French Naval Aviation


French Naval Aviation 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 carrier squadrons and the naval patrol air force, the Aéronavale was created in 1912. The force is under the command of a flag officer officially named Admiral of Naval Aviation 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

Structure

Immediately after the end of the World War II, the Aeronavale only had Supermarine Seafire Mk.III and Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bombers.

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:
Operational squadrons are known as Flottilles and normally consist of 12 aircraft :
Shore-based training and transport squadrons are known as Escadrilles de Servitude :

Retired Aircraft