Royal Air Force
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Revision as of 05:59, 26 January 2009
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air arm of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918 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. The majority of the RAF's aircraft and personnel are based in the United Kingdom with many others serving on operations (principally Iraq, Afghanistan, Middle East, Balkans, and South Atlantic) or at long-established overseas bases (notably the Falkland Islands, Qatar, Germany, Cyprus, and Gibraltar).
Crest of the Royal Air Force
Ensign of the Royal Air Force
Contents |
Structure
The professional head of the RAF is the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. The CAS heads the Air Force Board, which is a committee of the Defence Council. The Air Force Board is the management board of the RAF and consists of the Commander-in-Chief of Air Command, together with several other high ranking officers. 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 Air Force Board delegates authority to various functional commands:
- Strike Command
- Combat air power
- Personnel and Training Command
- Air and ground training
- Support Command
- Facilities, logistics, and deep level maintenance
Strike Command
Strike Command performs all the operational tasks of the RAF including air defence, ground attack, nuclear and conventional strike, maritime reconnaissance and strike, reconnaissance, tactical transport, and strategic transport.
It has the following combat units:
- No. 1 Group
- 1 Group is a tactical group. It operates some of the RAF's Hornets, and Harriers.
- No. 2 Group
- 2 Group is a tactical group. It operates some of the RAF's Hornets, and Harriers.
- No. 3 Group
- 3 Group is a strike group, and operates Merlins.
- No. 4 Group
- 4 Group is a bomber group, and operates Vengeances.
- No. 5 Group
- 5 Group is a surveillance and reconnaissance group.
- No. 11 Group
- 11 Group has been since 1940 Britain's premier air defence formation. It is split into three wings (covering Southern England, Northen England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) and operates Eagles, and Sentrys. 11 Group has a secondary tactical strike and support role.
- No. 12 Group
- 12 Group is a tactical group. It operates some of the RAF's Hornets, and Harriers.
- No. 15 Group
- 15 Group is Strike Command's helicopter group, divided into an air/sea rescue wing, a heavy-lift helicopter wing, and a medium-lift helicopter wing
- No. 18 Group
- 18 Group is Strike Command's maritime reconnaissance and strike group. It has the RAF's maritime patrol Nimrods, and two Merlin squadrons which are tasked primarily with maritime strike.
- No. 20 Group
- 20 Group is Strike Command's fixed-wing transport group, divided into one tactical transport wing, one strategic transport wing, and two tanker-transport wings
Recruiting logo of the Royal Air Force
Order of Battle
Strike Command
Bombers
- 4 Squadrons of General Dynamics Vengeance B.2
Fighter/Ground Attack
- 12 Squadrons of Boeing/BAe Eagle F.5/T.6
- 9 Squadrons of General Dynamics Merlin S.6
- 20 Squadrons of Boeing/BAe Hornet FGR.3/T.4
- 6 Squadrons of BAe Harrier GR.7/GR.9/T.10/T.12
Electronic Warfare/Reconnaissance
- 3 Squadrons of BAe Nimrod MR.2
- 1 Squadron of Boeing Sentry AEW.1 (7 aircraft)
- 3 Squadrons of General Dynamics Merlin E.6
- 1 Squadron of English Electric Canberra PR.9
- 1 Squadron of Raytheon Sentinel R.1 (8 aircraft)
- 1 Squadron of Boeing 707 R.4 (8 aircraft)
- 1 Squadron of BAe Nimrod R.1 (5 aircraft)
- 1 Squadrons of General Atomics Reaper DR.1
Transport
- 3 Squadrons of Lockheed Hercules C.1/C.3
- 2 Squadrons of Lockheed Martin Hercules C.4/C.5
- 1 Squadron of Boeing Globemaster C.1
- 1 Squadron of Lockheed Tristar K.1/C.2/C.2A
- 2 Squadrons of Boeing 707 C.3K
- 2 Squadrons of Boeing 707 C.2K
- 1 Squadron of Boeing 707 K.1A
No 32 (The Royal) Squadron
No 32 (The Royal) Squadron is primarily a communications and military transport squadron. Its secondary role is providing VIP transport to senior members of the British Government, and the Royal Family.
- 2 BAe 146 CC.2
- 6 BAe 125 CC.3
- 3 Sikorsky S-76 HCC.1
Support Helicopters
- 2 Squadrons of Aerospatiale/Westland Cougar HC.1
- 3 Squadrons of Boeing Chinook HC.2/HC.2A/HC.3
- 2 Squadrons of Westland Puma HC.1
- 3 Squadrons of Westland Sea King HAR.3
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane. The aircraft are regularly seen at events commemorating World War II, upon British State occasions, notably the Trooping the Colour celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday in 2006, and at air displays throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. All aircraft in the flight are regarded as active service RAF aircraft, and are part of 11 Group due to that Group's outstanding performance during the Battle of Britain.
The Flight is administratively part of No. 1 Group RAF, flying out of RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
- 1 Avro Lancaster
- 5 Supermarine Spitfire
- 2 Hawker Hurricane
- 1 Douglas Dakota
- 2 de Havilland Chipmunk
Apart from the Chipmunks, all appear in period colour schemes. The Chipmunks are not used for display flying. They are used to train BBMF pilots to operate tail-wheel aircraft, and general support. They therefore wear the same all over gloss black colour scheme as all RAF trainers.
Personnel and Training Command
Personnel and Training Command controls all of the RAF's training units, both air and ground.
- No.1 Elementary Flying Training School (Flight Screening, Elementary Training, University Air Squadrons, Air Experience Flights for the Air Training Corps)
- 50 Slingsby Firefly T.1
- 14 University Air Squadrons/Air Experience Flights
- 4 Slingsby Firefly T.1's each
- No 1 Flying Training School (Basic jet training)
- 130 Short Tucano T.1
- No 4 Flying Training School (Advanced jet training, lead-in fighter training)
- 150 BAe Hawk T.1/T.1A
- No.3 Flying Training School (multi-engine, navigator, non-commissioned aircrew training)
- 29 Slingsby Firefly T.1
- 10 Beech King Air T.1
- 9 BAe Dominie T.1
- Defence Helicopter Flying School
- 26 Eurocopter Squirrel HT.1
- 16 Bell Griffin HT.1
- SARTU (Search And Rescue Training Unit)
- 6 Bell Griffin HT.1
- Central Flying School (Instructor training, uses aircraft from other units)
- CFS Glider Squadron
- CFS Tucano Squadron
- CFS Helicopter Squadron
- CFS Hawk Squadron
- Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (Red Arrows)
- 9 BAe Hawk T.1
Support Command
Support Command contains no flying units. The only combat unit in RAF Support Command is the RAF Regiment.
RAF Regiment
- 7 Field Squadrons (each stronger than an infantry company)
- CBRN Squadron (Chemical Biological, Radiological, Nuclear)
- 4 Ground Based Air Defence Squadrons
- 4 Light Armoured Squadrons
- 4 Royal Auxiliary Air Force Field Squadrons
63 Squadron (Queen's Colour Squadron) often performs "public duties" including the Queen's Guard.
Ground Based Air Defence Squadrons are equipped with Rapier (Field Squadrons additionally use Starstreak). Light Armoured Squadrons use the Scimitar and Sabre light tanks, Spartan armoured personnel carriers.
Weapons
- Browning L9A1 9mm Pistol
- L85A2 5.56mm Rifle
- L86A2 5.56mm Designated Marksman Rifle
- L110A1 MINIMI 5.56mm Light Machine Gun
- L7A2 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun
- L2A1 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun
- L115A1 Long Range Rifle
- L16A2 81-mm mortar
- L17A1 40mm Under-slung Grenade Launcher (M203PI)
- MILAN 2 ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile)
- FGM-148 Javelin ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile)
- Starstreak HVM
- Rapier Field Standard C
Weapons
Guns
- GIAT 30/719B 30mm cannon
- Aden 30mm cannon
- M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon
- M134 7.62mm Minigun
- M60D 7.62mm machine gun
- L7 7.62mm machine gun
Air to Air Missiles
- AIM-9L Sidewinder
- AIM-132 ASRAAM
- Skyflash
- AIM-120B AMRAAM
- AIM-120C AMRAAM
Air to Surface Missiles
- Red Thunder
- Cruise missile, range 3000km, WE.177 warhead, intertial/TERCOM guidance
- UK SRAM
- AGM-69 SRAM with a UK-made nuclear warhead
- Storm Shadow
- Sea Eagle
- AGM-84 Harpoon
- ALARM (Air Launched Anti-Radiation Missile)
- Brimstone
- AGM-65 Maverick
Guided Bombs
- Paveway II
- 1000lb MC Bomb
- Paveway III
- 1000lb MC Bomb
- 540lb MC Bomb
- Paveway IV
- 1000lb MC Bomb
- 540lb MC Bomb
- GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb
Unguided Bombs
- 1000lb GP Bomb Mk.11-22
- 540lb GP Bomb Mk.1-2
- BL775 Cluster Bomb
Other Weapons
- WE.177 Nuclear Bomb
- WE.177A Tactical Nuclear Bomb
- WE.177B Strategic Thermonuclear Bomb
- WE.177C Tactical Thermonuclear Bomb
- CRV7 Unguided Rocket
- Sting Ray torpedo
Reconnaissance and Targeting Pods
- Pave Tack XXI
- Comprehensive Pave Tack upgrade for Merlin S.6 with a new Focal Plane Array thermal imager, laser designator, new computer, and digital still, and video recording capacity (which can be linked to the aircraft's Link 16 system to transmit imagery in real time)
- TIALD (Thermal Imaging Airborne Laser Designator)
- Sniper XR Advanced Targeting Pod (Sniper ATP)
- DJRP (Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod)
Markings
The RAF has used a variations on a Red-White-Blue roundel for all of its history. Initially, the Royal Flying Corps used a Union flag as the national marking, however this was easily confused with the German Iron Cross, and the roundel in the British national colours has been used since. These markings are also used on Army Air Corps, and Fleet Air Arm aircraft. Battle of Britain Memorial Flight aircraft wear national markings appropriate to the Second World War (except the de Havilland Chipmunks)
Most Commonwealth countries use, or have used variations of the RAF Roundel (and all started using the RAF Roundel itself). The most common variation is replacing the red disc in the centre with a national icon, Australia for example uses the Kangaroo, while Canada uses a Maple Leaf, and New Zealand a Kiwi.
Roundel
Standard Roundel
The standard roundel blue-white-red is used on trainers, and all other non-camouflaged aircraft of the RAF such as the Tucano, and BAe 146.
Tactical Roundel
The blue-red tactical roundel is used on aircraft with a so-called "dark" camouflage including the Hornet, and Harrier. The aircraft using this roundel tend to be employed on air-to-ground missions, multi-role missions, and tactical transport.
Low Visibility Roundel
The light-blue-pink low visibility roundel is used on aircraft with a so-called "light" camouflage including the Eagle, Sentry, and Nimrod. The aircraft using this roundel tend to be tankers, maritime patrol, AEW, and air defence aircraft.
Fin flash
Each fin flash corresponds to a roundel above, and is always used with the respective roundel.
The fin flash is not used by the Army, or Navy. The Navy uses the words "Royal Navy" usually in white, or blue. The Army simply uses "Army", usually in black.
Standard Fin Flash
Tactical Fin Flash
Low Visibility Fin Flash
Other national markings
On several aircraft types (mainly transports), the Union Jack is used in addition to other markings (Globemaster), or in lieu of other markings (BAe 125). The Royal Cipher is occasionally (rarely) used on VIP aircraft.
The Royal Cypher of HM The Queen
