Bureau of Aeronautics

The Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) was the

U.S. Navy's material-support organization for naval aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" (i.e., responsibility) for the design, procurement, and support of naval aircraft and related systems. Aerial weapons, however, were under the cognizance of the Navy's Bureau of Ordnance

(BuOrd).

Origins

The USN's first attempt for naval aviation began in 1908 when it conducted observations of the Wright Brothers aircraft at Fort Myer.^[1]

First tests and Naval Aviation Corps

The first test of an aircraft from naval vessel was in 1910 when a Curtiss Model D flown by Eugene Burton Ely took off from the USS Birmingham (CL-2) and again on USS Pennsylvania (ACR-4) in early 1911. These test was enough for the USN to establish naval aviation units in the summer of 1911.^[1] The purchase of the first naval aircraft in May 1911^[2] and passage of naval appropriations act in August 1916 lead to the establishment of the Naval Reserve Flying Corps, which would train and deploy air corps for World War I.^[1]

Formal Organization of Naval Aviation

Congress established BuAer in 1921 in order to create a single organizational home for naval aviation. Prior to 1921, cognizance for aviation had been divided among various Navy bureaus and other organizations. The first Chief of BuAer was Rear Admiral

USS Akron (ZRS-4). Working closely with RADM Moffett, CAPT Henry C. Mustin (1874–1923)

served as BuAer's first Assistant Chief helping lead naval aviation to the forefront of American military strength.

A talented administrator, Moffett ensured the continued independence of naval aviation during the 1920s, when Army Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell and others sought to merge all U.S. military aviation into a single, independent air force. Upon Moffett's death, he was succeeded as Chief of the Bureau by Rear Admiral Ernest J. King, a future Fleet Admiral and Chief of Naval Operations during World War II. Other important bureau chiefs included Rear Admiral John S. McCain Sr., the grandfather of U.S. Senator John S. McCain III (R-Ariz.).

During the 1930s, BuAer presided over rapid technological change in naval aircraft. The bureau's policy was to limit its own production, in order to support the civilian aircraft industry. BuAer used the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a facility for building small numbers of prototype aircraft.

World War II and the postwar period

RADM McCain, now promoted to vice admiral, was the first to fill the position.^{[citation needed}

]

BuAer downsized after the war, but continued its focus on aeronautical research and development. But as naval technology became increasingly complex, it became clear that the Navy's material organization was insufficient. In particular, the Navy needed better integration of aerial weapons with naval aircraft. There was also the question of "pilotless aircraft" (the ancestors of the late 20th century's

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles); BuAer considered these to be aircraft, while BuOrd saw them as guided missiles.^{[citation needed}

]

To fix the problem, in 1959 the Navy merged BuAer and BuOrd to create the Bureau of Naval Weapons (BuWeps). This was only a temporary solution, however, and in 1966 the Navy undertook a wholesale revision of its material organization. The bureau system, which had existed since the 1840s, was replaced with the "Systems Commands" (SYSCOMs). BuWeps was replaced with the current Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR).^{[citation needed]}

Bureau chiefs

Rear Admiral James S. Russell	(1955-03-04) (1957-07-15)March 4, 1955 – July 15, 1957
Rear Admiral Robert E. Dixon	(1957-07-15) (1959-12-01)July 15, 1957 – December 1, 1959

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "A HISTORY OF U.S. NAVAL AVIATION" (PDF). Retrieved 28 February 2024.
^ "United States Naval and U.S. Marine Corps airplanes, aviation, Navy aircraft photos". Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.

External links

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

[naval_aviation_history-1] "A HISTORY OF U.S. NAVAL AVIATION" (PDF). Retrieved 28 February 2024.

[2] "United States Naval and U.S. Marine Corps airplanes, aviation, Navy aircraft photos". Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.

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