Naval aviation

Naval aviation is the air force branch of a navy. Its aircraft may be airplanes and helicopters.

Missions

Missions for naval aviation include:

Maritime patrol, with aircraft like Lockheed P-3 Orion or Ilyushin Il-38 May. It is for air reconnaissance over oceans and seas, which is looking for enemy warships, particularly submarines. Weapons are generally torpedoes, missiles, mines, and light rockets.
Coastal Survey, with aircraft like Dassault Falcon 50M or Fokker 50 MPA, is like maritime patrol but closer to the coast. Some of the aircraft that are used are armed.
Search and rescue, with aircraft and helicopters like Aérospatiale SA-321 Super Frelon or Lockheed HC-130 Hercules. is to find and rescue the victims of accidents at sea. That happens after shipwrecks or in heavy storms.
Fighting and air combat is the mission of naval fighters that fly from an aircraft carrier. Famous aircraft in 2013 are Dassault Rafale M and F/A-18 Hornet.
Fighting against submarines, is the mission of naval helicopters like Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk or Mil Mi-14. Weapons are generally torpedoes pr mines.

In 2013, the following countries had a naval aviation: Argentina, Brazil, France, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Two Vought F-8J Crusader fighters of VF-191

The first naval aviation was the British Royal Naval Air Service, which was created on 13 April 1912. On April 1, 1918, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps were merged into the Royal Air Force. During World War I and after World War II, naval aviation were used for all kinds of combat missions. Famous battles were Pacific War, Normandy landings, the Dieppe Raid, and the Battle of Midway. After the World Wars, it was used for the Falklands War, the Libyan Civil War, and the Gulf War.

United States Marine Corps Aviation was used during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War

U.S. naval aviation was used during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

An F/A-18C Hornet launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk.
Mayfly was built in 1908 and was the first aircraft to be used in a naval capacity.
Lieutenant Charles Samson's historic takeoff from Hibernia in 1912.
Japanese Maurice Farman seaplane from Wakamiya
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
The Grumman J2F Duck was an amphibious biplane used for patrol
The Douglas Dauntless SBD was used extensively during the Battle of Midway.
The ski-jump and a Sea Harrier on Royal Navy carrier HMS Invincible.
An MH-53E helicopter, performs mine countermeasure training using the MK-105 sled
A German Navy 1150 Atlantic is an example of a ASW land based aircraft