French Naval Aviation (often abbreviated in

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

to: ''Aéronavale'' (contraction of Aéronautique navale), or ''Aviation navale'', or more simply ''l'Aéro'') is the naval air arm of the French Navy. The long-form official designation is ''Force maritime de l'aéronautique navale''. Born as a fusion of

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...

squadrons and the naval patrol air force, the ''Aéronavale'' was created in 1912. The force is under the command of a flag officer officially titled Admiral of Naval Aviation (ALAVIA) with his headquarters at Toulon naval base. It has a strength of around 6,800 military and civilian personnel. It operates from four airbases in Metropolitan France and several detachments in foreign countries or French overseas territories. Carrier-borne pilots of the French Navy do their initial training at Salon-de-Provence Air Base after which they undergo their carrier qualification with the US Navy.

Aircraft inventory

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Dassault Rafale M The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", and "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide range ...

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Multirole A multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) is a combat aircraft intended to perform different roles in combat. These roles can include air to air combat, air support, aerial bombing, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and suppression of air defens ...

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Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS365 Dauphin (''Dolphin''), also formerly known as the Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin 2, is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter produced by Airbus Helicopters. It was originally developed ...

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Structure

Immediately after the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the ''Aeronavale'' only had

Supermarine Seafire The Supermarine Seafire is a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. It was analogous in concept to the Hawker Sea Hurricane, a navalised version of the Spitfire's stablemate, the Hawker Hurric ...

Mk.III ( Flottille 1F) and

Douglas SBD Dauntless The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/ ...

dive bombers ( Flotilles 3F et 4F).

Components

The flight personnel of the French Navy falls into three categories: fighter aviation, fixed-wing aviation and helicopter aviation. Operationally the French Naval Aviation has four components: * Embarqued Air Group (''Le Groupe aérien embarqué'') of the aircraft carrier :

Rafale M The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", and "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide range ...

, E-2C Hawkeye * Naval Patrol and Maritime Surveillance Aviation (''l'Aviation de patrouille et de surveillance maritime''): Atlantique 2, Falcon 50, Falcon 200 * Shipborne and Shore-based Helicopters (''Les hélicoptères embarqués et basés à terre''): Dauphin, Panther, Caïman Marine * Support Aviation (''l'Aviation de soutien''): Falcon 10, EMB-121 Xingu, SR20, Cap-10, Dauphin, EC120 Colibri

Units

Operational squadrons are known as ''Flottilles'' and normally consist of 12 aircraft : *1F to 10F are carrier based anti-submarine squadrons *11F to 20F are fighter and attack squadrons *21F to 30F are maritime patrol squadrons *31F to 39F are helicopter squadrons Shore-based training and transport squadrons are known as ''Escadrilles de Servitude'' : *1S to 19S are communications squadrons *20S to 29S are helicopters squadrons *50S to 59S are training squadrons

Retired aircraft

This is a list of retired aircraft that has flown with French Naval Aviation. * Amiot AAC.1 (Junkers Ju 52) *

Avro Anson The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) ...

* Avro Lancaster Mk.VII * Beechcraft SNB-5/JRB-4 * Blanchard Brd.1 HB3 *

Blériot-SPAD S.42 The SPAD S.42 was a French biplane trainer aircraft of the early 1920s, developed by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés Lactalis is a French multinational dairy products corporation, owned by the Besnier family and based in Laval ...

* Bloch MB.151 C1 * Borel-Odier T BO-2 * Breguet BRE.14B2/A2 * Breguet BRE.19 B2 French TBM-3E of Flotille 4F in flight 1950s

* Bréguet 521 Bizerte * Bréguet 1050 Alizé * Bréguet 1150 Atlantic * CAMS 30E * CAMS.37A/37²/37.11/Lia * CAMS 46 Et2 * CAMS 55.1/55.2/55.6/55.10 * Caudron Cau 59 ET2 * Caudron C635 Simoun * Caudron C.445 Goéland F4U-7 NAN3-53

* Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard II * Chance Vought F4U-7/AU-1 Corsair *

Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served wit ...

* Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer * Coutant RMC Type 17 * Curtiss SB2C4/SB2C5 Helldiver * Dassault Étendard IVM/P *

Dassault MD 312 Flamant The Dassault MD 315 Flamant is a French light twin-engined transport airplane built shortly after World War II by Dassault Aviation for the French Air Force. Design and development Design work on a twin-engined light transport started in 1946 wi ...

* Dassault Super Étendard * De Havilland 100 Vampire Mk.V * Dewoitine 7 C1 * Dewoitine D.373/D.376 *

Dewoitine D.510 The Dewoitine D.500 was an all-metal, open- cockpit, fixed- undercarriage monoplane fighter aircraft designed and produced by French aircraft manufacturer Dewoitine. Developed from a specification issued by the French Air Ministry during 1930, ...

* Dewoitine D.520 * Donnet-Denhaut 140/150 hp * Donnet-Denhaut 160 hp * Donnet-Denhaut 200 HP HS Triplace/RR/BB * Donnet-Denhaut 275hp *

Donnet-Denhaut bimoteur Donnet was a French manufacturing company of the early twentieth century. Founded as ''Société des Établissements Donnet-Denhaut'' by Jérôme Donnet (formerly of Donnet-Lévêque) and François Denhaut at Neuilly-sur-Seine in 1914, the firm ...

* Dornier Do 24T * Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless * Douglas C-47D Dakota * Farman Lévy HB2 450 hp * Farman F60 Torp Goliath/F65 * Farman F.165/F.166/F.168 Torp * Farman F.223.4 * FBA Type C * FBA Type H *

FBA Type S FBA may refer to: * Federation of British Artists * Federal Bar Association * Fellow of the British Academy * Filsports Basketball Association * First Baptist Academy (Houston, Texas), United States * First Baptist Academy of Dallas, Texas, United ...

* FBA type 14 HE2 * FBA.17HL1/HL2/HMT2/HE2 * FBA.19HMB2 *

Fouga CM.175 Zéphyr The Fouga Zéphyr (company designation CM.175) was a 1950s French two-seat carrier-capable jet trainer for the French Navy. It was developed from the land-based CM.170 Magister. It was replaced in 1994. Design and development The French Na ...

* Georges Lévy 280 HB.2 * Gourdou Leseurre ET1 Type 22 * Gourdou Leseurre LGL.32 * Gourdou Leseurre GL.810/811/812/813 HY * Gourdou Leseurre GL.832 HY * Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat * Grumman TBM-3S/E/W/UT Avenger * Grumman JRF-5 Goose * Hanriot HD.2 C.1 * Hanriot HD.3 C.2 * Hanriot HD.14 E.2 * Hanriot HD.17 E.2 * Hanriot H.41 *

Junkers Ju 188 The Junkers Ju 188 was a German ''Luftwaffe'' high-performance medium bomber built during World War II, the planned follow-up to the Ju 88 with better performance and payload. It was produced only in limited numbers, due both to the presence of i ...

* Latécoère 290 *

Latécoère 298 The Latécoère 298 (sometimes abridged to Laté 298) was a French seaplane that served during World War II. It was designed primarily as a torpedo bomber, but served also as a dive bomber against land and naval targets, and as a maritime reconnaiss ...

* Latham 43 HB.3 * Levasseur PL.4 R3b * Levasseur PL.5 C2b * Levasseur PL.7 T2B2b * Levasseur PL.10 R3b/PL.101 R3b * Levasseur PL.14 Tb2B2 * Levasseur PL.15 T2B2 * Lévy Besson 200 hp * Lioré et Olivier LeO.7.3 * Lioré et Olivier LeO.20 Bn3 * Lioré et Olivier H.13/H.136 * Lioré et Olivier H.43 * Lioré et Olivier H.193 * Lioré et Olivier H.257 Bis/H258 * Lockheed P2V-1 Ventura * Lockheed P2V-6/7 Neptune P5M-2 Aeronavale VP-44 training NAN7-59

* Loire 130 C.l * Loire 210 * LTV/Vought F-8E(FN) Crusader * Martin 167-A3 * Martin P5M-2 Marlin * Maurice Farman Type 1910 * Morane Saulnier MoS.130 Et2 * Morane Saulnier MoS.149 Ep2 * Morane Saulnier MS.225 C1 * Morane Saulnier MS.230 Et2 * Morane Saulnier MS.406 C1 * Morane Saulnier MS.500/MS.502 Criquet * Morane Saulnier MS.733 Alcyon * Morane Saulnier MS760 Paris * Nieuport IV.H * Nieuport VI.H *

Nieuport 12 The Nieuport 12 (or Nieuport XII in contemporary sources) was a French sesquiplane reconnaissance, fighter aircraft and trainer used by France, Russia, Great Britain and the United States during World War I. Later production examples were built ...

* Nieuport N.21/N.23 * Nieuport NiD.62 C1/NiD.622 C1 * Nord 262 Frégate * North American NAA.57 P2 * North American SNJ-3/4/5 *

Piper PA-31 Navajo The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of cabin-class, twin-engined aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for the general aviation market, most using Lycoming engines. It was also license-built in a number of Latin American countries. Ta ...

* Potez 25 A2/TOE * Potez 452 * Potez 567 *

Potez 631 C3 Potez (pronounced ) was a French aircraft manufacturer founded as Aéroplanes Henry Potez by Henry Potez at Aubervilliers in 1919. The firm began by refurbishing war-surplus SEA IV aircraft, but was soon building new examples of an improved versi ...

* Salmson Sal.2 A2 * SCAN 20 * Short Sunderland Mk.III/V * SNCAC/Farman NC.470 * SNCAC NC.701/NC.702 Martinet * SNCAN N.1001/N.1002 Pingouin * SNCAN N.1101 Noralpha * SNCAN N.1402 Noroit * SNCAN SV.4C Stampe * SNCAO/Loire-Nieuport LN.401/LN.411 * SNCASE R.82 Romano * SNCASE Leo.451 * SNCASE SE.161 Languedoc/Bloch MB.160 *

SNCASE Aquilon The de Havilland Sea Venom is a British postwar carrier-capable jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Venom. It served with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and with the Royal Australian Navy. The French Navy operated the Aquilon, develo ...

* SNCASO/Bloch MB.175 * SNCASO SO.94/95 Corse * SNCASO SO.30P Bretagne * SOCATA MS.880 Rallye * Sopwith Sop.1 A2 * Sopwith Baby/130hp Clerget * Sopwith Triplan C.1 * SPAD S.VII C.1 French F-8E(FN) Crusader in flight over the Med 1976

French F-8E(FN) Crusader in flight over the Med 1976

* SPAD S.XIII C.1 * SPAD XIV Canon * Stinson 105 * Supermarine Seafire Mk.III/IX/XV * Supermarine Sea Otter *

Supermarine Walrus The Supermarine Walrus (originally designated the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and manufactured by Supermarine at Woolston, Southampton. The Walrus ...

* Tampier T.4 * Taylorcraft L-2 * Tellier Canon 200 hp * Tellier 200 hp * Tellier 350Hp * Tellier BM 400 hp CanardVoisin

* Villiers Vil.2AM C.2 *

Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson; a key feature of the aircraft is it ...

Voisin 13,5m Voisin (French for "neighbour") may refer to: Companies *Avions Voisin, the French automobile company :*Voisin Laboratoire, a car manufactured by Avions Voisin *Voisin (aircraft), the French aircraft manufacturer * Voisin, a Lyon-based chocolat ...

* Voisin Canard * Voisin III * Voisin VIII * Vought V.156-F * Wibault Wib.74 C.1

Helicopters and autogyros

Aérospatiale Alouette II The Aérospatiale Alouette II (, "lark"; company designations SE 313 and SA 318) is a French light helicopter originally manufactured by Sud Aviation and later Aérospatiale. It was the first production helicopter powered by a gas turbine en ...

Aérospatiale Super Frelon Aérospatiale (), sometimes styled Aerospatiale, was a French state-owned aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale ( ...

* Bell 47 * LeO C-30 * Lynx Mk.4(FN) * Piasecki H-21C * Piasecki HUP-2 * Sikorsky H-51 * Sikorsky S-55 * Sikorsky S-58 * Sud-Aviation HSS-1

References & notes

External links

{{Commons category, Naval aviation of France
French Fleet Air Arm
about French naval aviation.
(fr) Association pour la Recherche de Documentation sur l'Histoire de l'Aéronautique Navale (ARDHAN)
Association for Documentation Research on the History of French Naval Aviation.