH/Sikorsky S-70A-44: Australian version of the MH-60S. Entered service in 2003. Navy to acquire 20 in joint purchase with the Army. 100 to be purchased in total. Replaces the Westland Sea King.

The RAN has operated 134 Sikorsky S-70 helicopters, and has 50 more order.