Royal Air Force
Founded	1 April 1918
Country	United Kingdom
Size	41,440 personnel 853 aircraft
Part of	British Armed Forces
Air Staff Offices	MOD Main Building, Whitehall
Motto	Per Ardua ad Astra latin:"Through struggles to the Stars" [1]
March	Royal Air Force March Past
Commanders
Chief of the Air Staff	Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy
Notable commanders	Lord Trenchard Lord Portal
Insignia
Roundels
Fin flash
Aircraft flown
Attack	Tornado GR.4, Harrier
Electronic warfare	E-3 Sentry
Fighter	Tornado F3, Typhoon
Helicopter	Merlin, Chinook, Puma, Sea King
Interceptor	Typhoon
Patrol	Nimrod MR.2
Reconnaissance	Nimrod R.1, Sentinel R1, Islander, MQ-9 Reaper
Trainer	Tutor, Tucano, Hawk, Vigilant, Viking, Squirrel, Dominie, King Air
Transport	C-17, Hercules, VC-10, Tristar,

The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air arm of the British Armed Forces. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Armed forces of the United Kingdom, commonly known as the British Armed Forces or Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces Whitehall is a road in Westminster in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards traditional Other mottos/phrases also incorporate the Latin "ad astra" Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The "Royal Air Force March Past" is the official march of the Royal Air Force (RAF and other Commonwealth air forces Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Lester Torpy GCB, CBE, DSO, ADC, RAF (born 1953 is the current Chief of the Air Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Montague Trenchard 1st Viscount Trenchard GCB OM GCVO DSO (3 February 1873 - 10 February Marshal of the Royal Air Force Charles Frederick Algernon Portal 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford KG GCB OM DSO & Bar Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft designed to attack targets on the ground and are often deployed as Close air support for and in proximity to their own ground forces WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Electronic warfare ( EW) is the use of the Electromagnetic spectrum to effectively deny the use of this medium by an adversary while optimizing its use by friendly WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A fighter aircraft is a Military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other Aircraft, as opposed to a Bomber, which is designed WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout An interceptor aircraft (or simply interceptor) is a type of Fighter aircraft designed specifically to intercept and destroy enemy Aircraft, particularly WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A Maritime patrol aircraft, also simply patrol aircraft, or by the older term patrol bomber, is a Fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Surveillance aircraft are military Aircraft used for monitoring enemy activity usually carrying no armament WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft mainline airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A trainer is an Aircraft used to develop piloting navigational or war-fighting skills in flight crew WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A cargo aircraft (also known as freighters or freight aircraft) is an Fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods rather WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Vickers VC10 is a British Airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft Ltd and first flown in 1962. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout An air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps, is in the broadest sense the national military or armed service The Armed forces of the United Kingdom, commonly known as the British Armed Forces or Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces Formed on 1 April 1918^[2] the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The RAF operates 853 aircraft and, as of 31 March 2008, has a projected trained strength of 41,440 regular personnel. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[3]The majority of the RAF's aircraft and personnel are based in the United Kingdom with many others serving on operations (principally Iraq and Afghanistan) or at long-established overseas bases (notably the Falkland Islands and Cyprus). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Operation (or Op TELIC is the codename under which all British operations of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted Operation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted The Falkland Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom and as such rely on the UK for guarantee of their security British Forces Cyprus ( BFC) is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on

The RAF celebrated its 90th birthday with a flypast of the Red Arrows and four Typhoons over many RAF Stations and Central London on 1 April 2008. FlyPast is Britain's top-selling Aviation Magazine, published monthly and edited by Ken Ellis The 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 WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[4]

Contents 1 Mission 2 History 3 Structure of the RAF 3.1 Commands 3.2 Groups 3.3 Stations 3.4 Wings 3.5 Squadrons 3.6 Flights 4 RAF Personnel 4.1 Officers 4.2 Other ranks 4.3 Branches and Trades 4.4 Specialist Training and Education 5 Aircraft 5.1 Strike, attack and offensive support aircraft 5.2 Air defence and airborne early warning aircraft 5.3 Reconnaissance aircraft 5.4 Search and rescue aircraft 5.5 Maritime patrol 5.6 Support helicopters 5.7 Transport and air-to-air refuelling aircraft 5.8 Training aircraft 5.9 Future aircraft 6 Gallery of current Royal Air Force aircraft 7 RAF deployments 8 Symbols, flags, emblems and uniform 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

Mission

The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), 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. The Ministry of Defence ( MoD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters "^[5]

History

Main article: History of the Royal Air Force

While the British were not the first to make use of heavier-than-air military aircraft, the RAF is the world's oldest air force of any significant size to become independent of army or navy control. The history of the Royal Air Force, the Air force of the United Kingdom, spans nearly a century of British military aviation It was founded on 1 April 1918, during the First World War, by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Royal Flying Corps (RFC was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. The 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 After the war, the service was cut drastically and its inter-war years were relatively quiet, with the RAF taking responsibility for the control of Iraq and executing a number of minor actions in other parts of the British Empire. Iraq Command was the RAF -led tri-service command in charge of all British forces in Iraq in the 1920s and early 1930s during the The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power.

The RAF underwent rapid expansion prior to and during the Second World War. The Royal Air Force Memorial is a 1923 military Memorial on Victoria Embankment in central London dedicated to the memory of the casualties of the Royal Air The Victoria Embankment, is part of the Thames Embankment, a road and walkway along the north bank of the River Thames in London. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan of December 1939, the air forces of British Commonwealth countries trained and formed "Article XV squadrons" for service with RAF formations. The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, also known as the Empire Air Training Scheme, Empire Air Training Plan, Commonwealth Air Training Plan Article XV squadrons were Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand Air force flying squadrons formed from graduates of the British Many individual personnel from these countries, and exiles from occupied Europe, also served with RAF squadrons. German–occupied Europe refers to the countries of Europe which were occupied by the Military forces of Nazi Germany at various times during

In the Battle of Britain, in the late summer of 1940, the RAF defended the skies over Britain against the German Luftwaffe, helping foil Hitler's plans for an invasion of the United Kingdom, and prompting Prime Minister Winston Churchill to say in the House of Commons on August 20, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few". The Battle of Britain (German ''Luftschlacht um England'' is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the German Luftwaffe during the summer and ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Operation Sealion (Unternehmen Seelöwe was Germany's plan to invade the United Kingdom during World War II, beginning in 1940 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine 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 ^[6]

The largest RAF effort during the war was the strategic bombing campaign against Germany by Bomber Command. Strategic 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 RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAF 's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968 While RAF bombing of Germany began almost immediately upon the outbreak of war, under the leadership of Air Chief Marshal Harris, these attacks became increasingly devastating from 1942 onward as new technology and greater numbers of superior aircraft became available. Controversially, the RAF adopted a policy of night-time area bombing that saw raids on German cities such as Hamburg and Dresden. Aerial area bombardment is the policy of indiscriminate bombing of an enemy's cities for the purpose of destroying the enemy's means of producing military Materiel, communications The large port city of Hamburg, Germany, was very heavily bombed many times by the Royal Air Force (RAF and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF during The Bombing of Dresden by the British Royal Air Force (RAF and United States Army Air Force (USAAF between 13 February and 15 February 1945 12 weeks Other units, however, developed precision bombing techniques for specific operations, such as the "Dambusters" raid by No. 617 Squadron ^[7]

During the Cold War years the main role of the RAF was the defence of the continent of Europe against potential attack by the Soviet Union, including holding the UK's nuclear deterrent for a number of years. Operation Chastise was the official name for the attacks on German Dams on 17 May 1943 in the Second World War using a specially developed " No 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is better known as the "Dambusters" squadron Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The United Kingdom was the third state to test an independently developed Nuclear weapon in October 1952 Since the end of the Cold War, several large scale operations have been undertaken by the RAF, including the Kosovo War, the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts in Kosovo: 1996–1999 The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia

Structure of the RAF

Royal Air Force
Components	Air Force Board Air Command 1 Group 2 Group 22 Group

The professional head of the RAF is the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. The Air Force Board of the Defence Council is responsible for the management of the Royal Air Force. Air Command is the only command currently active in the Royal Air Force. Number 1 Group of the Royal Air Force is one of the two operations groups in Air Command. 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 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 The Chief of the Air Staff is the professional head of the Royal Air Force and a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Air Force Board. Air Chief Marshal ( Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a senior Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force (RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Lester Torpy GCB, CBE, DSO, ADC, RAF (born 1953 is the current Chief of the Air The CAS heads the Air Force Board, which is a committee of the Defence Council. The Air Force Board of the Defence Council is responsible for the management of the Royal Air Force. The 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 The Air Force Board is the management board of the RAF and consists of the Commander-in-Chief of Air Command, together with several other high ranking officers. Air Command is the only command currently active in the Royal Air Force. The CAS also has a deputy known as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (ACAS); this post is held by Air Vice-Marshal T M Anderson. The Assistant Chief of the Air Staff ( ACAS) is a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force. Air Vice-Marshal ( AVM) is an Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. ^[8]

Commands

Main article: List of Royal Air Force commands

Authority is delegated from the Air Force Board to the RAF's commands. This is a list of Royal Air Force Commands, both past and present A 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 While there were once individual commands responsible for bombers, fighters, training, etc, only one command now exists:

• Air Command — Headquarters at RAF High Wycombe — responsible for the operation of all of the RAF. Air Command is the only command currently active in the Royal Air Force. RAF High Wycombe is a Royal Air Force station, situated in the village of Walters Ash, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire,

Royal Air Force

Components
Royal Air Force Royal Auxiliary Air Force RAF Regiment RAF Volunteer Reserve RAF Police
History
History of the Royal Air Force
Timeline of the Royal Air Force
Aircraft
List of RAF aircraft
Structure
Air Command
No. 1 Group
No. 2 Group
JFACHQ
No. 22 Group
List of stations
Personnel
Officer ranks
Other ranks

Groups

Main article: List of Royal Air Force groups

Groups are the subdivisions of operational commands; these are responsible for certain types of operation or for operations in limited geographical areas. The Royal Auxiliary Air Force ( RAuxAF) is the volunteer reserve part of the Royal Air Force. The Royal Air Force Regiment ( RAF Regt) is a specialist Airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942 The British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve ( RAFVR) consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of British Royal The Royal Air Force Police ( RAFP) is the Military police branch of the British Royal Air Force. The history of the Royal Air Force, the Air force of the United Kingdom, spans nearly a century of British military aviation 1900-1918 The origins of the Royal Air Force 1901 29 October - The Aero Club of Great Britain is established Many aircraft types have served in the Royal Air Force since it was formed in 1918 by the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service. Air Command is the only command currently active in the Royal Air Force. Number 1 Group of the Royal Air Force is one of the two operations groups in Air Command. 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 Joint Force Air Component Headquarters ( JFACHQ) is the United Kingdom 's deployable air command and control unit 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 This List of RAF stations is a comprehensive list of all stations, Airbases airfields and administrative Headquarters of the Royal Air Force Origins Lieutenant-General David Henderson originally proposed that Royal Air Force officers use a combination of British Army and Royal Navy Origins Upon the formation of the Royal Air Force in 1918 rank titles and badges for ORs were adopted from the British Army, specifically the Royal Flying Corps This is a list of Royal Air Force groups. The group is a formation just below command level Group is a term used by different Air forces for an element of Military organization. As from 1 April 2007, three groups exist:

• 1 Group — the Air Combat Group — controls the RAF's combat fast jet aircraft, including Joint Force Harrier, and has seven airfields in the UK in addition to RAF Unit Goose Bay in Canada, which is used extensively as an operational training base. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Number 1 Group of the Royal Air Force is one of the two operations groups in Air Command. Joint Force Harrier is the British military formation which controls the STOVL Harrier aircraft of the Royal Air Force and
• 2 Group — the Air Combat Support Group — controls the strategic and tactical air transport aircraft, the RAF Regiment, the RAF's air-to-air refuelling aircraft as well as ISTAR and search and rescue assets. 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 The Royal Air Force Regiment ( RAF Regt) is a specialist Airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942 Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling ( IFR) air-to-air refueling ( AAR) or tanking, is ISTAR stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance. For the TV series of this title see Search and Rescue (TV series.
• 22 Group — responsible for personnel selection, training and management. 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 addition, No. 83 Group RAF is active in the Middle East, supporting operations over Iraq and Afghanistan. No 83 Group was a group with the Royal Air Force 's 2nd Tactical Air Force during the Second World War and the post war era

Stations

Main article: RAF station

An RAF station is ordinarily subordinate to a group and it is administratively sub-divided into wings. A Royal Air Force Station is a permanent Royal Air Force operations location. A Royal Air Force Station is a permanent Royal Air Force operations location. 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

Main article: List of Royal Air Force Wings

A wing is either a sub-division of a group acting independently or an administrative sub-division of an RAF station. Wings within the Royal Air Force have both administrative and tactical applications Wing is a term used by different Air forces for a unit of command

Independent Wings are a grouping of two or more squadrons, either flying squadrons or ground support squadrons. In former times, numbered flying wings have existed, but more recently they have only been created when required. For example during Operation Telic, Tornado wings were formed to operate from Ali Al Salem and Al Udeid air bases; each of these were made up of aircraft and crews from several squadrons. Operation (or Op TELIC is the codename under which all British operations of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Ali Al Salem Air Base is an airfield situated in Kuwait approximately 23 Miles from the Iraqi border Al Udeid Air Base is a military base west of Doha, Qatar. It houses coalition personnel and assets

On 31 March 2006, the RAF formed nine Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) in order to support operations. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. On 1st April 2006 Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs were formed at nine of the RAF's Main Operating Bases They have been established at the nine main operating bases; RAF Coningsby, RAF Cottesmore, RAF Kinloss, RAF Leeming, RAF Leuchars, RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Lyneham, RAF Marham and RAF Waddington. RAF Coningsby, is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. Station crest The badge of RAF Cottesmore consists of a Hunting horn, a Five-pointed star and a horseshoe RAF Kinloss is a Royal Air Force station It is near Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, UK. RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. RAF Lossiemouth is a Royal Air Force station to the west of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. Royal Air Force Station Marham, commonly known as RAF Marham, is a Royal Air Force station, a Military Airbase, near the RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. These units are commanded by a group captain who is also the parent unit's Station Commander. Group Captain ( Gp Capt in the RAF and Indian Air Force, GPCAPT in the RNZAF and RAAF, G/C in the former The EAW is 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. ^[9]

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 commander rank. Wing Commander ( Wg Cdr in the RAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, W/C in the former RCAF) is a commissioned

Squadrons

Main article: List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

A flying squadron is an aircraft unit which carries out the primary tasks of the RAF. This is a list of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons. It includes Royal Flying Corps (RFC and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS squadrons incorporated into the 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 standards and battle honours for meritorious service. A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification Battle Honours are awarded by the Sovereign to Royal Air Force squadrons to commemorate the squadron's role in a particular operation Whilst every squadron is different, most flying squadrons are commanded by a wing commander and, for a fast-jet squadron, have an establishment of around 100 personnel and 12 aircraft, but 16 aircraft for Tornado F3 Squadrons. Wing Commander ( Wg Cdr in the RAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, W/C in the former RCAF) is a commissioned

The term squadron can be used to refer to a sub-unit of an administrative wing or small RAF station, e. A squadron is a small unit or formation of Cavalry, armour, Aircraft (including Balloons) or Warships Army g. Air Traffic Control Squadron, Personnel Management Squadron etc. There are also Ground Support Squadrons, e. g. 2 (Mechanical Transport) Squadron. Administrative squadrons are normally commanded by a squadron leader. Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence

Flights

A flight is a sub-division of a squadron. A flight is a Military unit in an Air force, Naval air service or Army air corps Flying squadrons are often divided into two flights, each under the command of a squadron leader; administrative squadrons on a station are also divided into flights and these flights are commanded by a junior officer, often a flight lieutenant. Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence The term junior officer is sometimes used to make clear that an officer in a Military or Paramilitary unit is not in overall command Flight Lieutenant ( Flt Lt in the RAF; FLTLT in the RAAF and RNZAF, F/L in the former RCAF) is a junior

There are several flying units formed as flights rather than squadrons, due to their small size.

See also: List of Royal Air Force independent flights

RAF Personnel

In 2007 the RAF employed 40,370 active duty personnel , 1,450 RAF Volunteer Reserves and 3,400 regular reservists ^[10]. This is a list of Royal Air Force independent flights. An independent flight is a military administrative structure which is used to command flying units where the number The British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve ( RAFVR) consists of a number of groupings of individual military reservists for the management and operation of British Royal At its height during the Second World War, in excess of 1,000,000 personnel were serving at any one time. The only founding member of the RAF still living is Henry Allingham at age 112. Henry William Allingham (born 6 June 1896) is at age 112 a Supercentenarian World War I veteran and Britain's oldest living ^[11]

See also: List of famous Royal Air Force members and Comparative military ranks

Officers

Main article: RAF officer ranks

Officers hold a commission from the Sovereign, which provides the legal authority for them to issue orders to subordinates. This article lists those members of the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom who have become either nationally or internationally famous This article is a list of various States Armed forces ranking designations Origins Lieutenant-General David Henderson originally proposed that Royal Air Force officers use a combination of British Army and Royal Navy An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy The commission of a regular officer is granted after successfully completing the 32-week-long Initial Officer Training course at the RAF College, Cranwell, Lincolnshire. The Royal Air Force College ( RAFC) is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. 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 Navy, specifically the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during World War I. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The 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 World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All For example, the rank of Squadron Leader derived its name from the RNAS rank of Squadron Commander. Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence RAF officers fall into three categories: air officers, senior officers and junior officers. An Air Officer is a British Royal Air Force officer of rank Air Commodore or higher The term junior officer is sometimes used to make clear that an officer in a Military or Paramilitary unit is not in overall command

Other ranks

Main article: RAF other ranks

Other ranks attend the Recruit Training Squadron at RAF Halton for basic training, with the exception of the RAF Regiment, which trains its recruits at RAF Honington. Origins Upon the formation of the Royal Air Force in 1918 rank titles and badges for ORs were adopted from the British Army, specifically the Royal Flying Corps RAF Halton is one of the larger Royal Air Force (RAF stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton Buckinghamshire. The Royal Air Force Regiment ( RAF Regt) is a specialist Airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942 RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station 6 miles south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England.

The titles and insignia of other ranks in the RAF was based on that of the Army, with some alterations in terminology. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. 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 Technician and Junior Technician continue to be held only by personnel in technical trades. Chief Technician ( Chf Tech or formerly C/T) is a non-commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force which is only Junior Technician ( Jnr Tech, JT or J/T) is a rank in the Royal Air Force, ranking between Senior Aircraftman (SAC and Corporal RAF other ranks fall into four categories: Warrant Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers, Junior Non-Commissioned Officers and Airmen.

Branches and Trades

• All pilots and weapon systems officers (formerly known as navigators) in the RAF are commissioned officers on the General Duties List. The title Flight Officer can refer to a functional (occupational job title as an aircrew member or it can refer to a military rank previously used by the U
• Non-commissioned aircrew 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.

• Officers and Gunners in the RAF Regiment defend RAF airfields from attack. The Royal Air Force Regiment ( RAF Regt) is a specialist Airfield defence Corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942 They have infantry and light armoured units to protect against ground attack. The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists
• The RAF Police are the military police of the RAF and are located wherever the RAF is located. The Royal Air Force Police ( RAFP) is the Military police branch of the British Royal Air Force. Military police ( MPs) are normally the Police of a Military Organization. Unlike the UK Civil Police, the RAF Police are armed as needed. Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is organised separately in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales (administration of Police matters
• Intelligence Officers and Analysts of the RAF Intelligence Branch support all operational activities by providing timely and accurate indicators and warnings. The Royal Air Force Operations Support (Intelligence Branch is an organisation within the Royal Air Force that maintains intelligence staff and equipment They conduct military intelligence fusion and analysis by conducting imagery and communications analysis, targeting, and assessment of the enemies' capabilities and intent. Military intelligence (abbreviated MI int Commonwealth, or intel
• Engineering Officers and technicians are employed to maintain and repair the equipment used by the RAF. In the British Armed Forces an Engineering Officer is an officer with responsibility for Engineering matters This includes routine preparation for flight and maintenance on aircraft, as well as deeper level repair work on aircraft systems, IT systems, ground based radar, vehicles, ground support equipment, etc.
• Fighter Controllers (FC) and Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) control RAF and NATO aircraft from the ground. Air traffic controllers are people who operate the Air traffic control system to expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic and help prevent The FC control the interception of enemy aircraft while the ATC provide air traffic services at RAF stations and to the majority of en-route military aircraft in UK airspace.
• Administrative officers and associated trades are involved with training management, physical education, catering, infrastructure management, accounts, dress and discipline, personnel and recruitment.
• Royal Air Force chaplains are trained by the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Amport House. Amport House, currently the British Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre (AFCC is a manor house at near Andover Hampshire.
• The Royal Air Force Medical Branch provides healthcare at home and on deployed operations, including aeromedical evacuation services. Medical officers are the doctors of the RAF and have specialist expertise in aviation medicine to support aircrew and their protective equipment. Medical officers can go on aeromedical evacuations, providing vital assistance on search-and-rescue missions or emergency relief flights worldwide.
• The RAF Legal Branch provides legal advice on discipline / criminal law and operations law. The Royal Air Force Legal Branch (RAFLB or Directorate Legal Services (DLS - as it is better known - is the uniformed "legal service provider" for the Royal

Specialist Training and Education

The Royal Air Force operates several units and centers 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 Studies, both based at RAF Cranwell, and the Air Warfare Centre, based at RAF Waddington and RAF Cranwell. On 23 August 2007 Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, Chief of the Air Staff, RAF, launched the Royal Air Force Centre for Air Power Studies The 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 RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. NCO training and developmental courses occur at RAF Halton and officer courses occur at the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham. RAF Halton is one of the larger Royal Air Force (RAF stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton Buckinghamshire. Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal

Aircraft

Further information: List of aircraft of the RAF

Further information: List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

The code which follows each aircraft's name describes the role of the variant. Many aircraft types have served in the Royal Air Force since it was formed in 1918 by the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service. This is a list of currently-active Military aircraft in use by the United Kingdom. Since 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 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 GR4. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout This supersonic aircraft can carry a wide range of weaponry, including Storm Shadow cruise missiles, laser-guided bombs and the ALARM anti-radar missile. Storm Shadow is an Anglo - French air-launched Cruise missile, manufactured by MBDA and used by France Italy and the United Kingdom ALARM ( Air Launched Anti-Radiation Missile) is a British Anti-radiation missile designed primarily to destroy enemy radars for the purpose of

The Tornado is supplemented by the Harrier GR7/GR7A which is used in the strike and close air support roles, and to counter enemy air defences. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout In Military tactics, close air support ( CAS) is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to The Harrier is being upgraded to GR9/GR9A standard with newer systems and more powerful engines. The Harrier GR9 was formally accepted into RAF service in late September 2006.

Air defence and airborne early warning aircraft

The Tornado F3 and Eurofighter Typhoon F2 are the RAF's air defence fighter aircraft, based at RAF Leuchars, RAF Leeming and RAF Coningsby respectively. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, UK. RAF Coningsby, is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. Their task is to defend the UK’s airspace. In October 2007 it was announced that RAF Boscombe Down will become a quick reaction alert airbase from early 2008, offering around the clock fighter coverage for the South and South West of UK airspace. MoD Boscombe Down is an aircraft testing site located south of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. ^[12]

The Tornado, in service in the air defence role since the late 1980s, is being replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon F2, based at RAF Coningsby. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout RAF Coningsby, is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. The RAF's second operational Typhoon unit, 11 Sqn, reformed on 29 March 2007, joining 3 Sqn, also based at RAF Coningsby. No 11 or XI(F Squadron is a Royal Air Force squadron The squadron operated the Tornado F3 until Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. No 3 (F Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Typhoon F2 /FGR4 and T1 from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire RAF Coningsby, is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.

The Sentry AEW1 provides airborne early warning to detect incoming enemy aircraft and to co-ordinate the aerial battlefield. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Both the Sentry and the Tornado F3 have been involved in recent operations including over Iraq and the Balkans. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics.

Reconnaissance aircraft

The Tornado GR4A is fitted with cameras and sensors in the visual, infra-red and radar ranges of the spectrum. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

The Nimrod R1 provides electronic and signals intelligence. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

The new Sentinel R1 (also know as ASTOR - Airborne STand-Off Radar) provides a ground radar-surveillance platform based on the Bombardier Global Express long range business jet. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

A pair of MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned aerial vehicles have been purchased to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV is an unpiloted Aircraft. UAVs can be remote controlled or fly autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans or more complex dynamic Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, They are operated by No. 39 Squadron RAF. No 39 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the MQ-9 Reaper since 2007 operating from Creech AFB A third MQ-9 is in the process of being purchased. ^[13]

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 Sqn and 202 Sqn with the Sea King HAR.3/HAR3A in the UK and 84 Sqn with the Griffin HAR2 in Cyprus. No 22 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Sea King HAR No 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Sea King HAR WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout No 84 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri, it uses For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía

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 Arm, while the civil search and rescue role is also shared with the helicopters of HM Coastguard. The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships Her Majesty's Coastguard is the service of the Government of the United Kingdom concerned with co-ordinating Rescue at sea

The Operational Conversion Unit is 203(Reserve) Squadron RAF based at RAF St. Mawgan, equipped with the Sea King HAR3. An Operational Conversion Unit (OCU is a unit within an Air force whose role is to support preparation for the operational missions of a specific aircraft type by providing History Opened as a civilian airfield in 1933 it was requisitioned at the outbreak of World War II and named RAF Trebelzue, initially as a satellite of nearby

The related Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service comprises four teams of trained mountaineers stationed in the mainland United Kingdom, first established in 1943.

Maritime patrol

The Nimrod MR2's primary role is that of Anti-Submarine Warfare and Anti-Surface Unit Warfare. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Anti-submarine warfare (ASW or in older form A/S is a branch of Naval warfare that uses surface Warships Aircraft, space craft or other Submarines Anti-surface warfare, or ASUW (sometimes ASuW or less commonly anti-surface warfare) is a type of Naval warfare directed against Surface The Nimrod MR2 is additionally used in a Search and Rescue 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. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout For the TV series of this title see Search and Rescue (TV series. It can also drop pods containing life rafts and survival supplies to people in the sea.

The Nimrod MR2 will be replaced from 2009 by 12 Nimrod MRA4 aircraft.

Support helicopters

An important part of the work of the RAF is to support the British Army by ferrying troops and equipment at the battlefield. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. 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 Marines. The Royal Marines ( RM) are the marine corps and amphibious Infantry of the United Kingdom and along with the Royal Navy The support helicopters are organised into the tri-service Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), along with helicopters of the British Army and Royal Navy. Joint Helicopter Command ( JHC) is a tri-service organisation uniting Military helicopters of the British Armed Forces The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service)

The large twin-rotor Chinook HC2/HC2A, based at RAF Odiham provides heavy-lift support and is supported by the Merlin HC3 and the smaller Puma HC1 medium-lift helicopters, based at RAF Benson and RAF Aldergrove. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the historic small village of Odiham in Hampshire, England WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout BEX redirects here For the airline that operated under that name from 1984 to 2000 see Business Express Airlines. RAF Aldergrove is a Royal Air Force station situated 18 miles north-west of Belfast.

It was announced in March 2007 that the RAF will take delivery of six additional Merlins. The aircraft were originally ordered by Denmark and six new aircraft will be built for Denmark. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe It was also announced that eight Chinook HC3s, that are in storage, will be modified for the battlefield support role. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Transport and air-to-air refuelling aircraft

Having replaced the former Queen's Flight in 1995, 32 (The Royal) Squadron uses the BAe 125 CC3, Agusta A109 and BAe 146 CC2 in the VIP transport role, based at RAF Northolt, just west of London. No 32 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates from RAF Northolt, west London, in the VIP WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station in the London Borough of Hillingdon, in north west Greater London, England. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.

More routine, strategic airlift transport tasks are carried out by the Tristars and VC10s based at RAF Brize Norton, for passengers and cargo, and for air-to-air refuelling of other aircraft. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Vickers VC10 is a British Airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft Ltd and first flown in 1962. RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about 50 miles west of London, England, United Kingdom, is the largest airbase of the Royal Air Force

Shorter range, tactical-airlift transport is provided by the C-130 Hercules, the fleet including both older K-model and new J-model aircraft, based at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye

The RAF has leased four C-17 Globemaster IIIs from Boeing to provide a heavy, strategic airlift capability. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E These will be purchased, as well a fifth C-17 delivered on April 7, 2008. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common A sixth aircraft, which the MoD announced would bolster operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, [1] is due to be delivered on 3 June 2008. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The new aircraft will enter 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.

Training aircraft

Elementary flying training is conducted on the Tutor T1. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Tutor is also used, along with the Viking T1 and Vigilant T1 gliders, to provide air experience training and basic pilot training for air cadets. The Air Cadet Organisation (or ACO is the collective name for the UK cadet forces sponsored by the Royal Air Force.

Basic pilot training for fixed-wing and helicopter pilots is provided on the Tucano T1 and Squirrel HT1, while weapon systems officer and weapon systems operator training is conducted in the Dominie T1. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Advanced flying training for fast-jet, helicopter and multi-engine pilots is provided using the Hawk T1, Griffin HT1 and B200 King Air respectively. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout 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 T1. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Future aircraft

See also: Future of the Royal Air Force

The RAF is planning for the introduction of new aircraft. The planning for the future of the Royal Air Force involves supporting ongoing British military operations the introduction of new aircraft types greater focus on Network WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout These include:

• The Airbus A400M, of which 25 are to be used to replace the remaining Hercules C-130Ks. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[14]
• An enhanced version of the Chinook, the HC3, with improved avionics and increased range for special forces missions, was ordered in 1995. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout In most countries special forces (SF is a generic term for highly-trained Military teams/units that conduct specialized operations such as Reconnaissance Due to technical and project management problems, these aircraft have not yet entered service, but are now due to be downgraded to Support Helicopter configuration and deployed by 2009. Project Management is the discipline of planning organizing and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives
• The Hawk 128 will replace the existing Hawks in service; the newer model being more similar in equipment and performance to modern front line aircraft. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout
• The ageing aerial refuelling fleet of VC10s and Tristars will be replaced with the Airbus A330 MRTT under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA is a UK project to provide Aerial refueling (AR and Air transport (AT for the
• The Joint Combat Aircraft (the British designation for the F-35 Lightning II) will replace the Harrier GR7 and GR9. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Gallery of current Royal Air Force aircraft

Typhoon T1	Tornado GR4	Harrier GR7	E-3 Sentry
Raytheon Sentinel R1	BAE Nimrod MRA4	MQ-9 Reaper	AgustaWestland Merlin
Boeing Chinook HC2	Aerospatiale Puma	Westland Sea King HAR3A	C-17 Globemaster III
C-130 Hercules	Lockheed Tristar K1	Vickers VC-10

RAF deployments

Country	Dates	Deployment	Details
Indonesia	2005	Support and transport	RAF dispatched to South East Asia following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake disaster to provide aid relief support
Lithuania	2004	Baltic Air Policing	4 Tornado F3 for a 3 months rotation under NATO monitoring mission
Afghanistan	2001–	Operation Veritas	Chinooks provided airlift support to coalition forces. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Vickers VC10 is a British Airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft Ltd and first flown in 1962. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the The Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert (QRA in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Operation Veritas was the codename used for British military operations against the Taliban government of Afghanistan in 2001 Since late 2004 six Harriers have provided reconnaissance and close air support to the ISAF. International Security Assistance Force (10 ( ISAF) is a NATO -led security and development mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations
Bosnia	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. Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Today, RAF helicopters remain to provide support to the United Nations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security
Middle East	1990–	Various	RAF fighters based in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait prior to and during the 1990 Gulf War, and later to enforce no-fly zones over Iraq. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the occupation of southern Iraq by British Forces, the RAF is deployed at Basra. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia Basra ( BGN: AlBasrah also called Basorah Abillah and Uruk or IRAQ The name that British colony has adopted for Basra SH is provided in Iraq by Merlin, Puma and Chinook
Falkland Islands	1984–	RAF Mount Pleasant	Built after the Falklands War to allow a fighter and transport facility on the islands, and to strengthen the defence capacity of the British Forces. The cougar ( Puma concolor) also puma, mountain lion, or panther, depending on region is a Mammal of the Felidae family RAF Mount Pleasant (also known as Mount Pleasant Airport, Mount Pleasant Complex or MPA) is a military base for the Royal Air Force in The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the A detachment of RAF Regiment provides anti-aircraft support.
Ascension Island	1981–	Ascension Island Base	Used as an air bridge between the UK and the Falkland Islands. Ascension Island is an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa Royal Air Force Station Ascension, more commonly known as RAF Ascension Island, and sometimes known as Ascension Island Base, is a British military United States Air Force also stationed at this base.
Norway	1960s–	Bardufoss Air Station	RAF fighter and/or helicopter squadrons undergo winter-training here most years. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Bardufoss Air Station (Norwegian Bardufoss flystasjon) is located in the municipality of Målselv in Troms county in Northern Norway.
Cyprus Malta	1956	RAF Akrotiri RAF Nicosia RAF Luqa RAF Hal Far	Operation Musketeer also known as the Suez crisis. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Royal Air Force Station Akrotiri, more commonly known as RAF Akrotiri, is a large Royal Air Force station and military Airbase The former Royal Air Force Station Nicosia, commonly known as RAF Nicosia, was a Royal Air Force Airbase in Cyprus. RAF Luqa was an airbase of the Royal Air Force on the island of Malta during World War II. Operation Musketeer (Opération Mousquetaire was the Anglo-French invasion of Egypt to capture the Suez Canal during the Suez Crisis. The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, (أزمة السويس - العدوان الثلاثي Crise du canal de Suez מבצע קדש Kadesh
Kenya	1953-1955	RAF Eastleigh	Anti-Mau Mau operations by Avro Lincoln squadrons
Malaya	1948-1960	RAF Tengah RAF Butterworth	Operation Firedog
West Germany	1948-1949	Various	Originally Operation Knicker and Carter-Paterson became Operation Plainfare (supporting the Berlin Airlift)
Canada	1940s–	RAF Unit Goose Bay, Canada	RAF aircraft train in low-level tactical flying at CFB Goose Bay, a NATO air force base of the Canadian Air Force. The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south RAF Eastleigh was a Royal Air Force airbase in Kenya, in the Eastleigh suburb of Nairobi. The Federation of Malaya (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu was a federation of 11 states formed on January 31 1948 from the nine Malay states and the British West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 11 May 1949 was one of the first major international crises of the Cold war. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The North Atlantic Treaty Mission AIRCOM is responsible for all aircraft operations in the Canadian Forces enforcing the security of Canada's airspace and providing aircraft for supporting the missions of
Gibraltar	1940s–	RAF Gibraltar	No permanently stationed aircraft. Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. RAF aircraft, e. g. Hercules transports, make regular visits.

^[15]

Symbols, flags, emblems and uniform

Further information: Royal Air Force roundels

Further information: Royal Air Force 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 Royal Air Force Ensign is the official Flag which is used to represent the Royal Air Force. The Royal Air Force has employed several versions of the Roundel during its existence The Royal Air Force uniform is the standardized military dress worn by members of the Royal Air Force.

The RAF Ensign is flown from the flagstaff on every RAF station during daylight hours. The Royal Air Force Ensign is the official Flag which is used to represent the Royal Air Force. The design was approved by King George V in 1921, after much opposition from the Admiralty, who have the right to approve or veto any flag flown ashore or on board ship. The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy.

British aircraft in the early stages of the First World War carried the Union Flag as an identifying feature, however this was easy to confuse with Germany's Iron Cross motif. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. For other meanings please see Iron Cross (disambiguation The Iron Cross ( was a Military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia 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 East during World War II had the red disc removed to prevent confusion with Japanese aircraft. The Far East is a term often used by people in the Western world to refer to the countries of East Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. 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 Latin motto of the RAF, "Per Ardua ad Astra", is usually translated as "Through Adversity to the Stars"^[16][17]. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Other mottos/phrases also incorporate the Latin "ad astra" The choice of motto is attributed to a junior officer by the name of J S Yule, in response to a request from a Commander of the RFC, Colonel Sykes, for suggestions. The Royal Flying Corps (RFC was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. Air Vice Marshal Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes GCSI, GCIE, GBE, KCB, CMG, PC ( 23 July 1877

The Badge of the Royal Air Force was first used in August 1918. In Heraldry, a badge is an Emblem or Personal device used to indicate allegiance to or property of an individual or family In heraldic 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. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. "^[18] It was registered at the College of Arms on 26 January 1923. The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is an office regulating Heraldry and granting new Armorial bearings for England, Wales ^[19] It was based on a design by a tailor at Gieves Ltd of Savile Row, although the original had an albatross rather than the eagle. A tailor is a person whose occupation is to sew and scissor menswear style jackets and the skirts or trousers that go with them Savile Row (ˈsævɪl both vowels short with accent on the first syllable is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's Savile Row (ˈsævɪl both vowels short with accent on the first syllable is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's

Since 2006 the RAF has adopted a new official logotype, shown at the top of this article. A logo ( Greek el λογότυπος = el-Latn logotypos is a graphical element ( Ideogram, Symbol, Emblem, Icon, Sign) 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

• List of RAF stations
• Air Training Corps (Air Cadets)
• List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy

• Royal Air Forces of the Commonwealth:
  • The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) began as Australian Flying Corps, then Australian Air Force
  • The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF)
  • The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) - began as New Zealand Permanent Air Force
  • The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAF) - began as Air Wing of the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment
  • The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) - started as Royal Flying Corps of Canada, then as Canadian Air Force

Note: In 1968 the RCAF was amalgamated with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Canadian Army to form initially the Canadian Armed Forces, then the Canadian Forces (CF) as the Canadian Forces Air Command

• Non-Commonwealth Royal Air Forces
  • The Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF)
  • The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNlAF)
  • The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF)
  • The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF)
  • The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)
  • The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO)

References

External links

• RAF Homepage
  • RAF History
  • RAF Links
  • RAF Careers Homepage
• RAF Museum
• Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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