No. 849 Squadron FAA

No. 849 Squadron operates the Sea King Mk7 Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) helicopter. The squadron has its headquarters at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall and operates 9 aircraft. It is divided into two flights, A and B. One is 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.