A former Royal Naval Air Station situated on the northern margin of Prestwick Airport, a half-mile (0.8 km) east of Monkton in South Ayrshire, RNAS Prestwick (also known as HMS Gannet) was responsible for military and civilian search and rescue in Western Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland, together with substantial areas of the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean. After more than 40 years, responsibility for search and rescue passed from the Royal Navy to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which continues to operate from Prestwick through a contract with Bristow Helicopters.
Military operations continue through use by Royal Navy Merlin HM2 helicopters which are deployed from RNAS Culdrose as required. The US also continue to use Prestwick as a staging post for aeroplanes and delivery of other equipment.
Chosen for its excellent weather record and good communications, the station was established here in 1971. The name HMS Gannet had previously been used by RNAS Eglinton in Northern Ireland (established 1943).
RNAS Prestwick has hosted three Naval Air Squadrons: 814, 819 and 824. The longest serving of these was 819 squadron, which transferred here from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall in 1971, but was decommissioned in 2001.
The flight notably comprised three Sea King helicopters and together with pilots, support and civilian staff. Its role was varied and included recovering those lost in the hills, rescuing injured seamen and evacuating medical emergencies from any of the many island communities on Scotland's West coast.
Also located here is the National Sea Cadet Engineering Training Centre (known as TS Fisgard), the lead Sea Cadet engineering school in the UK, dedicated to providing marine engineering courses for cadets and adult instructors from units around the country. The first courses took place in 1973, with the name TS Fisgard adopted in 1998 and a new purpose-built centre opened in 2002.
