RAF station
Encyclopedia
A Royal Air Force station is a permanent Royal Air Force
operations location
. Many RAF stations are aerodrome
s, or airbase
s, being the home to one or more flying
squadrons
. Other RAF stations are training
units, administrative units, headquarters
(HQ), or carry out ground-based operational tasks. Although many RAF units are often called stations, they can only be properly classified as an RAF station if they are self-accounting with their own station commander and headquarters. Units without a station commander or headquarters staff will ordinarily be a satellite of an RAF station proper.
In the years before World War II
the RAF went through a period of rapid expansion. One means of achieving this expansion was to group several units together at one location, which then required a separate headquarters staff. This resulted in a considerable growth in the number of stations.
(CO) in charge of an RAF station is titled as the Station Commander. On flying units the Station Commander normally holds the rank of Group Captain
. Most RAF stations are administratively sub-divided into Wings
, and are controlled by a Station Headquarters (SHQ). On a flying station the subordinate Wings have usually been called Operations Wing, Engineering Wing (or Engineering and Supply Wing), and Administration Wing. Engineering Wings are being split into Forward Support Wing and Depth Support Wings, while many Administration Wing have been renamed Base Support Wing.
RAF stations typically have a fence
d perimeter
, and flying stations have the airfield
- with its runway
s, perimeter track, dispersal areas, hangar
s, technical buildings, office
s and accommodation
for personnel who live on the unit. Flying stations are typically in remote
or rural
areas, and are geographically quite large in area.
Non-flying RAF stations are often much smaller in area than flying stations. They may be close to urban
conurbation
s, and may sometimes be situated in historic mansion
s, manor house
s, or other notable buildings of fine architectural quality.
; however RAF Akrotiri
is in the UK Sovereign Base Area of Cyprus
, RAF Gibraltar
is in Gibraltar
, and RAF Mount Pleasant
is in the Falkland Islands
.
Over the last 90-years, there have been hundreds of RAF stations around the world
, a reflection on the involvement of the RAF in war
s and conflicts
, and colonial
policing in many areas across the globe.
s are similar to Squadron Crests; the emblem is surrounded by a light blue ring containing the words "Royal Air Force Station", and the station name, surmounted by a Crown
, and with the motto
in a scroll underneath.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
operations location
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
. Many RAF stations are aerodrome
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
s, or airbase
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
s, being the home to one or more flying
Flight
Flight is the process by which an object moves either through an atmosphere or beyond it by generating lift or propulsive thrust, or aerostatically using buoyancy, or by simple ballistic movement....
squadrons
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
. Other RAF stations are training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
units, administrative units, headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
(HQ), or carry out ground-based operational tasks. Although many RAF units are often called stations, they can only be properly classified as an RAF station if they are self-accounting with their own station commander and headquarters. Units without a station commander or headquarters staff will ordinarily be a satellite of an RAF station proper.
History
In the early years of the RAF, very few of its bases were classified as stations. Some bases which were locally known as RAF location name were officially listed under the unit's title. For example, No. 1 Stores Depot was at RAF Kidbrooke which was described as No. 1 Stores Depot in the official lists.In the years before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the RAF went through a period of rapid expansion. One means of achieving this expansion was to group several units together at one location, which then required a separate headquarters staff. This resulted in a considerable growth in the number of stations.
Structure
The Commanding OfficerCommanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
(CO) in charge of an RAF station is titled as the Station Commander. On flying units the Station Commander normally holds the rank of Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
. Most RAF stations are administratively sub-divided into Wings
Wing (air force unit)
Wing is a term used by different military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing, group or Staffel are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another....
, and are controlled by a Station Headquarters (SHQ). On a flying station the subordinate Wings have usually been called Operations Wing, Engineering Wing (or Engineering and Supply Wing), and Administration Wing. Engineering Wings are being split into Forward Support Wing and Depth Support Wings, while many Administration Wing have been renamed Base Support Wing.
RAF stations typically have a fence
Fence
A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage .Fences...
d perimeter
Perimeter
A perimeter is a path that surrounds an area. The word comes from the Greek peri and meter . The term may be used either for the path or its length - it can be thought of as the length of the outline of a shape. The perimeter of a circular area is called circumference.- Practical uses :Calculating...
, and flying stations have the airfield
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
- with its runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s, perimeter track, dispersal areas, hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s, technical buildings, office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
s and accommodation
Lodging
Lodging is a type of residential accommodation. People who travel and stay away from home for more than a day need lodging for sleep, rest, safety, shelter from cold temperatures or rain, storage of luggage and access to common household functions.Lodgings may be self catering in which case no...
for personnel who live on the unit. Flying stations are typically in remote
Remote
Remote may refer to:* Remote control, commonly known as a remote* Remote broadcast, commonly known in broadcasting as a person or a live remote* Remote access* Remote desktop...
or rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
areas, and are geographically quite large in area.
Non-flying RAF stations are often much smaller in area than flying stations. They may be close to urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
s, and may sometimes be situated in historic mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
s, manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
s, or other notable buildings of fine architectural quality.
Locations
Current RAF stations are mainly in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
; however RAF Akrotiri
RAF Akrotiri
Royal Air Force Station Akrotiri, more commonly known as RAF Akrotiri , is a large Royal Air Force station, on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which comprise Akrotiri and Dhekelia, a British Overseas Territory, administered as a...
is in the UK Sovereign Base Area of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, RAF Gibraltar
RAF Gibraltar
Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits...
is in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, and RAF Mount Pleasant
RAF Mount Pleasant
RAF Mount Pleasant is a military base for the Royal Air Force in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The facility is part of the British Forces South Atlantic Islands...
is in the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
.
Over the last 90-years, there have been hundreds of RAF stations around the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
, a reflection on the involvement of the RAF in war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
s and conflicts
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, and colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
policing in many areas across the globe.
Heraldry
RAF Station CrestCrest (heraldry)
A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
s are similar to Squadron Crests; the emblem is surrounded by a light blue ring containing the words "Royal Air Force Station", and the station name, surmounted by a Crown
Crown (heraldry)
A Crown is often an emblem of the monarchy, a monarch's government, or items endorsed by it; see The Crown. A specific type of crown is employed in heraldry under strict rules....
, and with the motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
in a scroll underneath.
See also
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
- AirbaseAirbaseAn airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
- Airfield
- Naval Air StationNaval Air StationA Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...