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104-735: In most armed forces, two or more squadrons will form a group or a wing . Some military forces (including the United States Air Force , United States Space Force , French Air and Space Force , Royal Air Force , German Air Force , Royal Netherlands Air Force , Belgian Air Component and Republic of Singapore Air Force ) also use the term "squadron" for non-flying ground units (e.g. radar squadrons, missile squadrons, air defense squadrons, aircraft maintenance squadrons, security forces squadrons, civil engineering squadrons, range operations squadrons, range management squadrons, weather squadrons, medical squadrons, etc.). In World War I,

208-507: A Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) (ground-based anti-aircraft missile and machinegun weapons) battalion/detachment, under a MACG headquarters detachment, commanded by a colonel . Marine Air Training Support Groups (MATSG) provide administrative control and training support at for Marines at formal naval aviation training units (e.g., combined USN/USMC Fleet Readiness Squadrons (FRS) and Naval Air Training Command and Naval Air Technical Training Command installations). These groups, commanded by

312-429: A Marine Air Control Squadron (MACS) (control of air traffic and tactical air defense), a Marine Air Support Squadron (MASS) (control and coordination of tactical aircraft operations directly supporting ground forces), a Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron (MTACS) (command of tactical ground support and tactical air defense), a Marine Wing Communication Squadron (MWCS) (wire, radio, data, and satellite services), and

416-479: A Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons (MALS) (intermediate aircraft maintenance, aviation supply, and aviation ordnance support), a Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) (air base functions), and a MAG headquarters detachment with a colonel as the commanding officer. The MAG is the organizational equivalent of a Marine Regiment . Marine Air Control Groups (MACG) consist of several aviation command, control, communications, and air defense units. These units include:

520-421: A group and two or more groups will be designated as a wing . USAF squadrons may be flying units composed of pilots and flight crews, with designations such as fighter squadron, bomb squadron, or airlift squadron. Fighter squadrons may support between 18 and 24 aircraft, while larger aircraft flying squadrons (e.g., bomber, cargo, reconnaissance) may support fewer aircraft. However, non-flying units also exist at

624-449: A USAAF numbered air force (led by a brigadier general ), with 200 to 400 aircraft. From 1943 to 1945, RAF Bomber Command groups were composed of several stations (air bases) and were analogous to USAAF wings. In the RAF (like the air forces of most other Commonwealth countries), a group is made up of several stations or wings, each of which typically controls two or more squadrons, so that

728-461: A USMC Marine Aircraft Group or USAF wing. Officers in command of wing level units other than carrier air wings utilize the legacy title of "commodore" and are authorized to fly a command broad pennant from their headquarters ashore or when embarked aboard a warship as the senior officer present afloat (SOPA). Group is no longer a contemporary term in the USN portion of Naval Aviation except for that of

832-606: A carrier. The Air Arm continued with high-powered prop aircraft alongside the new jets resulting in the FAA being woefully outpowered during the Korean War . Nevertheless, jets were not yet wholly superior to propeller aircraft and a flight of ground attack Hawker Sea Furies downed a MiG-15 and damaged others in an engagement. As jets became larger, more powerful and faster they required more space to take off and land. The US Navy simply built much larger carriers. The Royal Navy had

936-546: A colonel, do not have subordinate squadrons assigned and are not part of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). Two or more MAGs (usually three or four), and a MACG, under a Marine Aircraft Wing Headquarters (MAW HQ) supported by a Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron (MWHS) form a Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), usually commanded by a major general , and is the FMF organizational equivalent of a Marine Division (MARDIV). The MAW

1040-671: A commanding officer (CO) at the lieutenant colonel level, may not have an equivalent rank executive officer (XO), but are moving more toward the USN model. USMC aviation (Flying) squadron XO's are aeronautically designated officers in the rank of Lt.Col or Major. Also in contrast to USAF flying squadrons, most tactical sea-based and land-based U.S. Naval Aviation squadrons (USN and USMC), vice training squadrons and test and evaluation squadrons, usually do not have more than 12 aircraft authorized/assigned at any one time. Exceptions are USN helicopter mine countermeasures squadrons (17 MH-53), USMC "composite" medium tilt-rotor squadrons assigned afloat as

1144-417: A few large carriers built and completed after the end of the war but another solution was sought. This was partly overcome by the introduction of a Royal Navy idea to angle the flight deck away from the centre line so that the aircraft landing had a clear run away from the usual forward deck park. An associated British invention, intended to provide more precise optical guidance to aircraft on final approaching

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1248-466: A group normally includes six to 10 squadrons. When the ranks of the RAF were designed, an officer with the rank of group captain (equivalent to colonel and naval captain) commanded such a unit, although by the time of World War II, many groups were commanded by air commodores (equivalent to brigadiers/brigadier generals and commodores) or air vice-marshals (equivalent to major generals and rear admirals). Several RAF stations (air bases) are controlled by

1352-501: A headquarters. USAF groups may be dependent or independent: "A dependent group is a mission, maintenance, mission support, medical, or large functional unit (e.g., security forces, special tactics, communications, etc.) that encompasses a number of related squadrons to provide the specified capability to a parent wing. Such groups may possess small supporting staff elements, such as standardization and evaluation or quality control, that are organized as sections." "An independent group has

1456-495: A logistics support ship, all under the command of an embarked flag officer at the OF6 (US pay grade O-7) or OF7 (US pay grade O-8) level. Within armies and land forces, groups are units or formations that are roughly equivalent to regiments and are commanded by colonels. Groups should not be confused with army groups which are multiple armies commanded by a general or field marshal. Many group-sized formations have existed throughout

1560-691: A maintenance support squadron. Wings responsible for an air base also have other dependent groups such as a mission support group (security, communications, logistics support, mission support, and civil engineering squadrons) and a medical group. The dependent group commanders are considered to be in command billets, but they function like staff officers (the A3/S-3/G-3/J3 or the A4/S-4/G-4/J4) in other organizations. Independent groups are effectively small wings with both flying and maintenance squadrons. USAF groups are usually commanded by officers in

1664-647: A maximum of around 80 to hopefully equip four "deployable squadrons". In April 2022, the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Richard Knighton, told the House of Commons Defence Select Committee that the MoD was in discussions to purchase a second tranche of 26 F-35B fighters. Plans for frontline F-35B squadrons had been modified and now envisaged a total of three squadrons (rather than four) each deploying 12-16 aircraft. In surge conditions 24 F-35s might be deployed on

1768-510: A particular group, although expeditionary air groups control expeditionary air wings directly. Groups are directly subordinate to a command (or, historically, to a tactical air force ). In the Royal Navy 's Fleet Air Arm , like some other Commonwealth naval air services, a group usually consists of two or three squadrons. In the United States Air Force (USAF) a group consists of two or more squadrons, often functionally aligned within

1872-670: A squadron called an escuadron and a flight called an escuadrilla ), as does the Brazilian Air Force with esquadrão and esquadrilha respectively. The Royal Canadian Air Force and the Belgian Air Component on the other hand use escadrille as the equivalent of a squadron. The Italian Air Force uses gruppo (group) to denominate its squadrons, as does the Chilean Air Force ( grupo de aviación ). The Portuguese Air Force ( esquadra ) and

1976-644: A squadron or group/wing organizational structure. The one exception to this is the Coast Guard's Helicopter Interdiction Squadron (HITRON), which is engaged primarily in counter-narcotics (CN) interdiction operations. In the United States Army Aviation Branch , flying units may be organized in battalions or squadrons (the latter for air cavalry only) reporting to an aviation brigade. Aircraft maintenance activities are typically assigned to an aviation maintenance company or element in

2080-646: A total of six squadrons including the OCU and OEU. Under the Strategic Defence and Security Review of November 2015, the UK Government made a commitment to buying 138 F-35B, with at least 24 available for carrier use by 2023. Subsequently, following on the 2021 defence review , the First Sea Lord indicated that the new envisaged number was to be 60 aircraft initially and "then maybe more", up to

2184-404: A wing. Per AFI 38-101 Air Force Organization (21 April 2015) a group is a "level of command between wings and squadrons. Groups bring together multiple squadrons or other lower echelon units to provide a broader capability." Prior to 1991, it was not unusual for a USAF support group to have no subordinate squadrons, but merely be a larger unit than a squadron. In such cases the group would not have

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2288-504: Is a regimental-level unit within United States Marine Corps Aviation , equivalent to a USAF wing. A MAG consists of at least two air aircraft squadrons and two aviation support squadrons; two or more MAGs and a MACG form a Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW). Marine Aircraft Groups consist of two or more aircraft squadrons (usually four to six) and can range to as many as ten (see MAG-14 ). A MAG also contains

2392-440: Is a tri-Service organisation consisting of civilian and military instructors (including Naval instructors and a Naval Air Squadron) that take the student from basic flying through to more advanced flying such as instrument flying, navigation, formation and captaincy. Its aviators fly one of four types of helicopters: The HC4/4A AW101 Merlin (nicknamed "Junglie Merlin") serves as a medium lifter and troop transporter in support of

2496-661: Is also a Fleet Air Arm museum inside the Museum of Transport & Technology in Auckland , New Zealand. On display there is a full-size replica Fairey Swordfish , along with historic items and memorabilia. In 1938, Admiralty Fleet Orders 2885 announced the formation of an Air Branch of the Royal Naval Reserve . Thirty three unmarried men signed up for eighteen months full-time flying training; however, before these first volunteers were able to gain their wings Britain

2600-470: Is analogous to a USAF numbered air force or a British Royal Air Force (RAF) group. All the aircraft on a United States Navy (USN) aircraft carrier, historically, were called the carrier air group regardless of whether the total was 72–90 on a fleet carrier or 20 to 30 on an escort carrier. Even today, the commander of the carrier air wing is traditionally called "CAG," a legacy title from when they were known as "commander, air group." A USN aviation wing

2704-611: Is designated as either carrier air, maritime patrol & reconnaissance, strategic communications, training air, or type (there are type wings for strike fighters, electronic warfare, airborne early warning and logistics, maritime strike helicopter, and sea combat helicopters that provide squadrons to the carrier air wing for operations, as well as shore based fleet logistics support and tactical support wings that operate independently of aircraft carriers). All of these entities maintain administrative and standardization control and are OF 5 (US pay grade O-6) captain commands roughly analogous to

2808-595: Is squadron in its army company-equivalent meaning. In the early 2000s, the Swedish Air Force absorbed the Helicopter Wing as its fourth combat air wing. Unlike the US Air Force, where the name of the base and the units stationed at that base are not related to each other, the name of the wing (flotilla) is in general considered synonymous with the air base where the unit is stationed. For example,

2912-739: Is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five RN fighting arms . As of 2023 it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the F-35 Lightning II carrier-based stealth fighter jointly with the Royal Air Force . The RAF was formed by the 1918 merger of the RN's Royal Naval Air Service with the British Army 's Royal Flying Corps . The FAA did not come under

3016-785: Is the FAA's primary anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter, having replaced the Sea King HAS6 in the role. It is presently deployed with various ships of the Royal Navy. Merlin HM2 also incorporates an airborne early warning and surveillance (AEW) variant, known as Crowsnest, which replaced the ASaC7 variant of the Sea King . The first Merlin HM2 test flight with Crowsnest was completed in April 2019. However, initial operating capability of

3120-442: Is the carrier strike group commander, a surface or aviation rear admiral in the grade of OF 6 or 7 (US pay grade O-7 or O-8), with a mixed air, surface, and subsurface staff, who integrates four major USN (OF 5) (US pay grade O-6) commands – a carrier air wing, an aircraft carrier, one or more cruisers, a destroyer squadron, and an attached attack submarine – into a coherent air, surface and subsurface fighting force. The commodores of

3224-476: Is then conducted on the Grob Prefect T1 . From there, pilots are streamed to either Rotary or Fast-Jet. Observer grading and training is done using four Beechcraft Avenger T1 before observers join their frontline aircraft. Today the largest section of the FAA is the rotary wing section. Pilots designated for rotary wing service train under No. 1 Flying Training School at RAF Shawbury . The school

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3328-657: The Invincible -class anti-submarine warfare ships (known as "through deck cruisers") were built and equipped with the Sea Harrier a derivative of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier VTOL aircraft. These carriers incorporated an upswept forward section of the flight deck that deflected the aircraft upward on launch and permitted heavier loads to be carried by the Harrier, for example in weaponry, and

3432-617: The 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) 's Special Forces Groups and PSYOP Groups and formerly some Air Defense Artillery, Armored Cavalry, Combat Engineer, Field Artillery, Military Intelligence, Military Police, and Signal Corps units) are/were also organized into groups, vice brigades or regiments. These units are/were generally smaller than brigades, usually consisting of from two to four battalions/squadrons (armored cavalry only), separate companies/batteries (air defense and field artillery)/troops (armored cavalry only), and/or detachments. Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm ( FAA )

3536-603: The 414th Combat Training Squadron that manages RED FLAG training at Nellis AFB , Nevada will be commanded by an aeronautically rated officer in the rank of full colonel . Non-flying squadrons are also usually commanded by an officer in the rank of lieutenant colonel , but some may also be commanded by officers in the rank of major . In contrast to the organizational structure of United States Air Force units, where flying squadrons are separate from non-flying squadrons tasked with administrative, aircraft maintenance, or other support functions, flying squadrons in naval aviation in

3640-710: The Battle of Britain , the Royal Air Force soon found itself critically short of fighter pilots. In the summer of 1940, the RAF had just over 800 fighter pilots and as personnel shortages worsened; the RAF turned to the Admiralty to ask for help from the Fleet Air Arm. Fleet Air Arm crews under RAF Fighter Command were either seconded individually to RAF fighter squadrons or entire as with 804 and 808 Naval Air Squadrons. The former provided dockyard defence during

3744-510: The F-4K (FG.1) Phantom II and Buccaneer S.2 to the Royal Air Force, and cancellation of large replacement aircraft carriers, including the CVA-01 design. The last conventional carrier to be retired was HMS  Ark Royal in 1978. When HMS Hermes was converted in 1980/81 to a STOVL carrier to operate Sea Harriers, a 'Ski-jump ramp' was fitted to aid take-off. A new series of small carriers,

3848-592: The Fleet Air Arm and Army Air Corps are also called squadrons. In the latter they are company-equivalent units, divided into flights and grouped into regiments . In the Air Training Corps of the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth nations, a squadron is a group of cadets who parade regularly. In the United States Air Force , the squadron is the principal organizational unit. An aggregation of two or more USAF squadrons will be designated as

3952-611: The Polish Air Force ( eskadra taktyczna , Polish for tactical squadron ) use the term squadron with its etymology originating from the naval and not the army meaning. The Czech Air Force and the Slovak Air Force use the generic term Letka as the squadron equivalent. The Turkish Air Force ( filo ) and the Hellenic Air Force ( μοιρα αεροπορικής ( mira aeroporikis ) - aviation squadron) use

4056-722: The RAF's Harrier GR7 fleet to form Joint Force Harrier . The Fleet Air Arm began withdrawing the Sea Harrier from service in 2004 with the disbandment of 800 NAS . 801 NAS disbanded on 28 March 2006 at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron ) . 800 and 801 NAS were then combined to form the Naval Strike Wing , flying ex-RAF Harrier GR7 and GR9s. On 1 April 2010, NSW reverted to the identity of 800 Naval Air Squadron. The Harrier GR7 and GR9 retired from service in December 2010 following

4160-458: The Royal Air Force (RAF) was formed in 1918 from a merger of the RFC and RNAS, an officer with the rank of colonel typically commanded a group. The following year, when the RAF introduced its own rank system, RAF colonels became group captains , reflecting both the level of command responsibility and the seniority of naval captains (the equivalent Royal Navy rank). By World War II, the groupes of

4264-427: The Royal Air Force . On 1 April 1924, the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force was formed, encompassing those RAF units that normally embarked on aircraft carriers and fighting ships. The year was significant for British naval aviation as only weeks before the founding of the Fleet Air Arm, the Royal Navy had commissioned HMS  Hermes , the world's first ship to be designed and built as an aircraft carrier. Over

Squadron (aviation) - Misplaced Pages Continue

4368-977: The Royal Marines . The FAA received the Merlin HC3/HC3A fleet from the RAF, replacing the Commando Sea King in September 2014. These have been marinised and replaced with HC4s/HC4As, under the Merlin Life Sustainment Programme (MLSP) that was placed on contract in December 2013. The AW159 Wildcat : the BRH (Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter) replaces the Westland Lynx as the Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter of

4472-655: The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 . Two new Queen Elizabeth -class carriers able to operate the F-35B short take-off and landing variant of the US Lockheed Martin Lightning II aircraft were constructed. In the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 , it was announced that the carriers would enter service "from 2018". The procurement plan is for a force of 138 F-35 aircraft, which are intended to be operated by both

4576-613: The U.S. Air Force 's 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base , Florida, for training on the F-35B. 809 Naval Air Squadron will be the first FAA unit to operate the F-35B and will be based at RAF Marham . Helicopters also became important combat platforms since the Second World War. Initially used in the search and rescue role, they were later developed for anti-submarine warfare and troop transport ; during

4680-653: The "high readiness" aircraft carrier. Challenges involved in the Crowsnest program have led the Royal Navy to seek a replacement for its helicopter-based AEW platform with a new fixed-wing UAV, under Project Vixen , by 2030. As of 2024, the Royal Navy operated a number of small UAVs, including the AeroVironment Puma AE and Ebee Vision. In 2024, the Navy reported that there were a total of nine qualified Puma teams, six of which were dedicated to supporting

4784-649: The 1700 and 1800 ranges were also used for operational squadrons. An additional flying unit of the Royal Navy is the FOST Helicopter Support Unit based at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall. This unit is not part of the Fleet Air Arm, but is directly under the control of Fleet Operational Sea Training , operated by British International Helicopters (BIH). BIH also support various Royal Navy and NATO exercises with passenger and freight transfer services and transfers by hoist, for ships exercising both in

4888-529: The 1956 Suez Crisis they were used to land Royal Marine Commando forces, the first time this had ever been done in combat. Originally operated only from carriers, the development of the Westland Wasp in the 1960s allowed helicopters to operate on all ships of frigate size or larger. Wasps, Sea Kings and Wessex helicopters all played an active part in the 1982 Falklands War, while Lynx helicopters played an attack role against Iraqi patrol boats in

4992-724: The 1991 Gulf War and Commando Sea King HC4s as well as the Lynx HMA Mk 8 from HMS Argyll , assisted in suppressing rebel forces in the British intervention in the Sierra Leone Civil War in 2000. The Fleet Air Arm has a museum near RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron ) in Somerset , England, at which many of the great historical aircraft flown by the Service are on display, along with aircraft from other sources. There

5096-739: The Atlantic and the North Sea. The Royal Navy share both operational and training duties on the Lightning II with the RAF under a banner organisation called the Lightning Force , which will operate in the same manner as Joint Force Harrier . Until March 2019, the Fleet Air Arm had responsibility for the Royal Navy Historic Flight , a heritage unit of airworthy aircraft representing the history of aviation in

5200-569: The Aviation Combat Element (ACE) of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), (12 MV-22s, 6 AH-1s, 4 CH-53s, 3 UH-1s, and 6 AV-8s). Other squadrons with a large number of Primary Aircraft Assigned (PAA) include Marine heavy helicopter squadrons (16 CH-53s), Marine light/attack helicopter squadrons (18 AH-1s and 9 UH-1s), and Marine attack squadrons (16 AV-8s). Although part of U.S. naval aviation, United States Coast Guard aviation units are centered on an air station or air facility versus

5304-591: The Battle of Britain with Sea Gladiators . In British home waters and out into the Atlantic Ocean, operations against Axis shipping and submarines in support of the RN were mounted by RAF Coastal Command with large patrol bombers, flying boats and land-based fighter-bombers. The aircraft carrier had replaced the battleship as the capital ship of the RN and its aircraft were now its principal offensive weapons. The top scoring fighter ace with 17 victories

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5408-673: The CO as the next CO. In United States Marine Corps Aviation , in addition to flying units that are patterned in similar fashion to their U.S. Navy counterparts, the nomenclature "squadron" in the Marine Corps is also used to designate all battalion-equivalent, aviation support organizations. These squadrons include: wing headquarters, tactical air command, air control, air support, aviation logistics, wing support, and wing communications squadrons. In contrast to their USN counterparts, USMC flying squadrons and aviation support squadrons, while having

5512-616: The Cold War the Swedish Army, Navy and Air Force each had their own integral helicopter arms. After the end of it in line with the mid-90s force reduction and reforms they were fused into the Swedish Armed Forces Helicopter Wing as a service, independent from the three main armed forces branches. The Helicopter Wing adopted the term skvadron from the former Swedish Army Aviation for its units, which

5616-490: The FAA. Along with the Commando Merlin, these squadrons operate under Commando Helicopter Force , which provides airborne support to UK Commando Force of the Royal Marines. The Wildcat HMA2 became the standard small ship borne helicopter in the FAA, with 28 Wildcats replacing the Lynx HMA8 in 2017. Twenty-eight AW159 Wildcat HMA2 helicopters perform a range of roles including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare and airborne surveillance. The Merlin HM2 ("Grey Merlin")

5720-404: The Fleet Air Arm consisted of 20 squadrons with only 232 frontline aircraft, and 191 additional trainers. By the end of the war the strength of the Fleet Air Arm was 59 aircraft carriers, 3,700 aircraft, 72,000 officers and men and 56 Naval air stations. During the war, the FAA operated fighters, torpedo bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Following the Dunkirk evacuation and the commencement of

5824-459: The Fleet Air Arm continue to be known as WAFUs. WAFU ("wet and f**king useless") is said to actually derive from "Weapon and Fuel Users", a stores category for clothing. The RNR Air Branch was commissioned at RNAS Yeovilton on 16 July 1980, and shortly afterwards 38 ex-regular aircrew began refresher training. Today the RNR Air Branch comprises approximately 250 ex-regular service Officers and Ratings, covering all aviation trades, tasked to support

5928-404: The Fleet Air Arm. The Air Branch has its roots in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Air Branch, whose members served with distinction between 1937 through the Second World War until 1950 when it was disbanded. Formed on 3 April 1980, the Air Branch was initially established to provide additional Pilots and Observers to the Royal Navy, but later expanded to include all trades and specialisations of

6032-403: The Fleet Air Arm. Currently comprising some 320 personnel, HMS Pegasus is one of the biggest Units in the Royal Naval Reserve. The name HMS Pegasus has a long and interesting history in the Royal Navy, dating back to 1585. The second HMS Pegasus was commanded by Prince William Henry, who later became King William IV, known as the Sailor King. In late 1786, the third HMS Pegasus was stationed in

6136-456: The French Armée de l'Air usually comprised two escadrilles (but sometimes only one, or as many as four). French groupes were the equivalent of U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC)/ U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) groups (analogous to RAF wings), while a groupement was the equivalent of a RAF group (USAAC/USAAF wing). For example, in May 1940 the Groupe de Bombardement I/31 , a bomber unit, was operationally part of Groupement de Bombardement 6 . In

6240-408: The French escadrille . Group (air force unit) A group is a military unit or a military formation that is most often associated with military aviation . The terms group and wing differ significantly from one country to another, as well as between different branches of a national defence force. Air groups vary considerably in size and status, but generally take two forms: During

6344-419: The German Luftwaffe , the principal unit of action was the Gruppe (plural Gruppen ); the equivalent of a French or USAAC/USAAF group. Gruppen were part of a Geschwader (equivalent to a USAAC/USAAF wing or an RAF group) and the Geschwader were named according to their function. For instance, I./StG 77 was I Gruppe Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 , which flew Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers . II./JG 26

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6448-774: The Imperial German Army used the term Squadron ( staffel ), whereas the Austro-Hungarian armed forces and the Swiss Army used the term company . In the modern German Air Force , a flying staffel is a battalion-equivalent, while a ground based support staffel is a company-equivalent. One such example are the air base defence units, which are squadrons ( German , plural: Staffeln ) formed into battalions. The ground based missile air defence units are also company- (in this case battery -)equivalent squadrons ( staffeln ). The Swedish Air Force adopted naval-like traditions in its formative years and for that historical reason calls its squadrons divisions (plural: divisioner ). They are grouped into air flotillas (plural: flygflottiljer ). During

6552-443: The Queen Elizabeth-class carriers but a routine deployment would likely involve 12 aircraft. In January 2019, initial operating capability for the UK's F-35B was announced with 18 F-35Bs jointly delivered to the UK. As of December 2022, 26 aircraft were operational in the UK and were based at RAF Marham . These aircraft regularly deployed for operations on the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. Another 3 F-35s remained in

6656-414: The RAF and FAA from a common pool, in the same manner as the Joint Force Harrier. With the introduction of the F-35, the Fleet Air Arm will return to the operation of fixed-wing strike aircraft at sea. In 2013, an initial cadre of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots and aircraft maintenance personnel were assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps ' Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 ( VMFAT-501 ), part of

6760-412: The Rolls Royce engine that powered the BAE Sea Harrier. And, of course, the Parachute Regiment use Pegasus as their emblem. The FAA is known for its use of the 'Fleet Air Arm Zig Zag': a light blue zig zag on a dark blue background. The pattern is thought to have belonged to the "Perch Club", membership of which was restricted to those who had completed 100 deck landings without an accident. The zig zag

6864-401: The Royal Marines in 40 and 45 Commando . The FAA's inventory was further boosted with the addition of the Peregrine rotary-wing UAV which started trials on HMS Lancaster in August 2024. A number of unmanned systems are under development for the Fleet Air Arm including fixed-wing UAVs, envisaged for potential operation from the Queen Elizabeth -class carriers. These programs are in

6968-409: The Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers . The first Fleet Air Arm squadron to operate the F-35B is 809 Naval Air Squadron which formally stood-up in December 2023, joining other F-35B squadrons within the RAF that are formally part of No. 1 Group RAF . An initial order of 48 airframes was made in 2012 to equip the air wings of the two Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carriers, with

7072-426: The Royal Navy's total strength (excluding Royal Marines ). The Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Aviation & Carriers) , the professional head (and also Rear Admiral Fleet Air Arm), is Rear Admiral Martin Connell as of February 2019. Under First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin ’s plans, the professional head of the Fleet Air Arm is set to shortly change to a one-star role, headed by a Commodore . Members of

7176-425: The US for testing and evaluation purposes. While 33 F-35B aircraft (including 3 or 4 based in the U.S.) were in the U.K. inventory by March 2024, former U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace reported that the RAF and Royal Navy faced a considerable challenge in providing even the existing modest F-35B fleet with qualified pilots. As of late 2022 there were only 30 qualified British pilots (plus three exchange pilots from

7280-605: The United States (e.g., United States Navy and United States Marine Corps ) typically contain both embedded administrative support functions and organizational level aircraft maintenance functions, plus all their associated personnel, as part of the total squadron manning. With few exceptions, oversight of the majority of these non-flying functions is assigned to the squadron's naval aviators and naval flight officers as their "ground job" in addition to their regular flying duties. With few exceptions, most U.S. Navy flying squadrons are commanded by aeronautically designated officers in

7384-407: The United States and Australia) for the F-35. The average wait time for RAF trainee Typhoon and F-35 pilots, after completing the Military Flying Training System, was approximately 11 and 12 months respectively. A further gap of 68 weeks existed between completing Basic Flying Training and beginning Advanced Fast Jet Training. The resulting pilot shortage was a factor in delaying the ability to stand up

7488-689: The West Indies under then Captain Horatio Nelson, earning three of her four Battle Honours. The fourth and last HMS Pegasus served as a prototype fighter catapult ship, originally commissioned as HMS Ark Royal, serving primarily on convoy duty in the Second World War. The name Pegasus has associations outside of the Royal Navy, including the Bristol Aeroplane Company engine that powered the Fairey Swordfish and

7592-430: The air base where the F 10 wing is stationed (in Ängelholm) is commonly referred to as F 10 even though it is the name of the tactical unit. In general, this only applies as long as a wing is stationed at the base. Case in point is Uppsala-Ärna air base, an active military airport but since the tactical unit located there has been disbanded it is no longer referred to as F 16. These naming conventions have been inherited from

7696-616: The battalion or brigade. In the U.S. Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a squadron is the basic administrative unit. As the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force , CAP follows the USAF organizational model. An escadron is the equivalent unit in France's French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'air et de l'espace). It is normally subdivided into escadrilles of eight aircraft. The Spanish Air and Space Force and some air forces of other Spanish -speaking countries follow that tradition (with

7800-449: The command of a flag officer at the OF6 (US pay grade O-7) level. In the United States Army Aviation Branch , a group is a term that has, historically, been used interchangeably with combat aviation brigade or air division . A CSG usually consists of one aircraft carrier with an embarked carrier air wing, one or two guided missile cruisers, a destroyer squadron of two or three guided missile destroyers, one or two attack submarines, and

7904-525: The conceptual or planning stages under a program known as Project Vixen . A Fleet Air Arm flying squadron is formally titled Naval Air Squadron (NAS), a title used as a suffix to the squadron number. The FAA assigns numbers in the 700–799 range to training and operational conversion squadrons and numbers in the 800–899 range to operational squadrons. Exceptions to the 700–799 include operational conversion squadrons which also hold some form of operational commitment where they are then titled 800–899. During WWII

8008-582: The deck, was the Fresnel lens optical landing aid . Another Royal Navy invention was the use of a steam-powered catapult to cater for the larger and heavier aircraft (both systems were adopted by the US Navy). Defence cuts across the British armed forces during the 1960s and 1970s led to the withdrawal of existing Royal Navy aircraft carriers, transfer of Fleet Air Arm fixed-wing jet strike aircraft such as

8112-577: The direct control of the Admiralty until mid-1939. During the Second World War, the FAA operated aircraft on ships as well as land-based aircraft that defended the Royal Navy's shore establishments and facilities. British naval flying started in 1909, with the construction of an airship for naval duties. In 1911 the Royal Navy graduated its first aeroplane pilots at the Royal Aero Club flying ground near Eastchurch , Isle of Sheppey under

8216-612: The early stages of World War I in France and Germany , the respective aviation services formed groupes and Gruppen . Beneath the level of the group was a unit of six to 16 aircraft: an escadrille or Staffel . Immediately above the French and German groups was the escadron or Geschwader . In the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), a squadron was usually composed of 18–24 aircraft. When

8320-609: The first Fleet Air Arm Squadron (809 Squadron) on a timely basis. In February 2023, the Chief of the Air Staff , Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, reported that the number of F-35 pilots had grown to 34 UK pilots with a further 7 to complete training by August 2023. Four types of fixed wing aircraft are operated by the FAA for training purposes: Pilot Grading is carried out using the Grob Tutor T1. Elementary flying training

8424-483: The first people sent aloft in tethered balloons to spot the fall of shot were Royal Artillery observers. It was these observers who became early members of the Royal Flying Corps. Aircrew wear flying badges, such as pilots wearing a pair of gold albatross wings. The wings badges also feature a crown and fouled anchor in the centre, to reflect the maritime element of the flying undertaken. Wings are worn on

8528-521: The following months RAF Fleet Air Arm Fairey IIID reconnaissance biplanes operated off Hermes, conducting flying trials. On 24 May 1939 the Fleet Air Arm was returned to Admiralty control under the " Inskip Award " (named after the Minister for Co-ordination of Defence overseeing the British re-armament programme) and renamed the Air Branch of the Royal Navy. At the onset of the Second World War,

8632-567: The grade of OF-5 (US pay grade O-6), i.e., a full colonel. Wings are also usually commanded by officers in the grade of OF-5, but these are typically more senior colonels by virtue of time in grade and/or date of rank. Some USAF wings are also commanded by officers in the grade of OF-6 (US pay grade O-7), i.e., a brigadier general. In the United States Marine Corps , a Marine Aircraft Group (MAG), Marine Air Control Group (MACG) or Marine Aviation Training Support Group (MATSG)

8736-528: The late 1980s, the doctrinal Canadian Army division organized manoeuvre forces into brigades while division level combat support and combat service support was organized into groups. The doctrinal division would have had an artillery group, an engineer group, and a support group. Present day Canadian Army divisions each contain a division support group commanded by a colonel. In the United States Army, certain non-aviation formations (e.g., currently

8840-528: The left sleeve of naval aviators, unlike their other service counterparts. The FAA operates fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. It uses the same aircraft designation system as the RAF. The introduction of the F-35B Lightning II saw a restoration of fixed wing, front-line operations to the FAA after the retirement of Joint Force Harrier in 2010. The Lightning Force is a joint RAF-Fleet Air Arm formation with all F-35Bs capable of operating from

8944-487: The modern history of the British Army , especially post- Second World War . For instance, following the radical 1966 Defence White Paper , several signal groups were formed, such as the 1st Signal Group, 2nd Signal Group (Static Communications Network), and 3rd Signal Group. These formations were all commanded by a Colonel . Since 2012, several colonel sized groups have been formed, including: 7th Air Defence Group and 29th Pre-Hospital Divisional Medical Group. By

9048-672: The navy where Swedish military aviation has its roots. During the infant years of combat aviation in World War I and specifically with the trench stalemate at the front military aircraft partially took over the reconnaissance role from the cavalry. With that in mind the British Royal Flying Corps adopted the squadron nomenclature. After the fusion of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service into an independent Royal Air Force ,

9152-665: The new armed forces branch introduced its own system of ranks, with the commanders of squadrons becoming squadron leaders . The rapid sophistication in technology and combat tactics has led to increased requirements and qualifications of the officers in command positions and the commanders of RAF flying squadrons were upgraded in the post-World War II period from squadron leaders to wing commanders . Today RAF flying squadrons are battalion -equivalents, while combat and combat service support ground squadrons such as communications or administrative squadrons are company -equivalents and still usually commanded by squadron leaders. Flying units in

9256-476: The operation split between the FAA and the Royal Air Force , as was the case with Joint Force Harrier. 809 Naval Air Squadron was announced as the second UK unit to fly the F-35B (the first being 617 Squadron RAF ) and is the first FAA unit to operate the aircraft. It is understood that at least two further frontline squadrons will stand up in the future alongside 809, 617, 17(R) Test and Evaluation Squadron and an RAF-numbered Operational Conversion Unit, creating

9360-562: The other USN aviation organizations will also report to similar rank flag officers, e.g., patrol & reconnaissance wing commodores reporting to the commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group (COMPATRECONGRU); training air wing commodores reporting to the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA); tactical air control group commodore reporting to an expeditionary strike group (ESG) commander, etc. A patrol and reconnaissance group (PATRECONGRU) consists of two or more patrol and reconnaissance wings under

9464-480: The rank of commander . Exceptions are primarily the Fleet Replacement Squadrons (FRS), which are often, though not always, commanded by aeronautically designated captains . Commanding officers (COs) of U.S. Navy flying squadrons other than FRS units will be assisted by an executive officer (XO) of the same rank who functions as a second-in-command and who will eventually "fleet up" and relieve

9568-513: The remaining RFC. The roles of the RNAS were fleet reconnaissance, patrolling coasts for enemy ships and submarines, attacking enemy coastal territory and defending Britain from enemy air raids, along with deployment along the Western Front. In April 1918 the RNAS, which at this time had 67,000 officers and men, 2,949 aircraft, 103 airships and 126 coastal stations, merged with the RFC to form

9672-483: The same functions and responsibilities as a like-type wing but its scope and size do not warrant wing-level designation and associated overhead costs." A group requires at least 400 personnel, while a wing requires at least 1,000. A fighter wing, for example, is normally composed of dependent groups: an operations group of typically three flying squadrons and an operations support squadron and a maintenance group with aircraft, equipment, and component maintenance squadrons and

9776-882: The squadron denomination originating from the army term. The Royal Norwegian Air Force use the skvadron term also originating from the army term. So does the Hungarian Air Force with repülőszázad ( Hungarian for aircraft squadron or flying squadron ; the cavalry company-equivalent term is század ). Many Eastern European countries use the term originating from the French word escadrille : Russian Air Force - Эскадрилья ( eskadril'ya ), Ukrainian Air Force - Ескадрилья ( eskadril'ya ), Belarusian Air Force - Эскадрыльля ( eskadryil'ya ), Romanian Air Force - escadrilă , Bulgarian Air Force - Ескадрила ( eskadrila ), Serbian Air Force - Ескадрила ( eskadrila ), Croatian Air Force - eskadrila . The Royal Danish Air Force uses eskadrille , also originating from

9880-424: The squadron level, such as missile squadrons, aircraft maintenance squadrons, intelligence squadrons, aerospace medicine squadrons, security forces squadrons, civil engineering squadrons and force support squadrons, as well as numerous other examples. USAF flying squadrons are typically commanded by an aeronautically rated officer in the rank of lieutenant colonel , although some particularly large squadrons, such as

9984-559: The system was significantly delayed. While Crowsnest was deployed with the U.K. carrier strike group in 2021, it experienced operating challenges and finally achieved initial operating capability in July 2023. Full operating capability is expected in 2024/25. While all Merlins in the Royal Navy will be equipped to operate Crowsnest, only ten kits for the system are being acquired. It has been reported that initially five Merlins will be equipped with Crowsnest, three of these being normally assigned to

10088-669: The system was used extensively in the Falklands War, with both Hermes and Invincible part of the Task Force. At the end of the Cold War in 1989 the Fleet Air Arm was under the command of the Flag Officer Naval Air Command , a rear admiral based at RNAS Yeovilton . The inventory of the Fleet Air Arm in 1989 consisted of the following aircraft: In 2000 the Sea Harrier force was merged with

10192-417: The tactical air control group. This entity uses "group" in lieu of "wing" as a legacy title and is also an OF 5 (US pay grade O-6) captain command analogous to a USMC Marine Aircraft Group, Marine Air Control Group, or USAF wing in which the incumbent senior officer also utilizes the title of "commodore" while in command. The immediate superior of a carrier air wing commander (CAG) is the flag officer who

10296-703: The tutelage of pioneer aviator George Bertram Cockburn . In May 1912, naval and army aviation were combined to become the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). The Naval Wing of the RFC lasted until July 1914 when the Royal Navy reformed its air branch, under the Air Department of the Admiralty , naming it the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). By the outbreak of the First World War, in August 1914, the RNAS had more aircraft under its control than

10400-465: The war the FAA needed to fly jet aircraft from their carriers. The jet aircraft of the era were considerably less effective at low speeds than propeller aircraft, but propeller aircraft could not effectively fight jets at the high speeds flown by jet aircraft. The FAA took on its first jet, the Sea Vampire , in the late 1940s. The Sea Vampire was the first jet credited with taking off and landing on

10504-574: Was II Gruppe Jagdgeschwader 26 , which flew Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, then switched to Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters. Each Gruppe was composed of three, sometimes four, Staffeln (singular Staffel ) (usually 8–12 aircraft). Each Geschwader was composed of three Gruppen . By the time of World War II , some Commonwealth air force groups were commanded by air commodores (equivalent to brigadiers / brigadier generals and commodores ) or even air vice-marshals (equivalent to major generals and rear admirals ). They were somewhat analogous to

10608-708: Was Commander Stanley Orr , the Royal Marine ace was Ronald Cuthbert Hay with 13 victories. A number of Royal Marines were FAA pilots during the war. Notable Fleet Air Arm operations during the war included the Battle of Taranto , the sinking of the Bismarck , the attempt to prevent the Channel Dash , Operation Tungsten against the Tirpitz and Operation Meridian against oil plants in Sumatra . After

10712-684: Was at war. At the end of hostilities in 1945 the RNVR(A) was 46,000 strong, with over 8,000 aircrew. Post war the RNVR(A) comprised 12 dedicated reserve squadrons, grouped regionally into Air Divisions. However, defence cuts in 1957 disbanded the five Air Divisions, and the following year the RNVR was merged with the RNR. As of 1 December 2013, the Regular Fleet Air Arm has a reported strength of 5,000 personnel, which represents approximately 20% of

10816-476: Was thought to have been taken from a Creeping Line Ahead, a parallel search pattern performed by FAA aircraft in a carrier task group. Today, the dark blue background represents the Royal Navy; the colour of the zigzag represents the Royal Flying Corps, from which the Royal Naval Air Service was born; and the zigzag shape represents a nod to the Royal Artillery (red zigzag on blue background), given that

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