When control of the Fleet Air Arm was transferred from the Royal Air Force, four of its existing
airbases, in the
United Kingdom, were also transferred to the Fleet Air Arm, these were:
Donibristle,
Lee-on-Solent,
Ford, and
Worthy Down. At that time when operating overseas, the Fleet Air Arm still needed to rely on lodger facilities at Royal Air Force stations abroad. During the early period of the
Second World War the Royal Navy worked to acquire its own airfields, both in the UK and near to strategic bases abroad. Some of these were purpose built and others were transferred over from the Royal Air Force. These lists covers Fleet Air Arm establishments, located both on the British Isles and overseas. It includes Air Stations, Air Sections, Air Maintenance & Repair Yards, Lodger units at RAF bases, and training establishments. The bases are listed alphabetically, by geographical location. Key to the types of establishments: • BCAS - British Commonwealth Air Station • MONAB -
Mobile Naval Air Base • RAF -
Royal Air Force • RAAF -
Royal Australian Air Force • RCAF -
Royal Canadian Air Force • RNAS - Royal Naval Air Station • RNAY - Royal Naval Air Yard • RNAMY - Royal Naval Aircraft Maintenance Yard • RNARY - Royal Naval Aircraft Repair Yard • RNADC - Royal Naval Aircraft Direction Centre • RNAE - Royal Naval Air Establishment • RNATE - Royal Naval Aircraft Training Establishment • RNTE - Royal Naval Training Establishment • SAAF -
South African Air Force • TAMY -
Transportable Aircraft Maintenance Yard • USAF -
United States Air Force • USNAS -
United States Naval Air Station • USNAF -
United States Naval Air Facility British Isles This list is of former air stations of the Royal Navy within the British Isles, consisting of the islands of
Great Britain,
Ireland, the
Isle of Man, the
Inner and
Outer Hebrides, the
Northern Isles (
Orkney and
Shetland), and over six thousand smaller islands. The
Channel Islands, off the north coast of
France, are normally taken to be part of the British Isles. The list includes airbases wholly operated by the Admiralty and those where RN lodger units operated, sometimes under a RN Air Section. The Royal Navy initiated actions to secure its own airfields, both within the UK and in proximity to key overseas bases; some of these airfields were to be constructed specifically for this purpose, while others were to be acquired from the RAF. The compilation is divided into two sections; the initial section addresses airfields that were either owned by the Admiralty from their inception or RAF stations that were completely handed over to the Admiralty. The subsequent section addresses RAF stations that were provided with lodger facilities and/or where a Royal Navy Air Section was operational.
Weapons Ranges List of previously established
air weapons ranges (AWR) of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm located in the United Kingdom. Note:
although FAA aircraft have used other weapons ranges in the UK and abroad, operated by other authorities:
Overseas This list is of former air stations of the Royal Navy located outside of the
British Isles. The list includes airbases wholly operated by the Admiralty and those where lodger facilities from the RAF were granted and operated under a RN Air Section. == Mobile Naval Air Base ==