, the oldest independent air force in the world.
The RAF operates almost 1,109 aircraft and, as of 31 March 2009, had a projected trained strength of 41,440 regular personnel, making it the largest and most powerful air force in the
. The majority of the RAF's aircraft and personnel are based in the UK with many others serving on operations (principally
, which are to "provide the capabilities needed: to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories, including against terrorism; to support the Government’s foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security."
Air Force that, person for person, is second to none, and that makes a decisive air power contribution in support of the UK Defence Mission."
, the concept that guides the RAF strategy.
is defined as: "The ability to project military force in air or space by or from a platform or missile operating above the surface of the earth. Air platforms are defined as any aircraft, helicopter or unmanned air vehicle." Although the RAF is the principal British air power arm,
's Army Air Corps also deliver air power which is integrated into the maritime and land environments respectively.
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|-bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
!Country!!Dates!!Deployment!!Details
|-
| GibraltarGibraltar is a self-governing British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe at the entrance of the Mediterranean overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory covers and shares a land border with Spain to the north...
|| 1940s– || RAF GibraltarRoyal 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...
|| No permanently stationed aircraft. RAF aircraft, e.g. Hercules transports, make regular visits.
|-style="background:#efefef; color:black"
| CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
|| 1940s– || RAF Unit Goose Bay, Canada || RAF aircraft train in low-level tactical flying at CFB Goose BayCanadian Forces Base Goose Bay , is a Canadian Forces Base located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador....
, a NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
air force base of the Canadian Air ForceCanadian Forces Air Command , also known as the Canadian Air Force, is the air force element of the Canadian Forces. AIRCOM is the descendant of the Royal Canadian Air Force , which was Canada's air force from its foundation in 1924 until February 1, 1968...
.
|-
| CyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....
|| 1956– || RAF AkrotiriRoyal 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 south of the island, south southwest of Limassol in the UK sovereign base area of Akrotiri...
RAF NicosiaThe former Royal Air Force Station Nicosia, commonly known as RAF Nicosia, was a Royal Air Force airbase in Cyprus. RAF Nicosia was Headquarters Royal Air Force Cyprus from 8 June to 29 July 1941...
RAF LuqaRAF Luqa was an airbase of the Royal Air Force on the island of Malta during World War II. Particularly from 1941 to 1943, RAF Luqa was a very important base for British Commonwealth forces fighting against Italy and Germany for naval control of the Mediterranean and for ground control of North...
RAF Hal FarThe RAF Hal Far airfield in Malta, titled HMS Falcon during the Royal Navy base, was constructed and opened on 1 April 1929, and was used by Royal Navy air crews. It was the first permanent airfield to be built in Malta. It was transferred to the Maltese Government and redeveloped as from January...
|| Operation MusketeerOperation Musketeer was the Anglo-French-Israeli plan for the invasion of Egypt to capture the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis. Israel had the additional objective to open the Straits of Tiran....
also known as the Suez crisisThe Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, was a military attack on Egypt by Britain, France, and Israel beginning on 29 October 1956....
involved RAF aircraft based on MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
and Cyprus. Although no RAF bases remain on Malta, RAF aircraft continue to be stationed at RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus.
|-style="background:#efefef; color:black"
| NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
|| 1960s– || Bardufoss Air StationBardufoss Air Station is located in the municipality of Målselv in Troms county in Northern Norway. It is the location for the 139th Air Wing and two helicopter squadrons; the 337 Squadron operating Lynx MK 86 for the Norwegian Coast Guard and the 339 Squadron equipped with Bell 412SPs...
|| RAF fighter and/or helicopter squadrons undergo winter-training here most years.
|-
| Ascension IslandAscension Island is an isolated island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa, and from the coast of South America. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Saint Helena, which is to...
|| 1981– || RAF Ascension Island
||Used as an air bridge between the UK and the Falkland IslandsThe Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located approximately from the coast of mainland South America, from mainland Antarctica, and from Africa. There are two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, as well as 776 smaller islands...
. United States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947 - 80 P.L....
also stationed at this base.
|-style="background:#efefef; color:black"
| Falkland IslandsThe Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located approximately from the coast of mainland South America, from mainland Antarctica, and from Africa. There are two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, as well as 776 smaller islands...
|| 1984– || RAF Mount PleasantRAF 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...
|| Built after the Falklands WarThe Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
to allow a fighter and transport facility on the islands, and to strengthen the defence capacity of the British Forces.
|-
| BosniaBosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( or (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in Southeast Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula...
|| 1995– || Various helicopters || RAF enforced no-fly zones over the Balkans in the late 1990s and participated in the NATO interventions in Bosnia and Kosovo. Currently, RAF helicopters remain to provide support to the United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
.
|-style="background:#efefef; color:black"
| AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
|| 2001– || Operation VeritasOperation Veritas was the codename used for British military operations against the Taliban government of Afghanistan in 2001. British forces very much played a supporting role to the American Operation Enduring Freedom. In addition, the British contribution was an important part of the overall...
Operation HerrickOperation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom...
|| Chinooks provided airlift support to coalition forces. Since late 1998 six Harriers provided reconnaissance and close air support to the ISAFInternational Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security and development mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement.- Overview :...
. The Harriers were replaced by an equivalent force of Tornados GR4 in mid 2009.
|}
History
While the British were not the first to make use of heavier-than-air military aircraft, the RAF is the world's oldest independent air force. It was founded on 1 April 1918, during the First World War, by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance...
and the Royal Naval Air ServiceThe Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
. After the war, the service was drastically cut and its inter-war years were relatively quiet, with the RAF taking responsibility for the control of IraqIraq Command was the RAF-led inter-service command in charge of all British forces in Iraq in the 1920s and early 1930s, during the period of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia...
and executing a number of minor actions in other parts of the British EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was...
.
The RAF underwent rapid expansion prior to and during the Second World War. Under the British Commonwealth Air Training PlanThe British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, also known as the Empire Air Training Scheme, Empire Air Training Plan, Commonwealth Air Training Plan or simply "The Plan" or "The Scheme", was a massive air-training program involving the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Southern...
of December 1939, the air forces of British CommonwealthThe Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the Commonwealth and previously as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-three independent member states. Most of them were formerly part of the British Empire. They co-operate within a framework of common values...
countries trained and formed "Article XV squadronsArticle XV squadrons were Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand air force flying squadrons formed from graduates of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during World War II.-History:...
" for service with RAF formations. Many individual personnel from these countries, and exiles from occupied Europe, also served with RAF squadrons.
In the Battle of BritainThe Battle of Britain is the name given to the air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940. The objective of the campaign was to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force , especially Fighter Command...
, in the late summer of 1940, the RAF (Helped by multinational i.e. Polish, Czechoslovakian pilots and ground personnel) defended the skies over Britain against the German LuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1933 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956.Schweizer Luftwaffe is also the name of the Swiss Air...
, helping foil Hitler's plans for an invasionOperation Sea Lion was Nazi Germany's plan to invade England during World War II, beginning in 1940. However, to have any chance of success, the operation required air supremacy over the English Channel...
of the United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, and prompting Prime Minister Winston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
to say in the House of Commons on 20 August, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few"Never was so much owed by so many to so few is the name commonly given to a speech made by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill at the height of the Battle of Britain on August 20, 1940...
.
The largest RAF effort during the war was the strategic bombingStrategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
campaign against Germany by Bomber CommandRAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II, the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s was at the peak of its postwar power with the V bombers and a...
. While RAF bombing of Germany began almost immediately upon the outbreak of war, under the leadership of Air Chief Marshal HarrisMarshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet GCB OBE AFC RAF , commonly known as "Bomber" Harris by the press, and often within the RAF as "Butcher" Harris, was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command during the latter half of World...
, these attacks became increasingly devastating from 1942 onward as new technology and greater numbers of superior aircraft became available. The RAF adopted night-time area bombing on German cities such as Hamburg|-||-||-||-||-||-||}The Allied Bombing of Hamburg during World War II included numerous strategic bombing missions and diversion/nuisance raids. As a large port and industrial center, Hamburg's shipyards, U-boat pens, and the Hamburg-Harburg area oil refineries were attacked throughout the war...
and Dresden, and developed precision bombing techniques for specific operations, such as the "Dambusters" raidOperation Chastise was the official name for the attacks on German dams on 16/17 May 1943 in the Second World War using a specially developed "bouncing bomb" invented and developed by " Dr. Barnes Wallis ". The attack was carried out by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, subsequently known as the...
by No. 617 SquadronNo. 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It currently operates the Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role...
, or the Amiens prison raid known as Operation JerichoOperation Jericho was a low-level World War II bombing raid by Allied aircraft on Amiens Prison in German-occupied France on 18 February 1944. The object of the raid was to free French Resistance and political prisoners, 120 of whom were to be executed the following day.Mosquito bombers succeeded...
.
During the Cold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition existing after World War II , primarily between the USSR and its satellite states, and the powers of the Western world, including the United States...
years the main role of the RAF was the defence of the continent of EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
against potential attack by the Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
, including holding the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrentThe United Kingdom was the third state to test an independently developed nuclear weapon, in October 1952. It is one of the five "Nuclear Weapons States" under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which the UK ratified in 1968...
for a number of years. After the Cold War, the RAF was involved in several large scale operations, including the Kosovo WarThe term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts in Kosovo:#Early 1998–1999: War between Yugoslav police forces, Yugoslav paramilitaries, and the Kosovo Albanian insurgents....
, the 2001 invasion of AfghanistanThe War in Afghanistan is an ongoing coalition conflict which began on October 7, 2001, as the British military participated in the US military's Operation Enduring Freedom that was launched in response to the September 11 attacks...
and the 2003 invasion of IraqThe 2003 invasion of Iraq, was led by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia, Denmark, Poland and Spain. Four countries participated with troops during the initial invasion phase, which lasted from March 20 to May 1...
.
The RAF celebrated its 90th birthday with a flypastFlypast is a term used in the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and other countries to denote ceremonial or honorific flights by groups of aircraft and, rarely, by a single aircraft. Flypast is a term used in the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and other countries to denote ceremonial or...
of the Red ArrowsThe Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force, based at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, UK...
and four TyphoonThe Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine canard-delta wing multirole aircraft. It is being designed and built by a consortium of three separate partner companies: Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems, and EADS working through a holding company Eurofighter GmbH which was formed in 1986...
s over many RAF Stations and Central London on 1 April 2008.
The Royal Air Force Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of aviation, and the Royal Air Force in particular. It is based at two sites, ColindaleColindale is an area in the London Borough of Barnet, although its main shopping street is in the London Borough of Brent on its western side. It is a suburban development, situated 8 miles north west of Charing Cross.-History:...
in north London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, and Cosford, ShropshireCosford is a village in Shropshire, England. It lies between the town of Shifnal and the large village of Albrighton. It has a railway station and from spring 2008 a direct train service to London is expected to be provided by Wrexham & Shropshire....
.
Structure
The professional head of the RAF is the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief MarshalAir Chief Marshal is a senior air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Stephen DaltonAir Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Gary George Dalton, KCB, BSc, FRAeS, RAF is the current Chief of the Air Staff and professional head of the Royal Air Force.-Military career:...
. The CAS heads the Air Force BoardThe Air Force Board of the Defence Council is responsible for the management of the Royal Air Force.Prior to the creation of the current UK Ministry of Defence in 1964, the administration of the RAF and its personnel was undertaken by the Air Force Council, part of the Air Ministry...
, which is a committee of the Defence CouncilThe Defence Council of the United Kingdom is the body legally entrusted with the defence of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories and with control over the British armed forces, and is part of the Ministry of Defence.-Functions:...
. The Air Force Board is the management board of the RAF and consists of the Commander-in-Chief of Air CommandAir Command is the only command currently active in the Royal Air Force.The formation of Air Command was announced to Parliament by the Defence Secretary, Rt Hon Des Browne on 15 March 2007...
(currently Air Chief Marshal Sir Chris MoranAir Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Hugh Moran, KCB, OBE, MVO is a senior Royal Air Force officer and the current Commander-in-Chief RAF Air Command .-Military career:...
), together with several other high ranking officers. The CAS also has a deputy known as the Assistant Chief of the Air StaffThe Assistant Chief of the Air Staff is a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force. The incumbent is in practical terms the deputy to the head of the RAF, the Chief of the Air Staff....
(ACAS); this post is held by Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-Marshal is an air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries...
T M AndersonAir Vice-Marshal Timothy Michael 'Timo' Anderson CB, DSO, MA FRAes RAF is a senior serving Royal Air Force Officer and the current Assistant Chief of the Air Staff .-Career History:...
.
Commands
Authority is delegated from the Air Force Board to the RAF's commandsA command in military use has several meanings.In referring to military organization it is a collection of units or a group of personnel under the control of a single officer...
. While there were once individual commands responsible for bombers, fighters, training, etc, only one command now exists:
- Air Command
Air Command is the only command currently active in the Royal Air Force.The formation of Air Command was announced to Parliament by the Defence Secretary, Rt Hon Des Browne on 15 March 2007...
(Headquarters at RAF High WycombeRAF High Wycombe is a Royal Air Force station, situated in the village of Walters Ash, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England. Its purpose is to serve the needs of the RAF Air Command, situated on the site. It is also the headquarters of the European Air Group...
): responsible for the operation of all of the RAF.
Groups
Groups are the subdivisions of operational commands; these are responsible for certain types of operation or for operations in limited geographical areas. As from 1 April 2007, three groups exist:
- 1 Group
Number 1 Group of the Royal Air Force is one of the two operations groups in Air Command.The group is today referred to as the Air Combat Group, as it 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,...
(the Air Combat Group): controls the RAF's combat fast jet aircraft, including Joint Force HarrierJoint Force Harrier is the British military formation which controls the STOVL Harrier aircraft of the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm. It is sub-ordinate to RAF Air Command....
, and has seven airfields in the UK in addition to RAF Unit Goose Bay in Canada, which is used extensively as an operational training base.
- 2 Group
Number 2 Group is a Group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918-20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Command....
(the Air Combat Support Group): controls the strategic and tactical air transport aircraft, the RAF RegimentThe Royal Air Force Regiment is a specialist airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942. After a 29 week trainee gunner course its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and ensure...
, the RAF's air-to-air refuellingAerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight. Applied to helicopters, it is known as HAR for Helicopter Aerial Refueling...
aircraft as well as ISTAR and search and rescueThe RAF Search and Rescue Force is the Royal Air Force organization which provide around the clock aeronautical search and rescue cover in the United Kingdom, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands.-Role:...
assets.
- 22 Group
Number 22 Group is one of only three groups currently active in the Royal Air Force falling under the responsibility of Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel in Air Command. Its current full title is Number 22 Group and it is responsible for RAF training policy and controlling the Royal Air Force...
: responsible for personnel selection, training and management.
In addition, No. 83 Group RAFNo. 83 Group was a group within the Royal Air Force's 2nd Tactical Air Force during the Second World War and the post-war era. In 2006, the group was re-established as No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group.-History:...
, under the command of the Permanent Joint HeadquartersThe Permanent Joint Headquarters is the British tri-service headquarters from where all overseas military operations are planned and controlled...
, is active in the Middle East, supporting operations over Iraq and Afghanistan.
Stations
An RAF stationA Royal Air Force station is a permanent Royal Air Force operations location. Many RAF stations are aerodromes, or airbases, being the home to one or more flying squadrons. Other RAF stations are training units, administrative units, headquarters , or carry out ground-based operational tasks...
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 wingWing is a term used by different Military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing and group are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another, and this may cause confusion. In some military aviation services, such as those of the United States, a wing is a...
is either an operational sub-division of a group or an administrative 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 TelicOperation TELIC is the codename under which all British operations of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted. A total of 46,000 troops of all the British Services were committed to the operation at its start...
, Tornado GR4 wings were formed to operate from Ali Al SalemAli Al Salem Air Base is a military airbase situated in Kuwait, approximately 23 miles from the Iraqi border. The airfield is owned by the Government of Kuwait, and during Operation Southern Watch and Operation Telic / Operation Iraqi Freedom hosted Royal Air Force , United States Air Force and...
and Al UdeidAl Udeid Air Base is a military base west of Doha, Qatar. It houses coalition personnel and assets. It is host to a forward headquarters of United States Central Command, and home to No...
air bases and the Tornado F3The Panavia Tornado Air Defence Variant is an interceptor version of the Panavia Tornado in service with the British Royal Air Force. The aircraft's first flight was on 27 October 1979 and entered service in 1986. It is a long-range, twin-engine aircraft, originally designed to intercept Soviet...
equipped LeucharsRAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
Fighter Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base; each of these were made up of aircraft and crews from several squadrons.
On 31 March 2006, the RAF formed nine Expeditionary Air WingOn 1st April 2006 Expeditionary Air Wings were formed at nine of the RAF's Main Operating Bases. Each EAW has its own identity and is led by the Station Commander, supported by his Station management team...
s (EAWs) in order to support operations. They have been established at the nine main operating bases; RAF ConingsbyRAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain John Hitchcock since 15 December 2008....
, RAF CottesmoreRAF Cottesmore is a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station houses all the operational Harrier GR7 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing.- Station crest :...
, RAF KinlossRAF Kinloss is a Royal Air Force station near Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. The station is home to all of the Nimrod MR2 fleet in the Royal Air Force.-WW2:...
, RAF LeemingRAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, UK.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Leeming.The station opened in 1940 as a bomber station during the Second World War. In 1943 the station was assigned to No. 6 Group Royal Canadian Air Force with a...
, RAF LeucharsRAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
, RAF LossiemouthRAF Lossiemouth is a Royal Air Force station to the west of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. It is one of the RAF's biggest bases and currently Britain's main base for Tornado GR4s.-WW2:...
, RAF LynehamRAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It is the home of all the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force. The station is also home to No. 38 Expeditionary Air Wing.-History:...
, RAF MarhamRoyal Air Force Station Marham, commonly known as RAF Marham, is a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, near the village of Marham in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia....
and RAF WaddingtonRAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Early History:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
numbered Nos 121, 122, 325, 135, 125, 140, 38, 138 and 34 EAWs respectively. These units are commanded by a group captainGroup 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...
who is also the parent unit's Station Commander. The EAW comprises the non-formed unit elements of the station that are required to support a deployed operating base, i.e. the command and control, logistics and administration functions amongst others. They are designed to be flexible and quickly adaptable for differing operations. They are independent of flying squadrons, Air Combat Support Units (ACSU) and Air Combat Service Support Units (ACSSU) who are attached to the EAW depending on the task it has been assigned.
A wing is also an administrative sub-division of an RAF station. Historically, for a flying station these were normally Operations Wing, Engineering Wing and Administration Wing and each wing was commanded by an officer of wing commanderWing Commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above Squadron Leader and immediately below Group Captain...
rank. In the 21st century, new names have been used on stations such as Forward Support Wing, Base Support Wing and Logistics Wing etc.
Squadrons
A flying squadron is an aircraft unit which carries 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 based, which aircraft they are operating, etc. They can be awarded standardsA flag is a piece of fabric, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used symbolically for signaling or identification. It is most commonly used to symbolize a country...
and battle honoursBattle Honours are awarded by the Sovereign to Royal Air Force squadrons to commemorate the squadron's role in a particular operation.This practice was inherited by the RAF from its Army and Navy predecessors upon its creation in 1918. Several squadrons therefore carry honours awarded when they...
for meritorious service. Whilst every squadron is different, most flying squadrons are commanded by a wing commanderWing Commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above Squadron Leader and immediately below Group Captain...
and, for a fast-jet squadron, have an establishment of around 100 personnel and 12 aircraft, but 16 aircraft for Tornado F3 Squadrons.(note that this type is now only flown by 111 Squadron now).
The term squadronA squadron is a small unit or formation of cavalry, armour, aircraft , or warships.-Army and Marines:A cavalry squadron , typically consists of four troops.-United States:...
can be used to refer to a sub-unit of an administrative wing or small RAF station, e.g. Air Traffic Control Squadron, Personnel Management Squadron etc. There are also Ground Support Squadrons, e.g. No 2 (Mechanical Transport) Squadron which is located at RAF Wittering. Administrative squadrons are normally commanded by a squadron leaderSquadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
.
Flights
A flightA flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel.-Origins:The use of...
is a sub-division of a squadron. Flying squadrons are often divided into two flights, e.g. "A" and "B", each under the command of a squadron leaderSquadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
. Administrative squadrons on a station are also divided into flights and these flights are commanded by a junior officerThe term junior officer is sometimes used to make clear that an officer in a military or paramilitary unit is not in overall command. The term senior officer is reserved for the officer in overall command....
, often a flight lieutenantFlight Lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above Flying Officer and immediately below Squadron Leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "Lieutenant"...
.
Due to their small size, there are several flying units formed as flights rather than squadrons. For example No. 1435 FlightNo. 1435 Flight is a unit of the Royal Air Force based in the Falkland Islands.While the UK officially does not foresee any threat to the Falkland Islands, it maintains significant military forces as a deterrent against any aggressor...
is based at RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands, maintaining air defence cover with four Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
Personnel
In 2007 the RAF employed 40,370 active duty personnel , 1,450 RAF Volunteer Reserves and 3,400 regular reservists. At its height (1944) during the Second World War, in excess of 1,100,000 personnel were serving at any one time. The longest-lived founding member of the RAF was Henry AllinghamHenry William Allingham was a British supercentenarian, First World War veteran and, for one month, the oldest verified living man in the world...
, who died in 2009 aged 113.
Officers
Officers hold a commissionLetters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of an open letter issued by a monarch or government, granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or to some entity such as a corporation. The opposite of letters patent are letters close , which are personal in nature...
from the SovereignThe Monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
, which provides the legal authority for them to issue orders to subordinates. The commission of a regular officer is granted after successfully completing the 32-week-long Initial Officer Training course at the RAF College, Cranwell, LincolnshireLincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire. It also borders Northamptonshire for just 19 metres, England's shortest county boundary...
. Other officers also train at RAF Cranwell, but on different courses, such as professionally qualified officers.
The titles and insignia of RAF officers were chiefly derived from those used by the Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
, specifically the Royal Naval Air ServiceThe Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
(RNAS) during World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
. For example, the rank of Squadron LeaderSquadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
derived its name from the RNAS rank of Squadron Commander. RAF officers fall into three categories: air officersAn air officer is a British Royal Air Force officer of rank Air Commodore or higher. Such officers may be termed officers of air rank. The term is also used by many Commonwealth nations who have a similar rank structure to the RAF....
, senior officers and junior officerThe term junior officer is sometimes used to make clear that an officer in a military or paramilitary unit is not in overall command. The term senior officer is reserved for the officer in overall command....
s.
Other ranks
Other ranks attend the Recruit Training Squadron at RAF HaltonRoyal Air Force Station Halton, more commonly known as RAF Halton is one of the larger Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire....
for basic training, with the exception of the RAF RegimentThe Royal Air Force Regiment is a specialist airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942. After a 29 week trainee gunner course its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and ensure...
, which trains its recruits at RAF HoningtonRAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located six miles south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during World War II, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment....
.
The titles and insignia of other ranks in the RAF was based on that of the ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
, 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 ranks of Chief TechnicianChief Technician is a non-commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force which is only held by airmen in technical trades and by musicians. It is between Sergeant and Flight Sergeant and, like the latter has a NATO code of OR-7. Airmen in non-technical trades progress directly from sergeant to flight...
and Junior TechnicianJunior Technician is a rank in the Royal Air Force, ranking between Senior Aircraftman and Corporal, with a NATO rank code of OR-2. As of 2005, no more airmen are being promoted to this rank....
continue 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
- RAF Pilots
An aviator is a person who flies aircraft for pleasure or as a profession. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887 as a variation of the French 'aviation', from the latin 'avis', coined 1863 by G. de la Landelle in "Aviation ou Navigation Aérienne"...
and Weapon Systems Officers (WSO) (formerly known as NavigatorThe title Flight Officer is a military rank previously used by the United States and Commonwealth Nations. The term is also used to describe job title positions as aircrew members.- Aircrew function :...
s) are commissioned officers on the General Duties List.
- Non-commissioned (NCO) Aircrew known as Weapons System Operators (WSOp), fulfil the specialist roles of air engineer (E), air electronics operator (AEOp), air loadmaster (ALM) and air signaller (S). Though they are now known collectively as weapon systems operators, individual trade specialisations remain.
The majority of the members of the RAF serve in support roles on the ground.
- 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, arming aircraft with weapons, as well as deeper level repair work on aircraft systems, IT systems, ground based radar, vehicles, ground support equipment, etc.
- RAF Regiment
The Royal Air Force Regiment is a specialist airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942. After a 29 week trainee gunner course its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and ensure...
officers and gunners in the regiment defend RAF airfields from attack. They have infantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of the Combat Arms they are the backbone of armies...
and light armoured units to protect against ground attack.
- RAF Intelligence
Royal Air Force Intelligence is formed by Officers of the Royal Air Force Operations Support Branch and Airmen from the Intelligence Analyst Trade and Intelligence Analyst Trade...
Officers and Intelligence Analysts of RAF IntelligenceRoyal Air Force Intelligence is formed by Officers of the Royal Air Force Operations Support Branch and Airmen from the Intelligence Analyst Trade and Intelligence Analyst Trade...
support all operational activities by providing timely and accurate indicators & warnings. They conduct detailed all source military intelligenceMilitary intelligence is a military service that uses intelligence gathering disciplines to collect informations that informs commanders decision making process....
fusion and analysis by utilising classified and open source information including imagery, human and communications (signals) intelligence. Intelligence is used to inform commanders of the assessed capabilities and intentions of the enemy for strategic / operational planning and targeting. They also tailor the information to brief aircrews for mission planning and other tactical units (such as RAF Regiment) for Force Protection.
- RAF Police
The Royal Air Force Police is the military police branch of the British Royal Air Force. It was formed on 1 April 1918, when the RAF was formed from the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service...
are the military policeMilitary police are normally the police of a military organization.Military police may refer to:* a section of the military solely responsible for policing the armed forces...
of the RAF.
- Aerospace Battle Managers (formally Fighter Controllers (FC)) and Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), 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 Pers Admin trades are involved with human resources management, training management, physical education, catering, infrastructure management, accounts, dress and discipline, personnel and recruitment.
- Royal Air Force chaplains
A military chaplain is a chaplain who ministers to soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and other members of the military.-Nomination:Chaplains are nominated in different ways in different countries. A military chaplain can be an army-trained soldier with additional theological training or a priest...
are trained by the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Amport HouseAmport House, currently the British Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre , is a manor house at in the village of Amport, near Andover, Hampshire....
.
- RAF Medical Branch
The RAF Medical Branch is the branch of the Royal Air Force that provides health care at home and on deployed operations to RAF service personnel. Medical officers are the doctors of the RAF and have specialist expertise in aviation medicine to support aircrew and their protective equipment...
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.
- RAF Legal Branch
The Royal Air Force Legal Branch or Directorate Legal Services - as it is better known - is the uniformed legal service provider for the Royal Air Force. It consists of solicitors and barristers qualified in a Commonwealth jurisdiction. DLS is headquartered at Air Command RAF High Wycombe...
provides legal advice on discipline / criminal law and operations law.
Reserves
- [RAuxAF]] and RAF Volunteer Reserve personnel fulfil a number of specialist roles in ground roles, including Operations, Intelligence and RAF Regiment in support of the regular RAF.
- RAF Volunteer Reserve(Training) are responsible for the management and operation of the Air Training Corps
The Air Training Corps is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organization and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air Commodore Ian R W Stewart, serving...
, Volunteer Gliding SquadronVolunteer Gliding Squadrons are Royal Air Force flying training units, operating military Viking TX.1 and Vigilant T.1 gliders to train Air Cadets from the Combined Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps....
s, Air Experience Flights, University Air SquadronUniversity Air Squadrons are training units of the Royal Air Force which primarily provide basic flying training and adventurous training to undergraduate students at British universities...
and the Defence Technical Undergraduate SchemeThe Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme is a university sponsorship programme for students who want to join the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force or Engineering and Science branch of the MOD Civil Service as technical officers after they graduate; Army sponsored students are destined...
.
Specialist training and education
The Royal Air Force operates several units and centres for the provision of non-generic training and education. These include the Royal Air Force Leadership Centre and the Royal Air Force Centre for Air Power StudiesThe Royal Air Force Centre for Air Power Studies is a Royal Air Force sponsored think tank which engages in the study of air power.The centre was launched on 23 August 2007 by Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, Chief of the Air Staff...
, both based at RAF Cranwell, and the Air Warfare CentreThe Air Warfare Centre, known as the AWC, is a Royal Air Force research and testing organization based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire in the United Kingdom...
, based at RAF Waddington and RAF CranwellRAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain N Wharmby...
. NCO training and developmental courses occur at RAF HaltonRoyal Air Force Station Halton, more commonly known as RAF Halton is one of the larger Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire....
and officer courses occur at the Joint Services Command and Staff CollegeJoint Services Command and Staff College is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence Civil Service, and serving officers of other states.JSCSC combined the single service...
at Shrivenham.
Aircraft
British military aircraft designationsSince the end of the First World War, aircraft types in British military service have generally been known by a "type name" assigned by their manufacturer, or bestowed upon them by the first military service to bring them into service. Individual variants are recognised by mark numbers...
generally comprise a type name followed by a mark numberThe word Mark, followed by number, is a common way to name a product in a production line, similar in meaning to "Type". It is often abbreviated as Mk or M. Because a mark is often made to measure height or progress, by metonymy the word mark is used to mean a level of development, and level...
which includes an alphabetical rôle prefix. For example, the Tornado F3 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 the offensive support fleet is the Tornado GR4The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine combat aircraft, which was jointly developed by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy. There are three primary versions of the Tornado; the Tornado IDS fighter-bomber, the suppression of enemy air defences Tornado ECR and the Tornado ADV ...
. This supersonic aircraft can carry a wide range of weaponry, including Storm ShadowStorm Shadow is an Anglo-French air-launched cruise missile, manufactured by MBDA and used by France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Greece. Storm Shadow is the British name for the weapon; in French service it is called SCALP EG...
cruise missiles, laser-guided bombs and the ALARM anti-radar missile.
The Tornado is supplemented by the Harrier GR7/GR7A which is used in the strike and close air supportIn military tactics, close air support is air action against hostile targets that requires detailed coordination and integration with ground forces. It is typically used to support ground troops, providing firepower at critical points....
roles, and to counter enemy air defences. The Harrier is being upgraded to GR9/GR9A standard with newer systems and more powerful Rolls Royce Pegasus engines. The Harrier GR9 was formally accepted into RAF service in late September 2006.
The Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4, has from June 2008 achieved the required standard for multi-role operational deployment.
File:Eurofighter-NellisAFB-2008.jpg|Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4
File:Tornado GR4s, 617 Squadron 2006.jpg|Tornado GR4The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine combat aircraft, which was jointly developed by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy. There are three primary versions of the Tornado; the Tornado IDS fighter-bomber, the suppression of enemy air defences Tornado ECR and the Tornado ADV ...
File:RAF Harrier GR9.JPG|Harrier GR9
Air defence and airborne early warning aircraft
The Panavia Tornado F3The Panavia Tornado Air Defence Variant is an interceptor version of the Panavia Tornado in service with the British Royal Air Force. The aircraft's first flight was on 27 October 1979 and entered service in 1986. It is a long-range, twin-engine aircraft, originally designed to intercept Soviet...
and Eurofighter Typhoon F2 are the RAF's air defence fighter aircraft, based at RAF LeucharsRAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
and RAF ConingsbyRAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain John Hitchcock since 15 December 2008....
respectively. Their task is to defend the UK’s airspace. In October 2007 it was announced that RAF Boscombe DownMoD Boscombe Down is an aircraft testing site located south of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. It is run and managed by QinetiQ, the company created as part of the break up of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in 2001 by the UK Ministry of Defence...
will become one of a number of quick reaction alert airbase from early 2008, offering around the clock fighter coverage for the South and South West of UK airspace when a direct threat has been identified, otherwise the aircraft will be based at RAF Leuchars and Coningsby as described above.
The Tornado, in service in the air defence role since the late 1980s, is being replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon F2, based at RAF ConingsbyRAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain John Hitchcock since 15 December 2008....
. The RAF's second operational Typhoon unit, 11 Sqn, reformed on 29 March 2007, joining 3 SqnNo. 3 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Typhoon F2 and T1 from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.-Foundation and First World War:No. 3 Squadron was formed at Larkhill on 13 May 1912 from No 2 Company of the Air Battalion Royal Engineers...
, also based at RAF ConingsbyRAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain John Hitchcock since 15 December 2008....
. The Tornado F3s at RAF Leuchars will gradually be phased out and replaced with Typhoons, which will also be based at RAF Leuchars.
The Sentry AEW1The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American military airborne warning and control system aircraft based on the Boeing 707 that provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications, to the United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, and NATO air defense forces. It is...
, based at RAF WaddingtonRAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Early History:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
, provides airborne early warning to detect incoming enemy aircraft and to co-ordinate the aerial battlefield. Both the Sentry and the Tornado F3 have been involved in recent operations including over IraqIraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...
and the BalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
Reconnaissance aircraft
The Tornado GR4A is fitted with cameras and sensors in the visual, infra-red and radar ranges of the spectrum.
The Nimrod R1The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod is a maritime patrol aircraft developed in the United Kingdom. It is an extensive modification of the de Havilland Comet, the world's first jet airliner. It was originally designed by de Havilland's successor, Hawker Siddeley, now part of BAE Systems...
provides electronic and signals intelligence.
The new Sentinel R1The Raytheon Sentinel is a Bombardier Global Express modified as an airborne battlefield and ground surveillance platform for the British Royal Air Force. Originally known as the ASTOR programme the aircraft is operated by a RAF squadron manned by both air force and army personnel...
(also known as ASTOR – Airborne STand-Off Radar) provides a ground radar-surveillance platform based on the Bombardier Global Express long range business jet. These will be supplemented in 2009 by four Beechcraft Shadow R1The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
aircraft equipped for the ISTARISTAR stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance. In its macroscopic sense, ISTAR is a practice that links several battlefield functions together to assist a combat force in employing its sensors and managing the information they gather.Information is collected on...
role over Afghanistan.
A pair of MQ-9 ReaperThe MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, and the British Royal Air Force...
Unmanned aerial vehicleAn unmanned aerial vehicle is an aircraft that flies without a human crew. Their largest uses are in military applications. To distinguish UAVs from missiles, a UAV is defined as a reusable, uncrewed vehicle capable of controlled, sustained, level flight and powered by a jet or reciprocating...
s have been purchased to support operations in Iraq and AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
. They are operated by No. 39 Squadron RAFNo. 39 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the MQ-9 Reaper since 2007, operating from Creech AFB, Nevada, USA.-World War I:39 Squadron was founded at Hounslow in April 1916 with B.E.2s and Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12s in an attempt to defend against German Zeppelin raids on London...
. A third MQ-9 is in the process of being purchased.
File:Boeing.e3-d.sentry.takeoff.arp.jpg|Sentry AEW1The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American military airborne warning and control system aircraft based on the Boeing 707 that provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications, to the United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, and NATO air defense forces. It is...
File:Nimrod R1.jpg|Nimrod R1The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod is a maritime patrol aircraft developed in the United Kingdom. It is an extensive modification of the de Havilland Comet, the world's first jet airliner. It was originally designed by de Havilland's successor, Hawker Siddeley, now part of BAE Systems...
File:Raf-sentinel-ZJ692-071029-08-16.jpg|Sentinel R1The Raytheon Sentinel is a Bombardier Global Express modified as an airborne battlefield and ground surveillance platform for the British Royal Air Force. Originally known as the ASTOR programme the aircraft is operated by a RAF squadron manned by both air force and army personnel...
File:MQ-9 Reaper in flight (2007).jpg|MQ-9 ReaperThe MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, and the British Royal Air Force...
Support helicopters
An important part of the work of the RAF is to support the British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
by ferrying troops and equipment at the battlefield. However, RAF helicopters are also used in a variety of other roles, including support of RAF ground units and heavy-lift support for the Royal MarinesThe Royal Marines are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service. They are also the United Kingdom's specialists in amphibious warfare, including the operation of landing craft; mountain warfare;...
. The support helicopters are organised into the tri-service Joint Helicopter CommandJoint Helicopter Command is a tri-service organisation uniting military helicopters of the British Armed Forces for command and coordination purposes...
(JHC), along with helicopters of the British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
and Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
. The only helicopters not coordinated by the JHC are the search and rescue helicopters of the RAF and RN, and those RN helicopters that are normally based onboard a ship such as a destroyer.
The large twin-rotor Chinook HC2/HC2A, based at RAF OdihamRAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the historic small village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook HC.2/HC.2A...
provides heavy-lift support and is supported by the Merlin HC3The AgustaWestland AW101 is a medium-lift helicopter for military applications but also marketed for civil use. The helicopter was developed as a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the UK and Agusta in Italy . The aircraft is manufactured at the AgustaWestland factories in Yeovil,...
and the smaller Puma HC1 medium-lift helicopters, based at RAF BensonRAF Benson is a Royal Air Force station near Benson in Oxfordshire, England. It is home to the Royal Air Force's support helicopters, the Aérospatiale Puma and the AW101 Merlin, known as the Puma HC.Mk 1 and the Merlin HC.Mk 3 and Mk 3a....
and RAF AldergroveRAF Aldergrove RAF Aldergrove RAF Aldergrove (now named Joint Helicopter Flying Station Aldergrove was a Royal Air Force station situated northwest of Belfast. It adjoined Belfast International Airport, sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of the surrounding area...
.
It was announced in March 2007 that the RAF will take delivery of six additional MerlinsThe AgustaWestland AW101 is a medium-lift helicopter for military applications but also marketed for civil use. The helicopter was developed as a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the UK and Agusta in Italy . The aircraft is manufactured at the AgustaWestland factories in Yeovil,...
. The aircraft were originally ordered by DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
and six new aircraft will be built for Denmark. It was also announced that eight Chinook HC3s, that are in storage, will be modified for the battlefield support role.
File:Zj128-merlin.jpg|Merlin HC3
File:Chinook.hc2.za677.arp.jpg|Chinook HC2
File:Aerospatiale.puma.hc1.fairford.arp.jpg|Puma HC1The Aérospatiale Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France under the designation SA.330.-Development:...
Maritime patrol
The Nimrod MR2The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod is a maritime patrol aircraft developed in the United Kingdom. It is an extensive modification of the de Havilland Comet, the world's first jet airliner. It was originally designed by de Havilland's successor, Hawker Siddeley, now part of BAE Systems...
's primary role is that of Anti-Submarine WarfareAnti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
and Anti-Surface Unit WarfareAnti-surface warfare, or ASUW is a type of naval warfare directed against surface ships...
.
The Nimrod MR2The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod is a maritime patrol aircraft developed in the United Kingdom. It is an extensive modification of the de Havilland Comet, the world's first jet airliner. It was originally designed by de Havilland's successor, Hawker Siddeley, now part of BAE Systems...
is additionally used in a Search and RescueSearch and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.-Definitions of Search and Rescue:There are many different definitions of search and rescue, depending on the agency involved....
role, where its long range and communications facilities allow 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.
Transport and air-to-air refuelling aircraft
Having replaced the former Queen's Flight in 1995, 32 (The Royal) SquadronNo. 32 Squadron of the Royal Air Force at present operates from RAF Northolt, west London, in the VIP and general air transport roles.-Formation:...
uses the BAe 125 CC3, Agusta A109The AgustaWestland AW109 is a helicopter manufactured by Agusta of Italy. It is a light-weight, twin engine, eight seat multi-purpose helicopter. The AgustaWestland AW119 Koala is a single-engine development....
and BAe 146 CC2The BAe 146 is a medium-sized commercial aircraft which was manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace . Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of the improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992...
in the VIP transport role, based at RAF NortholtRAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station located east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, in West London, UK. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, it also handles a large number of private civilian flights....
, just west of London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
.
More routine, strategic airlift transport tasks are carried out by the TristarThe Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as just L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, three-engine, widebody passenger jet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and...
s and VC10The Vickers VC10 is a British airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd and first flown in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long distance routes with a high subsonic speed and also be capable of hot and high operations from African airports...
s based at RAF Brize NortonRAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about 65 miles west north-west of London, England, United Kingdom, is the largest airbase of the Royal Air Force....
, for passengers and cargo, and for air-to-air refuelling of other aircraft.
Shorter range, tactical-airlift transport is provided by the HerculesThe Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. Capable of takeoffs and landings from unprepared runways, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport aircraft...
, the fleet including both older C-130K (Hercules C1/C3) and newer C-130J (Hercules C4/C5) variants, based at RAF LynehamRAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It is the home of all the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force. The station is also home to No. 38 Expeditionary Air Wing.-History:...
in WiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in the south west of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers 3,485 km²...
.
The RAF has leased four C-17 Globemaster IIIThe Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. The C-17 was developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The aircraft carries on the name of two previous United States military cargo aircraft, the C-74 Globemaster and...
s from BoeingThe Boeing Company is a major aerospace and defense corporation, founded by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Its international headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois, since 2001...
to provide a heavy, strategic airlift capability. These will be purchased, as well a fifth C-17 delivered on 7 April 2008. A sixth aircraft, which the MoD announced would bolster operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, was delivered on 8 June 2008. The new aircraft have entered frontline use within days rather than weeks. The MoD has said "there is a stated departmental requirement for eight" C-17s which means the next two would be delivered before mid-2009 when the Globemaster production line may be closed.
File:RAF RAAF USAF C-17s 2007.jpg|C-17 Globemaster IIIThe Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. The C-17 was developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The aircraft carries on the name of two previous United States military cargo aircraft, the C-74 Globemaster and...
File:Raf.hercules.c-130k.c3.arp.jpg|Hercules C3The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. Capable of takeoffs and landings from unprepared runways, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport aircraft...
File:Tristar threequarters arp.jpg|Tristar K1The Lockheed Tristar is an air-to-air tanker and transport aircraft in service with the Royal Air Force. All were converted from civilian Lockheed L-1011-500 TriStar airliners.-Design and development:...
File:VC10 Royal Air Force.jpg|VC-10 C1K
Search and rescue aircraft
Three squadrons of helicopters exist with the primary role of military search and rescue; the rescuing of aircrew who have ejected or crash-landed their aircraft. These are 22 SqnNo. 22 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Sea King HAR.3 and HAR.3A at four stations in the southern of the United Kingdom.-History:...
and 202 SqnNo. 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Sea King HAR.3 in the Search and rescue role at three stations in the northern half of the United Kingdom.-History:...
with the Sea King HAR.3/HAR3AThe Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British license-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines, British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
in the UK and 84 SqnNo. 84 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is at present a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri, it uses the Bell Griffin HAR.2 helicopter.-History:...
with the Griffin HAR2The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a further development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
in CyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....
.
Although established with a primary role of military search and rescue, most of their operational missions are spent in their secondary role of conducting civil search and rescue; that is, the rescue of civilians from at sea, on mountains and other locations.
Both rescue roles are shared with the Sea King helicopters of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air ArmThe Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters, as well as the Harrier GR7/GR9...
, while the civil search and rescue role is also shared with the helicopters of HM CoastguardHer Majesty's Coastguard is the service of the government of the United Kingdom concerned with co-ordinating air-sea rescue.HM Coastguard is a section of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of all civilian maritime Search and Rescue within the UK...
.
The Operational Conversion UnitAn Operational Conversion Unit is a unit within an air force whose role is to support preparation for the operational missions of a specific aircraft type by providing trained personnel. OCUs teach pilots how to fly an aircraft and which tactics best exploit the performance of their aircraft and...
is 203 (Reserve) Squadron RAF based at RAF ValleyRAF Valley is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, less formally known as Anglesey Airport. It provides fast-jet training using the BAE Hawk....
equipped with the Sea King HAR3.
The related Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue ServiceThe Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service provides land rescue over the mountain areas of the United Kingdom. Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue teams were first organised during World War II to rescue aircrew from the large number of aircraft crashes then occurring on high ground...
comprises four teams of trained mountaineers stationed in the mainland United Kingdom, first established in 1943.
Training aircraft
Elementary flying training is conducted on the Tutor T1. The Tutor is also used, along with the Viking T1The G103 Twin II is a high performance two-seater sailplane made by Grob Aerospace. The aircraft is of T-tail configuration, and is fitted with a non retractable undercarriage and upper surface airbrakes...
and Vigilant T1 gliders, to provide air experience training and basic pilot training for air cadetsThe Air Cadet Organisation is the collective name for the UK cadet forces sponsored by the Royal Air Force. The current Commandant is Air Commodore Ian Stewart...
.
Basic pilot training for fixed-wing and helicopter pilots is provided on the Tucano T1The Short Tucano T1 is a two seat turboprop basic trainer used by the Royal Air Force. It is a licence-built version of the Brazilian Embraer EMB-312 Tucano, and is also used by the air forces of Kenya and Kuwait.-Design and development:...
and Squirrel HT1, while weapon systems officer and weapon systems operator training is conducted in the Dominie T1The British Aerospace BAe 125 is a twin-engined mid-size corporate jet, with newer variants now marketed as the Hawker 800. It was known as the Hawker Siddeley HS.125 until 1977...
.
Advanced flying training for fast-jet, helicopter and multi-engine pilots is provided using the Hawk T1The BAE Systems Hawk is a British single engine, advanced jet trainer aircraft. It first flew in 1974 as the Hawker Siddeley Hawk. The Hawk is used by the Royal Air Force, and other air forces, as either a trainer or a low-cost combat aircraft...
, Griffin HT1The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a further development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
and B200 King AirThe Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
respectively. At the more advanced stage in training, variants of front-line aircraft have been adapted for operational conversion of trained pilots; these include the Harrier T10 and Typhoon T1The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine canard-delta wing multirole aircraft. It is being designed and built by a consortium of three separate partner companies: Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems, and EADS working through a holding company Eurofighter GmbH which was formed in 1986...
.
Future aircraft
The RAF is planning for the introduction of new aircraft. These include:
- The Nimrod MR2 fleet is to be replaced by nine aircraft rebuilt to Nimrod MRA4 standard. Originally scheduled to be in service in 2003, these aircraft are now expected to enter service in late 2010.
- The Airbus A400M, of which 25 are to be used to replace the remaining Hercules C-130Ks.
- An enhanced version of the Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a versatile, twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots was faster than utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s and even many of today. Its primary roles include troop movement, artillery emplacement and battlefield resupply...
, the HC3, with improved avionics and increased range for special forcesSpecial forces and special operations forces are generic terms for elite highly-trained military teams/units that conduct specialized operations such as reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, direct action and counter-terrorism actions.In the United States, the term special operations forces is...
missions, was ordered in 1995. Due to technical and project managementProject management is the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives...
problems, these aircraft have not yet entered service, they are still in storage, but are now due to be downgraded to Support Helicopter configuration and deployed by 2009.
- The Hawk T2 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 will be replaced with the Airbus A330 MRTT
The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport is an aerial refuelling tanker aircraft based on the civilian A330-200. The Northrop Grumman KC-45 was a version of the A330 MRTT proposed for the United States Air Force.-Design and development:...
under the Future Strategic Tanker AircraftFuture Strategic Tanker Aircraft is a British project to procure aerial refuelling and air transport for the Royal Air Force to replace VC10 and Lockheed Tristars then in service. After evaluation of bids the RAF selected the Air Tanker consortium who had offered the Airbus A330 MRTT...
programme.
- The F-35B Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation, single-seat, single-engine, stealth-capable multirole fighter, that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air defense missions...
will replace the Harrier GR7 and GR9 under the Joint Combat AircraftThe Joint Combat Aircraft is the official designation of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence used for the F-35 Lightning II, formerly the Joint Strike Fighter, and the result of the Joint Strike Fighter Program.-Programme history:...
programme.
- Project Taranis
The BAE Systems Taranis is a British demonstrator programme for Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle technology. It is part of the UK's Strategic Unmanned Air Vehicle programme...
aiming to provide further Strategic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle services in both ground attack and reconnaissance roles.
- A possible sale or lease of three former United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947 - 80 P.L....
KC-135RThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker was the first jet powered aerial refueling tanker of the US Air Force, replacing the KC-97 Stratotanker. Similar in design to the later and enlarged Boeing 707 airliner, it was initially tasked to refuel strategic bombers, but was used extensively in the Vietnam war...
aircraft, converted to RC-135V/W Rivet Joint standard, has been notified to the United States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election....
by the American Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Symbols, flags, emblems and uniform
Following the tradition of the other British fighting services, the RAF has adopted symbols to represent it and act as a rallying point for its members.
The RAF EnsignThe Royal Air Force Ensign is the official flag which is used to represent the Royal Air Force. The Ensign has a field of air force blue with the Union Flag in the canton and the Royal Air Force roundel in the middle of the fly....
is flown from the flagstaff on every RAF station during daylight hours. The design was approved by King George VGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 through World War I until his death in 1936...
in 1921, after much opposition from the AdmiraltyThe Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. Originally exercised by a single person, the office of Lord High Admiral was from the 18th century onward almost invariably put "in commission", and was exercised by a Board of Admiralty.In...
, 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 FlagThe Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada...
as an identifying feature, however this was easy to confuse with Germany's Iron CrossThe Iron Cross was a military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany, which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau...
motif. Therefore in October 1914 the French system of three concentric rings was adopted, with the colours reversed to a red disc surrounded by a white ring and an outer blue ring. The relative sizes of the rings have changed over the years and during World War II an outer yellow ring was added. Aircraft serving in the Far EastThe Far East is a term used in English mostly equivalent to East Asia and Southeast Asia, sometimes to the inclusion of South Asia for economic and cultural reasons."Far East" came into use in European geopolitical discourse in...
during World War II had the red disc removed to prevent confusion with Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese aircraft. Since the 1970s, camouflaged aircraft carry low-visibility roundels, either red and blue on dark camouflage, or washed-out pink and light blue on light colours. Most uncamouflaged training and transport aircraft retain the traditional red-white-blue roundel.
The LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
motto of the RAF, "Per Ardua ad AstraPer ardua ad astra is the motto of the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces such as the RAAF, RNZAF, and the former RCAF. It dates from 1912 and was used by the newly-formed Royal Flying Corps.-Origin:...
", is usually translated as "Through Adversity to the Stars", but the RAF's official translation is "Through Struggle to the Stars". The choice of motto is attributed to a junior officer named J S Yule, in response to a request from a commander of the RFCThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance...
, Colonel SykesAir Vice-Marshal Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes GCSI, GCIE, GBE, KCB, CMG, PC was a military officer, British statesman and politician....
, for suggestions.
The Badge of the Royal Air ForceThe Badge of the Royal Air Force is the heraldic emblem used to represent the RAF which features an eagle superimposed on a circlet which is surmounted by a crown....
was first used in August 1918. In heraldicHeraldry is the profession, study, or art of devising, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound *harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
terms it is: "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." Although there have been debates among airmen over the years whether the bird was originally meant to be an albatross or an eagle, the consensus is that it was always an eagle.
Since 2006 the RAF has adopted a new official logotype, shown at the top of this article. The logotype is used on all correspondence and publicity material, and aims to provide the service with a single, universally-recognizable brand identity.
See also
External links
Video clips