This is a list of Royal Navy naval air stations. Naval air stations are Royal Navy (RN) shore establishments which operate to support the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), the branch of the RN responsible for operating the service's naval aircraft.

Historically, the abbreviation RNAS referred to the Royal Naval Air Service, the Royal Navy's aviation branch until 1918. That year, the RNAS merged with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) of the British Army to form the independent Royal Air Force (RAF). In contemporary usage, RNAS denotes a "Royal Naval Air Station" and, following RAF station‑naming conventions, is paired with the geographical location of the establishment.

Between 1918 and 1939, the RAF provided and operated the FAA in support of the RN, and Royal Naval Air Stations were consequently manned and administered by RAF personnel.

On 24 May 1939, operational control of the FAA returned to the Admiralty under the terms of the Inskip Award. RAF personnel were replaced by, or transferred to, RN service.

As RAF Coastal Command remained part of the RAF, Royal Naval Air Stations have generally supported carrier-based aircraft as shore bases when required since 1939.

Current naval air stations

Front‑line operations of the Fleet Air Arm are primarily conducted from two main naval air stations, RNAS Culdrose and RNAS Yeovilton, each supported by a nearby satellite airfield, Predannack Airfield and RNAS Merryfield respectively.

Fleet Air Arm front‑line units also operate from several additional airbases as required: , a Royal Navy forward operating base at Glasgow Prestwick Airport and RAF Marham, a Royal Air Force station and is home to F-35B Lightning II operations and also a Fleet Air Arm squadron.

Several former airbases are operated by the defence contractor QinetiQ on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for test and evaluation purposes. The principal site is the former RAF station at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire and is home to a Fleet Air Arm unit.

Training for aircrew across all three UK armed services is delivered through the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS), which utilises a couple of Royal Air Force stations both with a Fleet Air Arm presence, at RAF Barkston Heath and at RAF Shawbury.

(Bold denotes Royal Navy shore establishment, italics denotes other controlled airbase with Fleet Air Arm unit)

Main Naval Air Stations and Satellite Airfields AirbaseLocationRole/Units RNAS Culdrose Helston, Cornwall, England Maritime Merlin operations; Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations; 750 Naval Air Squadron - Observer and WSO training RNAS Yeovilton Yeovilton, Somerset, England Wildcat Maritime Force (WMF); Commando Helicopter Force (CHF); Joint Aviation Command; Wildcat Demo Team; 727 Naval Air Squadron - Flight grading and assessment Predannack Airfield (satellite) Mullion, Cornwall Satellite airfield supporting RNAS Culdrose RNAS Merryfield (satellite) Ilton, Somerset Satellite airfield supporting RNAS Yeovilton Front-Line Support Airbases Glasgow Prestwick Airport, South Ayrshire, ScotlandForward Operating Base (FOB) for Merlin HM2 detachments from RNAS Culdrose RAF Marham Norfolk, England Main operating base for the F-35B Lightning II; home to 809 Naval Air Squadron (Fleet Air Arm), part of the RAF's No. 1 Group. Test and Evaluation Airbase MOD Boscombe Down Wiltshire, England Test and Evaluation airfield operated by QinetiQ; home to 744 Naval Air Squadron as part of the Air and Space Warfare Centre and the Air Test and Evaluation Centre (ATEC) UKMFTS Training Airbases RAF Barkston Heath Lincolnshire, England Defense Elementary Flying Training School; includes 703 Naval Air Squadron operating the Grob Prefect T1 RAF Shawbury Shropshire, England No. 1 Flying Training School; includes 705 Naval Air Squadron flying the Airbus Juno HT1; also home to Central Flying School (Helicopter) Squadron elements and the Defence College of Air and Space Operations

Map of stations within the UK

Map of the United Kingdom showing active naval air stations, including forward operating bases and satellite airfields, Ministry of Defence (MOD) airfields with a Royal Navy presence and Royal Air Force (RAF) stations with a Royal Navy presence.

Former naval air stations

When control of the Fleet Air Arm was transferred from the Royal Air Force, four of its existing airbases, in the United Kingdom, were also transferred to the Fleet Air Arm, these were: Donibristle, Lee-on-Solent, Ford, and Worthy Down. At that time when operating overseas, the Fleet Air Arm still needed to rely on lodger facilities at Royal Air Force stations abroad.

During the early period of the Second World War the Royal Navy worked to acquire its own airfields, both in the UK and near to strategic bases abroad. Some of these were purpose built and others were transferred over from the Royal Air Force.

These lists covers Fleet Air Arm establishments, located both on the British Isles and overseas. It includes Air Stations, Air Sections, Air Maintenance & Repair Yards, Lodger units at RAF bases, and training establishments. The bases are listed alphabetically, by geographical location.

Key to the types of establishments:

BCAS - British Commonwealth Air Station MONAB - Mobile Naval Air Base RAF - Royal Air Force RAAF - Royal Australian Air Force RCAF - Royal Canadian Air Force RNAS - Royal Naval Air Station RNAY - Royal Naval Air Yard RNAMY - Royal Naval Aircraft Maintenance Yard RNARY - Royal Naval Aircraft Repair Yard RNADC - Royal Naval Aircraft Direction Centre RNAE - Royal Naval Air Establishment RNATE - Royal Naval Aircraft Training Establishment RNTE - Royal Naval Training Establishment SAAF - South African Air Force TAMY - Transportable Aircraft Maintenance Yard USAF - United States Air Force USNAS - United States Naval Air Station USNAF - United States Naval Air Facility

British Isles

This list is of former air stations of the Royal Navy within the British Isles, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles (Orkney and Shetland), and over six thousand smaller islands. The Channel Islands, off the north coast of France, are normally taken to be part of the British Isles.Oxford English Dictionary: "British Isles: a geographical term for the islands comprising Great Britain and Ireland with all their offshore islands including the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands." The list includes airbases wholly operated by the Admiralty and those where RN lodger units operated, sometimes under a RN Air Section.

The Royal Navy initiated actions to secure its own airfields, both within the UK and in proximity to key overseas bases; some of these airfields were to be constructed specifically for this purpose, while others were to be acquired from the RAF. The compilation is divided into two sections; the initial section addresses airfields that were either owned by the Admiralty from their inception or RAF stations that were completely handed over to the Admiralty. The subsequent section addresses RAF stations that were provided with lodger facilities and/or where a Royal Navy Air Section was operational.