Royal Air Force
The
Royal Air Force (
RAF) is the
air force branch of the
British Armed Forces. The RAF is the oldest independent air force in the world, formed on
April 1,
1918. The RAF has taken a significant role in
British military history since then, playing a large part in
World War II, and more recently in conflicts such as the
recent war in Iraq. With some 940 aircraft and a manpower of 49,210 (in 2005), the RAF is one of the largest air forces in the world. It is also one of the most technologically advanced, a position that is being enhanced significantly with the purchase of 232
Eurofighter Typhoons. The only founding member of the RAF still living today is
Henry Allingham at age 110.
[BBC News Fly-past for Britain's oldest man]The RAF has two primary missions; to defend the United Kingdoms people and interests, and to act as a force for good by strengthening international peace and security.
The RAF was founded on
April 1 1918, during the
First World War, by
Viscount Trenchard when he amalgamated the
Royal Flying Corps and the
Royal Naval Air Service. After the war, the service was cut drastically and its inter-war years were relatively peaceful, with only minor actions policing the
British Empire.
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The RAF Memorial on the Victoria Embankment, London, commemorating RAF personnel killed in the two World Wars |
The RAF underwent rapid expansion prior to and during the
Second World War. A defining period of the RAF's existence came during the
Battle of Britain when it held off the
Luftwaffe and helped to turn the tide of the war. The largest RAF effort during the war was the controversial strategic bombing campaign against Germany by
RAF Bomber Command.
 | Royal Air Force badge. Motto "Through adversity to the stars" |
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During the
Cold War years the main role of the RAF was the defence of the continent of
Europe against potential attack by the
Soviet Union, including holding the UK's nuclear deterrent for a number of years. Since the end of the Cold War, several large scale operations have been undertaken by the RAF, including the
Kosovo War, the
2001 invasion of Afghanistan and the
2003 invasion of Iraq.
The professional head of the RAF is known as the
Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), currently
Air Chief Marshal Sir
Glenn Torpy. The CAS heads the
Air Force Board, which is a committee of the
Defence Council. The Air Force Board (AFB) is the management board of the RAF and consists of the Commanders-in-Chief of the Commands, together with several other high ranking officers. The CAS also has a deputy known as the
Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (ACAS); currently this post is held by
Air Vice-Marshal Chris Moran.
Groups
Groups are the subdivisions of operational Commands, responsible for certain types of operation or for operations in limited geographical areas. As from 1 April 2006,
Strike Command is made-up of two Groups following the disbandment of No.3 Group:
*
1 Group — the Air Combat Group, controls the RAF's combat fast jet aircraft, including
Joint Force Harrier, and has seven airfields in the UK plus RAF Unit Goose Bay in Canada, which is used extensively as an operational training base.
*
2 Group — the Air Combat Support Group, controls the Strategic and Tactical air transport aircraft, the
RAF Regiment, the RAF's Air to Air Refuelling aircraft as well as
ISTAR and Search & Rescue assets.
Only one group exists within
Personnel and Training Command, namely
Training Group.
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The RAF's roundel was adopted during the First World War. The roundel has been adopted by Commonwealth air forces, replacing the red circle with a national symbol. |
Stations
An
RAF Station is ordinarily subordinate to a Group and it is administratively sub-divided into Wings. Since the mid to late 1930s RAF stations have controlled a number of flying squadrons or other units at one location by means of a station headquarters.
Wings
A
Wing is either a sub-division of a Group acting independently or a sub-division of an RAF Station.
Independent Wings are a grouping of two or more squadrons, either flying squadrons or ground support squadrons. In former times, numbered flying Wings have existed, but more recently they have only been created when required, for example during
Operation Telic,
Tornado Wings were formed to operate from
Ali Al Salem and
Al Udeid Air Bases; each of these were made up of aircraft and crews from several squadrons.
On 31st March 2006, the RAF formed nine Expeditionary Air Wings (EAW). The Expeditionary Air Wings have been established to support operations. They have been formed at the nine main operating bases;
RAF Coningsby,
RAF Cottesmore,
RAF Kinloss,
RAF Leeming,
RAF Leuchars,
RAF Lossiemouth,
RAF Lyneham,
RAF Marham, and
RAF Waddington. These units will be commanded by a
Group Captain who is also the Station Commander. The unit is formed around the squadrons based at the stations housing the wing, however, they are flexible and can be quickly adapted for operations and deployment.
[www.raf.mod.uk 31st March 2006. Command Structure.]On an RAF Stations, a Wing is an administrative sub-division. For a flying station these will normally be Engineering Wing, Operations Wing and Administration Wing. Aside from these, the only Wings currently in permanent existence are the Air Combat Service Support wings of 2 Group which provide support services such as communications, supply and policing to operationally deployed units.
Squadrons
The term
squadron (sqn) can be used to refer to an administrative sub-unit of a station, e.g. Air Traffic Control sqn, Personnel Management sqn; there are also ground support squadrons, e.g. 2 (MT) Sqn.
However, the primary use for the term is as the name of the flying squadrons which carry out the primary tasks of the RAF. RAF squadrons are somewhat analogous to the regiments of the British army, in that they have histories and traditions going back to their formation, regardless of where they are currently based, which aircraft they are operating, etc. They can be awarded
standards and
battle honours for meritorious service.
Whilst every squadron is different, most are commanded by a
Wing Commander and, for a fast-jet squadron, have an establishment of around 100 personnel and 12 aircraft.
Flights
A Flight is a sub-division of a squadron. Flying squadrons are often divided into two flights, under the command of a Squadron Leader; administrative squadrons on a station are also divided into flights.
There are several flying units formed as Flights rather than Squadrons, due to their small size.
See also
List of Royal Air Force independent flightsIn 2005, the RAF employed 49,210 active duty personnel and more than 12,000 reservists. This will be reduced to 41,000 (active duty personnel) by 2008. At its height during the Second World War, in excess of 1,000,000 personnel were serving at any one time. RAF personnel who have risen to prominence either by their actions whilst serving, or subsequently are detailed at
List of famous Royal Air Force members.
See Comparative military ranks to compare RAF ranks with those of other services.Officers
Officers hold a
commission from the
Sovereign, which provides the legal authority for them to issue orders to subordinates. The commission is granted after successfully completing the 30-week-long Initial Officer Training course at the
RAF College, Cranwell.
The titles and insignia of RAF Officers were derived from those used by the
Royal Navy, specifically the
Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during World War I. For example, the rank of
Squadron Leader derived its name from the RNAS rank of Squadron Commander. RAF officers fall into three categories:
air officers, senior officers and
junior officers.
Other Ranks
Other Ranks attend the Recruit Training Squadron at
RAF Halton for basic training, with the exception of the
RAF Regiment, which trains its recruits at
RAF Honington.
The titles and insignia of Other Ranks in the RAF was based on that of the
Army, with some alterations in terminology. Over the years, this structure has seen significant changes, for example there was once a separate system for those in technical trades and the rank of
Chief Technician continues to be held only by personnel in technical trades. RAF other ranks fall into four categories: warrant officers, senior non-commissioned officers, junior non-commissioned officers and airmen.
Branches and Trades
* All
Pilots and Weapon Systems Officers (formerly known as
Navigators) in the RAF are commissioned officers.
* Non-commissioned aircrew fulfil roles such as Air Loadmasters (ALM), Air Signallers, Air Electronics Operators (AEO), etc, although they are now all known as Weapon Systems Operators.
The majority of the members of the RAF serve in vital support roles on the ground.
* Officers and Gunners in the
RAF Regiment, which was created during
World War II, defend RAF airfields from attack. They recently operated surface-to-air missiles [Rapiers] to defend against air attack [This role, against the wish of the RAF, was given to the Royal Artillery in 2005], and have
infantry and light armoured units to protect against ground attack.
* The
RAF Police are the
military police of the RAF and are located wherever the RAF is located. Unlike the UK
Civil Police, the RAF Police are armed as needed. They have no power of arrest outside military units.
*
Intelligence Officers and Analysts of the
RAF Intelligence Branch support all operational activities by providing timely and accurate Indicators and Warnings. They conduct
military intelligence fusion and analysis by conducting imagery and communications analysis, targeting, and assessment of the enemies capabilities and intent.
* Engineering Officers and technicians are employed to maintain and repair the equipment used by the RAF. This includes routine preparation for flight and maintenance on aircraft, as well as deeper level repair work on aircraft systems, IT systems, ground based radar, MT vehicles, etc.
*
Fighter Controllers and
Air Traffic Controllers control RAF and NATO aircraft from the ground. The FC control the interception of enemy aircraft while the ATC provide air traffic services at RAF stations and to the majority of en-route military aircraft in UK airspace.
* Administrative Officers and associated trades perform a range of secretarial tasks as well as fulfilling training management, physical education and catering roles.
* Royal Air Force Chaplains are trained by the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at
Amport House.
* The Royal Air Force Medical Branch provides healthcare at home and on deployed operations, including aeromedical evacuation services. Medical officers are the doctors of the RAF and have specialist expertise in aviation medicine to support aircrew and their protective equipment. Medical Officers can go on aeromedical evacuations, providing vital assistance on search-and-rescue missions or emergency relief flights worldwide.
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A list including historical aircraft is at List of aircraft of the RAF.Many types of aircraft currently serve with the RAF, although there is less variety in the order of battle of the organisation than in previous decades due to the increasing cost of military systems.The types currently in the RAF inventory are listed below.
The
codes which suffix the each aircraft's name describe the role of the particular variant. For example, the Tornado F.3 is designated as a fighter by the 'F', and is the third variant of the type to be produced.
Strike, attack and offensive support aircraft
The mainstay of what the RAF calls its Offensive Support fleet is the
Tornado GR.4. This supersonic aircraft can carry a wide range of weaponry, including
Storm Shadow cruise missiles, laser guided bombs and the ALARM anti-radar missile. The Tornado is supplemented by the
Harrier GR.7 & GR.7A and
Jaguar GR.3 & GR.3A, which are used in the close air support role and to counter enemy air defences. The Harrier is in the process of being upgraded to GR.9 standard with newer systems and more powerful engines. The Jaguar is being withdrawn from service by 2008, to be replaced by the Typhoon.
Air defence and Airborne Early Warning Aircraft
The
Tornado F.3 is the RAF's air defence fighter aircraft, based at
RAF Leuchars and
RAF Leeming to defend the UK's airspace. The
Sentry AEW.1 provides airborne radar to detect incoming enemy aircraft and to co-ordinate the aerial battlefield. Both the Sentry and the F.3 have been involved in recent operations including over Iraq and the Balkans. The Tornado, in service in the air defence role since the late 1980s, is due to be replaced by the more agile
Typhoon F.2.
Reconnaissance Aircraft
Variants of attack aircraft, the
Jaguar GR.3/GR.3A and
Tornado GR.4A are fitted with specialist reconnaissance pods and squadrons exist with both types in the reconnaissance role. The elderly
Canberra PR.9 was also used in this role for its ability to fly at high altitude for long duration sorties, however was recently retired from service. An impressive history for this aircraft. All three types are/were equipped with a range of cameras and sensors in the visual, infra-red and radar ranges of the spectrum. Providing electronic and signals intelligence are the
Nimrod R.1 and the new
Sentinel R.1.
Maritime patrol / Search and Rescue Aircraft
Three squadrons of helicopters exist with the primary role of rescuing aircrew who have ejected or crash-landed their aircraft. These are
22 Sqn and
202 Sqn with the
Sea King HAR.3/HAR.3A in the UK and
84 Sqn with the Griffin HAR.2 in
Cyprus. Although established in a military role, most of their operational missions are to rescue civilians from ships at sea, mountains and other locations.
The
Nimrod MR.2 is also used in a search and rescue role, where its long range and extensive communications facilities allows it to co-ordinate rescues by acting as a link between rescue helicopters, ships and shore bases. It can also drop pods containing life rafts and survival supplies to people in the sea. However, the primary role of the Nimrod is Maritime Patrol, specifically anti-submarine and surface ship warfare.Though the Nimrod's manufacture was cancelled in Early 2005
Support helicopters
An important part of the work of the RAF is to support the Army by ferrying troops and equipment to and across the battlefield. The support helicopters are organised into the tri-service Joint Helicopter Command with Army and Navy aircraft. The large twin- rotor
Chinook HC.2/HC.2A, based at
RAF Odiham provides heavy lift and is supported by
Merlin HC.3 and the smaller
Puma HC.1, based at
RAF Benson and
RAF Aldergrove.
Transport and Air-to-Air Refuelling aircraft
Having absorbed the former Queen's Flight in 1995,
32 (The Royal) Squadron uses the
BAe 125 CC.3,
Agusta A109 and
BAe 146 CC.2 in the VIP transport role, based at
RAF Northolt in west
London. More routine air transport tasks are carried out by the
Tristars and
VC10s based at
RAF Brize Norton, both used to transport troops and cargo, and for air-to-air refuelling. Shorter range tactical transport is provided by the
C-130 Hercules, the fleet including both older K-model and new J-model aircraft. The RAF has leased 4
C-17 Globemaster IIIs from
Boeing to provide a strategic heavy airlift capability; it was announced in 2004 that these will be purchased, together with a further example, once the lease expires.
Training aircraft
A wide range of aircraft types are used for training aircrew in their duties. At the more advanced stage in training, variants of front-line aircraft have been adapted for operational conversion of trained pilots, these include the Canberra T.4,
Harrier T.10,
Jaguar T.4 and
Typhoon T.1. Advanced flying training for fast-jet, helicopter and multi-engine pilots is provided using the
Hawk T.1,
Griffin HT.1 and
Super King Air T.1 respectively.
Basic pilot training is provided on the
Tucano T.1 and
Eurocopter Squirrel HT.1, while navigator training is in the
Dominie T.1. Elementary flying training is conducted on either the Slingsby Firefly or
Tutor T.1, depending on the new pilots route of entry to the service. The Tutor is also used, along with the
Viking T.1 and
Vigilant T.1 gliders, to provide air experience for
Air Cadets.
Future aircraft
The aircraft operated by the RAF continue to be upgraded and improved throughout their service life. In addition, new aircraft to replace existing fleets or fill new roles come into service every so often.
Aircraft in development or soon to be deployed include the
Airbus A400M, of which 25 are to be used to replace the remaining Hercules C-130Ks. (Some of the C-130K fleet was replaced by 25 new C-130J Hercules in 1999, 5 C-17s will be retained).A new version of the
Chinook, the
HC.3, with improved avionics and increased range, was developed mainly for special forces missions. Service entry has been delayed due to software problems and legal issues. The
Hawk 128 will replace the existing Hawks in service; the newer model being more similar in equipment and performance to modern front line aircraft. The ageing aerial refuelling fleet of VC10s and Tristars should be replaced with the
Airbus A330 MRTT under the
Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme. Problems with contract negotiations have led to unsolicited proposals for the conversion of civil Tristars or
DC-10s. The
Joint Combat Aircraft (the British designation for the F-35 Lightning II) will replace the Harrier GR.7 and GR.9. Studies have begun regarding the long term replacement for the Tornado GR.4 (Although the
Future Offensive Air System project was cancelled in 2005). Earlier than this the Eurofighter Typhoon is being enlisted (the RAF has purchased more than any other country of this model), and is set to replace the
Tornado F3 interceptor and the
Jaguar GR3A ground attack aircraft by 2010. The RAF transport helicopter force, the Puma and Sea Kings, are to be replaced by the Support Amphibious and Battlefield Rotorcraft (SABR) project, likely a mix of Merlins and Chinooks.
| Country | Dates | Deployment | Details |
|---|
| Lithuania | 2004 | Baltic Air Policing | 4 Tornado F3 for a 3 months rotation under NATO monitoring mission |
| Afghanistan | 2001– | Operation Veritas | Chinooks provided airlift support to coalition forces. Since late 2004 six Harriers have provided reconnaissance and close air support to the ISAF. |
| Bosnia | 1995– | Merlin helicopters | RAF enforced no-fly zones over the Balkans in the late 1990s and participated in the NATO interventions in Bosnia and Kosovo. Today, RAF helicopters remain to provide support to the United Nations. |
| Ascension Island | 1981– | Ascension Island Base|Used as an air bridge between the UK and the Falkland Islands. United States Air Force also stationed at this base. |
| Canada | 1940s– | RAF Unit Goose Bay, Canada | RAF aircraft train in low-level tactical flying at CFB Goose Bay, an air force base of the Canadian Air Force. |
| Cyprus | 1956– | RAF Akrotiri | Located in the British Sovereign Base Area on Cyprus, the airfield acts a forward base for deployment of UK forces in the Middle East |
| Falkland Islands | 1984– | RAF Mount Pleasant | Built after the Falklands War to allow a fighter and transport facility on the islands, and to strengthen the defence capacity of the British Forces. A detachement of RAF Regiment provides anti-aircraft support. |
| Gibraltar | 1940s– | RAF Gibraltar | No permanently stationed aircraft. RAF aircraft, e.g. Hercules transports, make regular visits. |
| Indonesia | 2005 | Support and transport | RAF dispatched to South East Asia following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake disaster to provide aid relief support |
| Middle East | 1990– | Various | RAF fighters based in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait prior to and during the 1990 Gulf War, and later to enforce no-fly zones over Iraq. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the occupation of southern Iraq by British Forces, the RAF is deployed at Basra. SH is provided in Iraq by Merlin, Puma and Chinook |
| Norway | 1960s– | Bardufoss Air Station | RAF fighter and/or helicopter squadrons undergo winter-training here most years. |
[www.raf.mod.uk Deployments]Following the tradition of the other British fighting services, the RAF has adopted various symbols to represent it and act as a rallying point for its members [
1].
The
RAF Ensign is flown from the flagstaff on every RAF station during daylight hours. It is hoisted and hauled down by station duty staff daily. The design was approved by
King George V in 1921, after much opposition from the Admiralty, who have the right to approve or veto any flag flown ashore or on board ship.
British aircraft in the early stages of the First World War carried the
Union Flag as an identifying feature, however this was easy to confuse with the German Iron Cross motif. Therefore in October 1914 the French system of three concentric rings was adopted, with the colours reversed to a red surrounded by a white and finally a blue ring. The relative sizes of the rings have changed over the years and when camouflage patterns on aircraft were introduced an outer yellow ring was added. Aircraft serving in the
Far East during World War II had the red ring removed to prevent confusion with Japanese aircraft. Modern day aircraft carry low-visibility, washed-out pink and light blue roundels; the exception being training and VIP transport aircraft, which retain the traditional red-white-blue roundel.
The
Latin motto of the RAF, "Per Ardua ad Astra", is usually translated as "Through Adversity to the Stars". The choice of motto is attributed to a junior officer by the name of J S Yule, in response to a request from the first Commander of the RFC,
Colonel Sykes, for suggestions.
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Royal Air Force fin flash (non combat version) |
The badge of the RAF, shown at the top of this article, is in
heraldic terms: "In front of a circle inscribed with the motto Per Ardua Ad Astra and ensigned by the Imperial Crown an eagle volant and affronty Head lowered and to the sinister." It was approved in 1923 based on a design by a
tailor at
Gieves Ltd of
Savile Row, although the original had an albatross rather than the eagle and was surrounded by a garter belt rather than the plain circle.
In 2006 a flash was designed and issued to personnel with the same design as the tail panel for wear on combat clothing. It is 45mm squared. There is also a badge to go over the right chest pocket with the text ROYAL AIR FORCE in black capitals on a green background. There is no desert pattern available.
The RAF also has its own
tartan. Designed in 1988, it was only officially recognised by the
Ministry of Defence in 2001. It is used by the RAF Pipes Band and may be worn by
Officers serving at Scottish units with their No.5 HD Mess Dress.
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List of active United Kingdom military aircraft*
List of RAF stations*
Air Training Corps* Other 'Royal' Air Forces of countries of the British Commonwealth:
** The
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
** The
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF)
** The
Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).:In 1968 the RCAF was amalgamated with the
Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and
Canadian Army to form initially the Canadian Armed Forces, then the
Canadian Forces (CF).
* Other Royal Air Forces of countries with their own national sovereign:
** The
Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF)
** The
Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNeAF)
** The
Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF)
** The
Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF)
** The
Royal Thai Air Force** The
Royal Malaysian Air Force** The
Royal Air Force of Oman(RAFO)
** The
Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAF)
*
RAF website*
RAF Museum*
E-Goat - the Unofficial RAF site*
History section of RAF Website*
RAF Organisational History*
Women in the armed forces (Magazine)*
Military aircrafts of the Royal Air Force
