Fleet Air Arm Museum Display - Defending The Fleet (1968 - 1984)
In the years leading up to the half-life modernisation refit of HMAS Melbourne (II) in 1967, much debate took place at Defence and Federal Cabinet level over the aircraft types to replace the now outdated Sea Venom jet fighters and Gannet anti-submarine turboprops.
Eventually the decision was for Navy to acquire ten new Douglas A-4G Skyhawk fighter/ bombers and fourteen Grumman S-2E Tracker anti-submarine aircraft from the USA.
This potent fixed-wing element, combined with the upgraded Westland Wessex Mk. 31B ASW helicopters heralded a frenetic period of activity for the Fleet Air Arm. In terms of payload capability in the case of the A-4, and wingspan of the S-2, these were the largest aircraft that could be operated from Melbourne (II) and landing them was exciting to say the least. The US Navy operated the same aircraft from carriers four times the size of Melbourne (II).
By 1968 the composition of the Naval air squadrons was at its highest number ever, with front-line and second-line Tracker, Skyhawk and Wessex squadrons as well as 723 Squadron operating Bell Iroquois and Westland Scout helicopters in the training and utility role.
The front-line ASW helicopter force was further enhanced in 1975 with the arrival of ten British built Westland Sea King Mk 50's. The Bell Kiowa 206B-1 also supplemented the existing training and utility helicopters.
Also during the 1970's ten more Skyhawks were added to the fighter squadrons and sixteen replacement S-2G Trackers were purchased following the loss of nine of the original S-2E's in a hangar fire at HMAS Albatross.
The Federal Government decision not to replace Melbourne (II) when she decommissioned in 1982 meant the age of Navy fixed- wing aviation at sea was over.
