899 Naval Air Squadron

899 Naval Air Squadron
Naval Ensign
Active	15 Dec 1942 - 27 Sep 1945 7 Nov 1955 - Jan 1957 Feb 1961 - Feb 1972 Apr 1982 - Mar 2005
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Role	Maritime Strike / Training
Part of	Fleet Air Arm
Garrison/HQ	RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron), Somerset
Aircraft operated	Sea Harrier
Engagements	World War II Falklands War

899 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Aircraft carrier based squadron. Latterly it was the Sea Harrier training squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton.

899 Naval Air Squadron was reformed in 1979 as the training squadron for the Sea Harrier. It was initially based at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) until it was decommissioned in 2005 prior to the Stand up of 800 Naval Air Squadron GR7 at RAF Cottesmore.

899 NAS saw service during the Second World War and was mostly deployed in the Mediterranean Sea. It was disbanded when the war ended. In 1955 the squadron was recommissioned and deployed to Egypt on Operation Musketeer during the Suez Crisis.

During the 1960s, the squadron was deployed to the African continent a number of times. In 1965 it deployed on board HMS Eagle to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in light of the government's dispute with the British Crown and issuing of its internationally unrecognised Unilateral Declaration of Independence. The squadron provided air support during the Beira Patrol blockade, remaining at sea for a record 72 days. In 1967, with the disintegration of the Protectorate of South Arabia, a Sea Vixen of 899 NAS was the last British military aircraft to leave Aden carrying the British flag. During this period the squadron operated Sea Vixen aircraft at R.N.A.S. Yeovilton and on board HMS Eagle.

...
Wikipedia