Naval Aviation facts for kids

A US Navy Lockheed P-3C aircraft.

Naval aviation is the part of a navy that uses airplanes and helicopters. These special aircraft help the navy do many important jobs at sea and from aircraft carriers.

What Naval Aviation Does

A French NH90 Caïman helicopter from Naval Aviation during a rescue drill.

Naval aviation has many different jobs. Here are some of the main ones:

Watching Over the Seas

This job is called maritime patrol. Airplanes like the Lockheed P-3 Orion or Ilyushin Il-38 May fly over oceans and seas. They look for enemy ships, especially submarines that hide underwater. These planes often carry torpedoes, missiles, mines, and small rockets to defend against threats.

Surveying Coasts

Coastal survey is similar to maritime patrol but happens closer to the coast. Aircraft like the Dassault Falcon 50M or Fokker 50 MPA are used. Some of these planes carry weapons, but others are just for watching and gathering information.

Finding and Rescuing People

Search and rescue missions use airplanes and helicopters like the Aérospatiale SA-321 Super Frelon or Lockheed HC-130 Hercules. Their job is to find and save people who are in trouble at sea. This might be after a shipwreck or during big storms.

Air Combat and Fighting

Naval fighters are designed for fighting and air combat. These powerful jets take off from aircraft carriers, which are like floating airfields. Some famous fighter jets in 2013 included the Dassault Rafale M and the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.

Hunting Submarines

Fighting against submarines is a key mission for naval helicopters like the Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk or Mil Mi-14. These helicopters are equipped to find and attack enemy submarines, usually using torpedoes and mines.

Countries with Naval Aviation

In 2013, several countries had their own naval aviation forces. These included Argentina, Brazil, France, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

A Brief History

A US Navy Vought F-8 Crusader during the Vietnam War.

The very first naval aviation group was the British Royal Naval Air Service, started on April 13, 1912.

Naval aircraft were used a lot during World War I and especially after World War II. They played big roles in famous battles like the Pacific War, the Normandy Landings, the Dieppe Raid, and the Battle of Midway.

After the World Wars, naval aviation continued to be important in conflicts. It was used in the Falklands War, the Libyan Civil War, and the Gulf War. The U.S. Naval aviation also played a part in the Vietnam War.

Images for kids

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  An F/A-18C Hornet launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk

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  Mayfly was built in 1908 and was the first aircraft to be used in a naval capacity.

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  Lieutenant Charles Samson's historic takeoff from Hibernia in 1912.

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  Japanese Maurice Farman seaplane from Wakamiya

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  Sqn. Cdr. E. H. Dunning makes the first landing of an aircraft on a moving ship, a Sopwith Pup on HMS Furious, 2 August 1917

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  The Grumman J2F Duck was an amphibious biplane used for patrol

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  The Douglas Dauntless SBD was used extensively during the Battle of Midway.

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  The ski-jump and a Sea Harrier on Royal Navy carrier HMS Invincible.

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  An MH-53E helicopter, performs mine countermeasure training using the MK-105 sled

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  A German Navy 1150 Atlantic is an example of a ASW land based aircraft

See also

In Spanish: Aviación naval para niños