 The Sea Vampire was initially delivered to 700 Naval Air Squadron and 702 Naval Air Squadron, soon replacing their piston-engine powered de Havilland Sea Hornets.During 1946, government approval was given for the purchase of an initial 50 Vampire fighter aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).The first three machines of this batch were British-built aircraft, an F1, F2 and FB.5, and were given serial numbers "A78-1" to "A78-3".