This is a list of all the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm groups that were either formed or planned. There were Carrier Air Groups which administered squadrons which operated on carriers and Training Air Groups which administered squadrons that operated from land bases.
Carrier air groups
The Fleet Air Arm squadrons, embarked on the Fleet and Light Fleet aircraft carriers, were placed into Air Groups to align with US Navy policy, once World War II in Europe had ended, to support operations in the Pacific War against the Japanese, in 1945. They were designed with 100% spare groups for Fleet carriers, and 50% spare groups for Light Fleet carriers.
The carrier air groups were divided up based on the aircraft carrier class and using a standardised strength approach of Fleet Air Arm squadrons and aircraft type. Nine of the twenty two groups planned formed up on the 30 June 1945 based on available squadrons, however, one formed as a spare in August 1945, and a number did form post-World War II, or were reactivated at a later date.
World War II - 1945
1st Carrier Air Group - formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the aircraft carrier for service in the British Pacific Fleet and comprised 849 Naval Air Squadron flying the Grumman Avenger torpedo bombers, 1834 Naval Air Squadron and 1836 Naval Air Squadron flying the Vought Corsair fighter. It was disbanded on 8 September 1945 when Victorious returned to the United Kingdom. 2nd Carrier Air Group - formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the aircraft carrier for service in the British Pacific Fleet and contained 848 Naval Air Squadron flying the Avenger, 1841 Naval Air Squadron and 1842 Naval Air Squadron flying the Corsair. It was disbanded on 31 October 1945 when Formidable returned to the United Kingdom. 3rd Carrier Air Group - formed on 2 August 1945. It was a spare air group for the British Pacific Fleet based at Nowra. It was formed too late for service in the war, and it contained 854 Naval Air Squadron flying the Avenger with 1843 Naval Air Squadron and 1845 Naval Air Squadron flying the Corsair. It was disbanded on 20 October 1945, and its personnel returned to the United Kingdom onboard a merchant ship. 7th Carrier Air Group - formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the aircraft carrier for service in the British Pacific Fleet and contained 820 Naval Air Squadron flying the Avenger, 887 Naval Air Squadron and 894 Naval Air Squadron flying the Supermarine Seafire fighter and 1770 Naval Air Squadron flying the Fairey Firefly torpedo bomber. It was disbanded in March 1946. 8th Carrier Air Group - formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the aircraft carrier for service in the British Pacific Fleet and contained 828 Naval Air Squadron flying Avengerss 801 Naval Air Squadron and 880 Naval Air Squadron flying the Seafire and 1771 Naval Air Squadron flying the Firefly. It was disbanded in April 1946, but some of its squadrons disbanded earlier. 11th Carrier Air Group - formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the aircraft carrier for service in the British Pacific Fleet and contained 857 Naval Air Squadron flying the Avenger, 1839 Naval Air Squadron and 1844 Naval Air Squadron flying the Grumman Hellcat. It was disbanded on 30 November 1945. 13th Carrier Air Group - formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the aircraft carrier for service in the British Pacific Fleet and contained 812 Naval Air Squadron flying the Fairey Barracuda and 1850 Naval Air Squadron flying the Corsair. It was disbanded in August 1946. 14th Carrier Air Group - formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the aircraft carrier HMS Colossus for service in the British Pacific Fleet and contained 827 Naval Air Squadron flying the Fairey Barracuda and 1846 Naval Air Squadron flying the Corsair. It was disbanded on 23 July 1946. 15th Carrier Air Group - formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the aircraft carrier for service in the British Pacific Fleet and contained 814 Naval Air Squadron flying the Fairey Barracuda and 1851 Naval Air Squadron flying the Corsair. It was disbanded in 1947. 16th Carrier Air Group - formed on 30 June 1945. It was based on the aircraft carrier for service in the British Pacific Fleet and contained 837 Naval Air Squadron flying the Fairey Barracuda and 1831 Naval Air Squadron flying the Corsair. It was disbanded in 1947.
During World War II the creation of a 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 12th and 22nd Carrier Air Group also was planned. The surrender of Japan rendered these new carrier air groups unnecessary, and they were never formed. However, the 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st were formed post-war, with 18 and 19 allocated to the Royal Canadian Navy, and 21 a Royal Australian Navy Air Group