703 Naval Air Squadron

703 Naval Air Squadron
Squadron Badge
Active3 June 1942 - 1 May 1944
19 April 1945 - 17 August 1955
22 January 1972 - 19 December 1980
1 April 2003 - present
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeFleet Air Arm Second Line Squadron
Role
  • Catapult Squadron
  • Naval Air Sea Warfare Development Unit
  • Service Trials Unit
  • Wasp Training Unit
  • Elementary Flying Training
Part ofFleet Air Arm and No. 3 Flying Training School
Home station
Motto(s)Experientia docet
(Latin for 'Experiences teaches')
Aircraft
WebsiteOfficial website
Commanders
Current
commander
Major B Atherton, RM
Insignia
Squadron Badge DescriptionBlue, in chief a mailed hand white holding a balance gold over waves white and blue of four in base white (1946)
Identification Markings
  • single letters (all types, April 1945)
  • 031-099 (November 1948)
  • 001-099 (April 1950)
  • 283-288 (Firefly, February-July 1954)
  • 500-507 (Wasp, 1972-80)
  • 634-636 (also Wasp, 1975-80)
Fin Shore Codes
  • LP (by November 1948)
  • FD (April 1950)

703 Naval Air Squadron (703 NAS) is a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). Since 2003, the squadron has formed the Royal Naval wing of the Defence Elementary Flying Training School / No. 3 Flying Training School, at RAF Barkston Heath.

It was initially formed as a long-range catapult squadron on 3 March 1942 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus). During the Cold War, it was reformed as an experimental trials unit, and then as a helicopter training squadron.