until the squadron disbanded again on 15 December 1978. In November 1970 Bristol Belle, one of the first hot air balloons to fly in UK, was piloted by Lt Terry Adams, accompanied by Lt Howard Draper both of 849 Squadron B Flight (Gannets). This early morning launch carried mail into Malta whilst the Ark Royal was steaming off the southern coast of that island. Helicopter AEW (1984 to 2018) It reformed after the lessons of the 1982 South Atlantic campaign had been learned, on 8 November 1984 and the unit then operated the Westland Sea King Mk7 Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) helicopter. The squadron was stationed at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, operating 9 aircraft. It was divided into three elements - two flights (A and B), or Aardvarks and Bees and the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU)(Previously known as HQ). Historically, a Flight was assigned to each of the two active aircraft carriers in the Royal Navy. The squadron suffered heavy losses during the 2003 invasion of Iraq when two of its aircraft operating from HMS Ark Royal collided during low visibility conditions. Six squadron members and an American exchange officer were killed in the collision. On 13 December 2006, after a short ceremony at RNAS Culdrose, A Flight became 854 Squadron and B Flight became 857 Squadron, taking the former's Sea King ASaC.7 with them. In May 2014, the MOD announced that seven ASaC.7 helicopters, to be operated by 849 Naval Air Squadron, would remain in service with the RN through to the second half of 2018; the remainder of the Royal Navy's Sea Kings, of all types, were to be withdrawn by 2016. 854 and 857 Naval Air Squadrons were reabsorbed by 849 Naval Air Squadron in 2015, to form 'Normandy' and 'Palembang' flights respectively. The third flight in 849 NAS is 'Okinawa Flight'. Decommissioning 849NAS briefly operated a single Augusta Westland Merlin HM Mk2 from February 2020 in anticipation of the Mk2 receiving the Crowsnest upgraded ASaC system. 849 NAS decommissioned on 21 April 2020. Aircraft operated The squadron operated a variety of different aircraft and versions: Grumman Avenger I & II Douglas Skyraider AEW.1 Fairey Gannet AEW.3, AS.4, COD.4 & T.5 Westland Sea King AEW.2/2A Westland Sea King ASaC Mk7 Augusta Westland Merlin HM Mk2 References Citations Bibliography "Naval Early Warners:No. 849 A Unique Fleet Air Arm Squadron". Flight, 22 October 1954, pp. 604–605. Brown, David.