on á ut ica ▁Naval ▁was ▁the ▁naval ▁av iation ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Navy . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁the ▁air ▁arm ▁of ▁the ▁n avy , ▁already ▁established ▁through ▁a ▁Royal ▁dec ree ▁four ▁years ▁earlier , ▁became ▁functional ▁in ▁El ▁Pr at , ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁location ▁as ▁present - day ▁Barcelona ▁Airport . ▁It ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁air ▁arm ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Army ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁after ▁the ▁re organ ization ▁of ▁the ▁armed ▁forces ▁following ▁the ▁July ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁coup , ▁becoming ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Air ▁Force . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁the ▁plan es ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁Aer on á ut ica ▁Naval ▁were ▁becoming ▁ob sole te . ▁Commander ▁Francisco ▁Mor eno ▁Fernández ▁made ▁a ▁survey ▁between ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁and ▁concluded ▁that ▁the ▁old ▁D orn ier ▁and ▁Sav o ia ▁se ap lan es ▁were ▁not ▁fit ▁to ▁carry ▁aer ial ▁tor ped o es ▁or ▁bomb s ▁and ▁were ▁only ▁fit ▁for ▁reconna issance ▁miss ions . ▁Some ▁V ick ers ▁V ilde be est ▁were ▁being ▁built ▁under ▁license ▁by ▁C AS A ▁for ▁the ▁Aer on á ut ica ▁Naval , ▁but ▁they ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁ordered ▁with ▁weapon - car ry ing ▁systems , ▁therefore ▁many ▁officers ▁had ▁doub ts ▁about ▁their ▁useful ness . ▁Those ▁officers ▁concerned ▁about ▁the ▁modern ization ▁of ▁the ▁Republican