Navy Fleet Air Arm celebrates 75th anniversary

The Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) will celebrate its 75th anniversary on Sunday 3rd July. 

The Fleet Air Arm provides the Navy with aviation capabilities to fight and win at sea.

Commander Fleet Air Arm, Commodore David Frost said the Fleet Air Arm had proved itself time and time again since its formation in 1947.

“The Fleet Air Arm has contributed to Australian Defence Force operations in war and peacetime, including the conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East,” Commodore Frost said.

”More recently, it has contributed to Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operations in Fiji and Tonga, and also bushfire and flood relief in eastern Australia.”

“The 75^th anniversary of the Fleet Air Arm is a significant milestone and as much about the future as the past.”

When operating at sea, the Fleet Air Arm combines personnel, aircraft, and all the necessary equipment to create a ‘flight’.

In the next 10 years, the Royal Australian Navy will expand from 8 to 26 flights.

“12 of the flights will operate Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles, reflecting how Navy is constantly evolving to meet the challenges of our strategic environment,” Commodore Frost said.

“While we reflect on the distinguished service of our naval aviators, I’d also like to express our gratitude for the enduring support we’ve received from the public, in particular the Shoalhaven Community, in which we live and work in.

“Navy’s aviation arm has been intrinsically linked to the Shoalhaven community, and our past and future is bound with Shoalhaven."

Media Note

Media can access imagery of the Fleet Air Arm at:

http://images.defence.gov.au/S20221887