In 1925, Paul Painlevé, the recently appointed Minister of War, profoundly reformed the Army and gave a real place to Naval Aviation. In 1928, Laurent EYNAC, Minister of the newly created Ministry of Air, tried in vain to question the status of the Naval Aviation in order to "recover" it under his yoke. But it was not until the decree of the Organisation of Maritime Aeronautics of 22 August 1936 that official and defensive legitimacy was given to the Naval Aeronautics by attaching it to the Ministry of the Navy.

The tasks are clearly divided between the Maritime Aviation and the Air Force. Thus, the latter remains responsible for the development of new aircraft. If necessary, for specific maritime needs such as seaplanes, the Navy issues its own specifications.
In reality, we will unfortunately once again witness ministerial "quarrels" which will ultimately harm the cohesion of our Air Force. The Air Force will indeed have the unfortunate tendency to consider itself as a priority, and will grant itself the best aircraft, outside the maritime domain. The Naval Aeronautics being generously equipped by its colleague, only with aircraft that it has refused or that it no longer needs....

At the outbreak of the conflict, the Aéronautique Navale is nearly 380 planes and 10,000 men. Beneath the not insignificant figure of 380 aircraft, hides a very unequal and too diversified aviation. Some of the models used were clearly outdated, such as the Potez 631, Bloch 151 or Dewoitine 501 which equipped the Navy's Fighter Groups. These fighters were given up by the Air Force when its Squadrons acquired "more modern" equipment. Also, the fleet is heterogeneous, with too many different types of aircraft, causing obvious maintenance problems...
The Naval Aviation will face the enemy with obsolete or unsuitable equipment. Some ground attack missions will be carried out by Latécoère Laté 298 seaplane torpedoes, very successful aircraft on the other hand, but certainly not designed for this type of mission. The Nose Down Bombing Squadrons will pay a heavy price during the mission of May 19, 1940 aboard the Loiré-Nieuport 411s that the Air Force had refused because they were considered too slow...
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