The FAA was officially established on June 3, 1947, when the Australian government approved the acquisition of two aircraft carriers, HMAS Sydney (III) and HMAS Melbourne (II), along with two carrier air groups (CAGs).
The FAA was created two months later, with a disused Second World War-era naval air station near Nowra identified as its shore establishment. Naval Air Station (NAS) Nowra, HMAS Albatross was commissioned on August 31, 1948, and HMAS Sydney (III) was commissioned in the UK on December 16, 1948, before departing for Australia with the FAA's first naval air squadrons on board. The FAA has since evolved, but a naval aviation capability has remained a key component of the RAN.
Learn about Fleet Air Arm squadrons: