Naval air squadron

A naval air squadron (NAS) is the title of naval aviation squadrons in some countries.

Poland

The Polish Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy #Naval Air Squadron# was formed in 1920 with two Escadrilles#

United Kingdom

The squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm are named as "nnnn Naval Air Squadron" where nnnn is a three or four digit number.

See also

References

Air Squadron

The Air Squadron is a flying club in the United Kingdom founded in 1966 by Peter Vanneck, the Hon. Hugh Astor and Anthony Cayzer - friends who shared a passionate interest in flying light aircraft. Prince Philip is the Squadron’s Air Commodore. Two of the earliest members were Second World War heroes Sir Douglas Bader and Hugh Dundas. Others included Sir Max Aitkin, Tommy Sopwith, Kenneth McAlpine and Lord Waterpark.

The Air Squadron has gone on various group flights in several countries - including: Moscow, Jordan, Tanzania, USA, Pakistan, South Africa, Serbia, Ukraine.

The Squadron sponsors several awards, listed as follows by the awarding institution.

British Aerobatic Association:

Royal Air Force Air Cadets:

South African Air Force

RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron)

Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, (IATA: YEO, ICAO: EGDY) (HMS Heron) is an airfield of the Royal Navy, sited a few miles north of Yeovil, Somerset. It is one of two active Fleet Air Arm bases (the other being RNAS Culdrose) and is currently home to the Royal Navy's Westland Lynx helicopters and the Commando Helicopter Force Westland Sea King HC4.

The site consists of 1,000 acres (1.6 sq mi; 4.0 km²) of airfield sites plus ranges and minor estates. Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton is a large multi-role air station with an annual budget of some £61 million. The airfield is also home to the Fleet Air Arm Museum and the station hosts an annual Air Day.

History

In 1938, the potential of the land at Yeovilton for use as an airfield was spotted by Westland Aircraft's chief test pilot Harald Penrose and an offer was made to buy the land. The owners, however – the Ecclesiastical Commissioners of the Church of England – refused to sell it. In 1939, the Admiralty Air Division commandeered 417 acres (169 ha) of the land and work began on the construction of the site. The runways being completed in 1941 despite problems with poor drainage. A main runway of 3,645 ft (1,111 m) and three subsidiary runways each of 3,000 ft (914 m) had been constructed.

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's principal naval warfare force. Naval forces were first used by Alfred the Great in the 9th century, and from the early 14th century England's navy was engaged in maritime warfare. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the early 16th century, it is the oldest of the armed services and is known as the Senior Service.

During the 17th century the Royal Navy vied with the French Navy for world supremacy, and from the late 17th century until the mid- 1940s it was the most powerful navy in the world, being surpassed by the US Navy after World War II. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power during the 17th, 18th, 19th and first part of the 20th centuries. Due to this historical prominence, it is usual – even among non-Britons – to refer to it as "The Royal Navy" without qualification.

Following victory in the First World War, the Royal Navy was significantly reduced in size, although at the onset of the Second World War it was still the largest in the world. By the end of the Second World War, however, the United States Navy had emerged as the world's largest. During the course of the Cold War, the Royal Navy transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines, mostly active in the GIUK gap. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, its focus has returned to expeditionary operations around the world.

846 Naval Air Squadron

846 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.

Between December 1979 and the summer of 2013, 846 Naval Air Squadron operated the Westland Sea King HC4 helicopter to provide troop transport and load lifting support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. Based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, 846 NAS stood down in the summer of 2013 and its personnel, buildings and equipment were absorbed into 845 Naval Air Squadron.

The squadron stood up on 30 September 2014 with the AgustaWestland Merlin HC.3.

History

Second World War

846 Naval Air Squadron was established in April 1943 at the Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, USA. It was equipped with 12 Grumman Avenger I torpedo bombers. Two months later the squadron embarked on the escort carrier HMS Ravager and was transferred to the UK. Before being assigned to HMS Tracker in January 1944, four Grumman Wildcat V fighters were added to 846 NAS. HMS Tracker was first assigned to convoys going to Gibraltar, then to Murmansk. On the latter voyage, aircraft from 846 NAS attacked eight German U-Boats.