In 1937 the British Air Ministry issued Specification S.24/37, which sought a monoplane torpedo bomber to satisfy "Operational Requirement OR.35". The envisioned aircraft was a three-seater that would possess both a high payload capacity and a high maximum speed. A total of six submissions were received by the Air Ministry, from which the designs of Fairey and Supermarine (Type 322) were selected; a pair of prototypes of each design were ordered. On 7 December 1940, the first Fairey prototype conducted its maiden flight. The rival Supermarine Type 322 did not fly until 1943: as the Barracuda was already in production by then its development did not progress further.