The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the
air
An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosph ...
and
space force
A space force is a military branch of a nation's armed forces that conducts military operations in outer space and space warfare. The world's first space force was the Russian Space Forces, established in 1992 as an independent military service. ...
of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
British Overseas Territories
The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or alternatively referred to as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are the fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom that, ...
and
Crown Dependencies
The Crown Dependencies are three dependent territory, offshore island territories in the British Islands that are self-governing possessions of the The Crown, British Crown: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Jersey, Bailiwick of Jersey, both lo ...
. It was formed towards the end of the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
on 1 April 1918, on the merger of the
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...
(RFC) and the
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty (United Kingdom), Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British ...
(RNAS).
Following the
Allied victory over the
Central Powers
The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,; ; , ; were one of the two main coalitions that fought in World War I (1914–1918). It consisted of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulga ...
in 1918, the RAF emerged as the largest air force in the world at the time. Since its formation, the RAF has played
a significant role in
British military history
The military history of the United Kingdom covers the period from the creation of the united Kingdom of Great Britain, with the political union of England and Scotland in 1707, to the present day.
From the 18th century onwards, with the expansi ...
. In particular, during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the RAF established
air superiority
An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmospher ...
over
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
's
Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
during the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain () was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force ...
, and led the Allied
strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a systematically organized and executed military attack from the air which can utilize strategic bombers, long- or medium-range missiles, or nuclear-armed fighter-bomber aircraft to attack targets deemed vital to the enemy' ...
effort.
The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British
Ministry of Defence
A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...
(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 RAF describes its mission statement as "...
o providean ''agile, adaptable and capable'' 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 mission statement is supported by the RAF's definition of
air power
Airpower or air power consists of the application of military aviation, military strategy and strategic theory to the realm of aerial warfare and close air support. Airpower began in the advent of powered flight early in the 20th century. A ...
, which guides its strategy. Air power is defined as "the ability to
project power from the air and space to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events".
Today, the Royal Air Force maintains an
operational fleet of various types of aircraft, described by the RAF as being "leading-edge" in terms of technology. This largely consists of fixed-wing aircraft, including those in the following roles:
fighter and
strike
Strike may refer to:
People
*Strike (surname)
* Hobart Huson, author of several drug related books
Physical confrontation or removal
*Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm
* Airstrike, ...
,
airborne early warning and control
An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is an airborne radar early warning system designed to detect aircraft, ships, vehicles, missiles and other incoming projectiles at long ranges, as well as performing command and control of the ...
,
(ISTAR),
signals intelligence
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is the act and field of intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly u ...
(SIGINT), maritime patrol,
air-to-air refueling
Aerial refueling ( en-us), or aerial refuelling ( en-gb), also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to an ...
(AAR) and
strategic
Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "troop leadership; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the "art o ...
&
tactical transport
An airlift is the organized delivery of supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft.
Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material long distan ...
. The majority of the RAF's rotary-wing aircraft form part of the tri-service
Joint Aviation Command
The Joint Aviation Command (JAC), previously known as Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), is a tri-service organisation uniting battlefield military helicopters of all three services of the British Armed Forces and unmanned aerial vehicles of the B ...
in support of ground forces. Most of the RAF's aircraft and personnel are based in the UK, with many others serving on
global operations (principally
over Iraq and Syria) or at long-established overseas bases (
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island, 7°56′ south of the Equator in the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean. It is about from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America. It is governed as part of the British Overs ...
,
Cyprus
Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
,
Gibraltar
Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
, and the
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; ), commonly referred to as The Falklands, is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and from Cape Dub ...
). Although the RAF is the principal British air power arm, the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
's
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...
and the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
's
Army Air Corps also operate armed aircraft.
History
Origins
The Royal Air Force was formed towards the end of the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
on 1 April 1918, becoming the third independent air force in the world after the
Mexican Air Force
The Mexican Air Force (FAM; ) is the air service branch of the Mexican Armed Forces. It is a component of the Mexican Army and as such overseen by the National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA). The objective of the FAM is to defend the integrity, in ...
(established 5 February 1915) and the
Finnish Air Force
The Finnish Air Force (FAF or FiAF; ; ) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of readiness formations for wartime conditions. The Finnish Air ...
(established 6 March 1918), by merging the
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...
(RFC) and the
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty (United Kingdom), Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British ...
(RNAS).
This was done as recommended in a report prepared by the South African statesman and general
Jan Smuts
Field Marshal Jan Christian Smuts, (baptismal name Jan Christiaan Smuts, 24 May 1870 11 September 1950) was a South African statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various military and cabinet posts, he served as P ...
.
At that time it was the largest air force in the world.
Its headquarters was located in the former
Hotel Cecil.
After the war, the RAF was drastically cut and its inter-war years were relatively quiet. The RAF was put in charge of
British military activity in Iraq, and carried out minor activities in other parts of the
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
, including establishing bases to protect
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
and Malaya. The RAF's naval aviation branch, the
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...
, was founded in 1924 but handed over to
Admiralty control on 24 May 1939.
The RAF adopted the doctrine of
strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a systematically organized and executed military attack from the air which can utilize strategic bombers, long- or medium-range missiles, or nuclear-armed fighter-bomber aircraft to attack targets deemed vital to the enemy' ...
, which led to the construction of long-range bombers and became its main bombing strategy in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
Second World War
The Royal Air Force underwent rapid expansion prior to and during the Second World War. Under the
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), often referred to as simply "The Plan", was a large-scale multinational military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand during the Second Wo ...
of December 1939, the air forces of
British Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an international association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire
The B ...
countries trained and formed "
Article XV squadrons" for service with RAF formations. Many individual personnel from these countries, and exiles from
occupied Europe
German-occupied Europe, or Nazi-occupied Europe, refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly militarily occupied and civil-occupied, including puppet states, by the (armed forces) and the government of Nazi Germany at ...
, also served with RAF squadrons. By the end of the war the
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...
had contributed more than 30 squadrons to serve in RAF formations, similarly, approximately a quarter of
Bomber Command's personnel were Canadian. Additionally, the
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
represented around nine per cent of all RAF personnel who served in the European and Mediterranean theatres.
During the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain () was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force ...
in 1940, the RAF defended the skies over Britain against the numerically superior German . In what is perhaps the most prolonged and complicated air campaign in history, the Battle of Britain contributed significantly to the delay and subsequent indefinite postponement of
Operation Sea Lion
Operation Sea Lion, also written as Operation Sealion (), was Nazi Germany's code name for their planned invasion of the United Kingdom. It was to have taken place during the Battle of Britain, nine months after the start of the Second World ...
,
Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
's plans for an invasion of the UK. In the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
on 20 August, prompted by the ongoing efforts of the RAF, Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
made a speech to the nation, where he said "
Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few".

The largest RAF effort during the war was the
strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a systematically organized and executed military attack from the air which can utilize strategic bombers, long- or medium-range missiles, or nuclear-armed fighter-bomber aircraft to attack targets deemed vital to the enemy' ...
campaign against Germany by Bomber Command. While RAF bombing of Germany began almost immediately upon the outbreak of war at first it was ineffectual; it was only later, particularly under the leadership of
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Harris
Harris may refer to:
Places Canada
* Harris, Ontario
* Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine)
* Harris, Saskatchewan
* Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan
Scotland
* Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle ...
, that these attacks became increasingly devastating, from early 1943 onward, as new technology and greater numbers of superior aircraft became available. The RAF adopted night-time
area bombing
In military aviation, area bombardment or area bombing is a type of aerial bombardment in which bombs are dropped over the general area of a target. The term "area bombing" came into prominence during World War II.
Area bombing is a form of str ...
on German cities such as
Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
and
Dresden
Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...
. Night time area bombing constituted the great bulk of the RAF's bombing campaign, mainly due to Harris, but it also developed precision bombing techniques for specific operations, such as the infamous
"Dambusters" raid by
No. 617 Squadron, or the Amiens prison raid known as
Operation Jericho
Operation Jericho (Ramrod 564) took place on 18 February 1944 during the Second World War. Allied aircraft bombed Amiens Prison in German-occupied France at very low altitude to blow holes in the prison walls, kill German guards and use shock ...
.
Cold War era
Following victory in the Second World War, the RAF underwent significant re-organisation, as technological advances in air warfare saw the arrival of jet fighters and bombers. During the early stages of the Cold War, one of the first major operations undertaken by the RAF was the
Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, roa ...
, codenamed Operation Plainfire. Between 26 June 1948 and the lifting of the Soviet blockade of the city on 12 May 1949, the RAF provided 17% of the total supplies delivered, using
Avro York
The Avro York was a British transport aircraft developed by Avro during the World War II, Second World War. The design was derived from the Avro Lancaster heavy bomber, several sections of the York and Lancaster being identical. Due to the impo ...
s,
Douglas Dakota
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for troo ...
s flying to
Gatow Airport
Royal Air Force Gatow, or more commonly RAF Gatow, was a British Royal Air Force station (military airbase) in the district of Gatow in south-western Berlin, west of the Havel river, in the borough of Spandau. It was the home for the only kn ...
and
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland is a British flying boat Maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber, developed and constructed by Short Brothers for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The aircraft took its service name from the town (latterly, city) and port of ...
s flying to Lake Havel. The RAF saw its first post-war engagements in the
1948 Arab–Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, also known as the First Arab–Israeli War, followed the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine, civil war in Mandatory Palestine as the second and final stage of the 1948 Palestine war. The civil war becam ...
: during the withdrawal of the former
Mandatory Palestine
Mandatory Palestine was a British Empire, British geopolitical entity that existed between 1920 and 1948 in the Palestine (region), region of Palestine, and after 1922, under the terms of the League of Nations's Mandate for Palestine.
After ...
in May 1948 where British
Supermarine Spitfire FR.18s shot down four
Royal Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) () is the Air force, aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all military aircraft, including those used in support of the Egyptian Army, Egypti ...
Spitfire LF.9s after the REAF mistakenly attacked
RAF Ramat David airbase; and during encounters with the
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; , commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Indep ...
which saw the loss of a single
de Havilland Mosquito PR.34 in November 1948 and four Spitfire FR.18s and a single
Hawker Tempest F.6 in January 1949.
Before Britain developed its own
nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear exp ...
s, the RAF was provided with American nuclear weapons under
Project E
Project E was a joint project between the United States and the United Kingdom during the Cold War to provide nuclear weapons to the Royal Air Force (RAF) until sufficient British nuclear weapons became available. It was subsequently expanded ...
. However, following the development of its own arsenal, the British Government elected on 16 February 1960 to share the country's
nuclear deterrent
Nuclear strategy involves the development of doctrines and strategies for the production and use of nuclear weapons.
As a sub-branch of military strategy, nuclear strategy attempts to match nuclear weapons as means to political ends. In addit ...
between the RAF and submarines of the Royal Navy, first deciding to concentrate solely on the air force's
V bomber
The "V bombers" were the Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft during the 1950s and 1960s that comprised the Nuclear weapons and the United Kingdom, United Kingdom's strategic nuclear strike force known officially as the V force or Bomber Command Mai ...
fleet. These were initially armed with nuclear
gravity bomb
An unguided bomb, also known as a free-fall bomb, gravity bomb, dumb bomb, or iron bomb, is an aircraft-dropped bomb (conventional or nuclear) that does not contain a guidance system and hence simply follows a ballistic trajectory. It includes ...
s, later being equipped with the
Blue Steel missile
The Avro Blue Steel was a British air-launched, rocket-propelled nuclear armed standoff missile, built to arm the V bomber force. It allowed the bomber to launch the missile against its target while still outside the range of surface-to-air mi ...
. Following the development of the Royal Navy's
Polaris submarines, the strategic nuclear deterrent passed to the navy's submarines on 30 June 1969.
With the introduction of Polaris, the RAF's strategic nuclear role was reduced to a tactical one, using
WE.177 gravity bombs. This tactical role was continued by the V bombers into the 1980s and until 1998 by the
Panavia Tornado GR1.
["Strategic Defence Review 1998: Full Report."](_blank)
''Ministry of Defence,'' 1998, p. 24.

For much of the Cold War the primary role of the RAF was the defence of
Western Europe
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
against potential attack by the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, with many
squadrons based in West Germany. The main RAF bases in RAF(G) were
RAF Brüggen,
RAF Gutersloh,
RAF Laarbruch
Royal Air Force , more commonly known as RAF ICAO EDUL (from 1 January 1995 ETUL) was a Royal Air Force station, a military airfield, located in Germany on its border with the Netherlands. The Station's motto was .
The site now operates ...
and
RAF Wildenrath – the only air defence base in RAF(G). With the decline of the British Empire, global operations were scaled back, and
RAF Far East Air Force
The former Royal Air Force Far East Air Force, more simply known as RAF Far East Air Force, was the Command organisation that controlled all Royal Air Force assets in the east of Asia (Far East). It was originally formed as Air Command, South Ea ...
was disbanded on 31 October 1971. Despite this, the RAF fought in many battles in the Cold War period. In June 1948, the RAF commenced
Operation Firedog against Malayan pro-independence fighters during the
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War, was a guerrilla warfare, guerrilla war fought in Federation of Malaya, Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Arm ...
. Operations continued for the next 12 years until 1960 with aircraft flying out of
RAF Tengah
The Tengah Air Base is a military airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located in the Western Water Catchment, in the western part of Singapore.
The air base is the most important airfield of the RSAF as it houses the maj ...
and
RAF Butterworth Butterworth may refer to:
Places
* Butterworth, Greater Manchester, a former township and civil parish centred on Milnrow, England, formerly in Lancashire
* Butterworth, Eastern Cape, now also known as Gcuwa, a town located in South Africa
* Bu ...
. The RAF played a minor role in the
Korean War
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
, with
flying boat
A flying boat is a type of seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in having a fuselage that is purpose-designed for flotation, while floatplanes rely on fuselage-mounted floats for buoyancy.
Though ...
s taking part. From 1953 to 1956 the RAF Avro Lincoln squadrons carried out anti-
Mau Mau operations in
Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
using its base at
RAF Eastleigh. The
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also known as the Second Arab–Israeli War, the Tripartite Aggression in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel, was a British–French–Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956. Israel invaded on 29 October, having done so w ...
in 1956 saw a large RAF role, with aircraft operating from
RAF Akrotiri
Royal Air Force Akrotiri, commonly abbreviated RAF Akrotiri (; ) is a large Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which comprise Akroti ...
and
RAF Nicosia
Royal Air Force Nicosia or more simply RAF Nicosia is a former Royal Air Force station on the island of Cyprus, built in the 1930s. The station served as Headquarters Royal Air Force Cyprus from 8 June to 29 July 1941.
The original principal a ...
on
Cyprus
Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
and
RAF Luqa
Royal Air Force Luqa (or more simply RAF Luqa) is a former Royal Air Force station located on the island of Malta, now developed into the Malta International Airport.
It hosted aircraft of Air Headquarters Malta (AHQ Malta) during the Seco ...
and
RAF Hal Far
Royal Air Force Hal Far or more commonly RAF Hal Far is a former Royal Air Force station which was the first permanent airfield to be built on Malta. It was operated by the RAF from 1 April 1929 until 1946 when it was transferred and renamed ...
on
Malta
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
as part of
Operation Musketeer. The RAF suffered its most recent loss to an enemy aircraft during the Suez Crisis, when an
English Electric Canberra PR7 was shot down over
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
.
In 1957, the RAF participated heavily during the
Jebel Akhdar War
The Jebel Akhdar War (),
. Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved on 2012-04-12. also known as the Jebel Ak ...
in Oman, operating both
de Havilland Venom
The de Havilland DH 112 Venom is a British post-war single-engined jet aircraft developed and manufactured by the de Havilland, de Havilland Aircraft Company. Much of its design was derived from the de Havilland Vampire, the firm's first jet-p ...
and
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) which was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was developed by Avro from their Lincoln bomber, which itself had been a developm ...
aircraft. The RAF made 1,635 raids, dropping 1,094 tons and firing 900 rockets at the interior of Oman between July and December 1958, targeting insurgents, mountain top villages and water channels in a war that remained under low profile.
The
Konfrontasi against Indonesia in the early 1960s did see use of RAF aircraft, but due to a combination of deft diplomacy and selective ignoring of certain events by both sides, it never developed into a full-scale war. The RAF played a large role in the
Aden Emergency
The Aden Emergency, also known as the 14 October Revolution () or as the Radfan Uprising, was an armed rebellion by the National Liberation Front (South Yemen), National Liberation Front (NLF) and the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South ...
between 1963 and 1967.
Hawker Hunter FGA.9s based at
RAF Khormaksar
Royal Air Force Khormaksar or more simply RAF Khormaksar is a former Royal Air Force station in Aden, Yemen. Its motto was "Into the Remote Places". During the 1960s, it was the base for nine squadrons and became the RAF's busiest-ever station ...
, Aden, were regularly called in by the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
as
close air support
Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...
to carry out strikes on rebel positions. The
Radfan Campaign (Operation Nutcracker) in early 1964 was successful in suppressing the revolt in Radfa, however it did nothing to end the insurgency with the British withdrawing from Aden in November 1967.
One of the largest actions undertaken by the RAF during the Cold War was the air campaign during the 1982
Falklands War
The Falklands War () was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British Overseas Territories, British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and Falkland Islands Dependenci ...
, in which the RAF operated alongside the
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...
. During the war, RAF aircraft were deployed in the mid-Atlantic at
RAF Ascension Island
RAF Ascension Island , also known as Wideawake Airfield or Ascension Island Auxiliary Field, is a military airfield and facility located on Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean. The airfield is jointly operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) an ...
and a detachment from
No. 1 Squadron was deployed with the Royal Navy, operating from the aircraft carrier
HMS ''Hermes''.
[Ashworth 1989, p. 26.][Evans 1998, pp. 74–75.] RAF pilots also flew missions using the Royal Navy's
Sea Harrier
The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval short take-off and vertical landing/vertical take-off and landing jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft. It is the second member of the Harrier family developed. It first entered servic ...
s in the air-to-air combat role, in particular
Flight Lieutenant Dave Morgan the highest scoring pilot of the war. Following a British victory, the RAF remained in the
South Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for ...
to provide air defence to the Falkland Islands, with the
McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2 based at
RAF Mount Pleasant
RAF Mount Pleasant (also known as Mount Pleasant Airport, Mount Pleasant Complex or MPA) is a Royal Air Force station in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The airfield goes by the motto of "Defend the right" (while the m ...
which was built in 1984.
Post-Cold War
With the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the RAF's focus returned to
expeditionary air power. Since 1990, the RAF has been involved in several large-scale operations, including the 1991
Gulf War
, combatant2 =
, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
, the 1999
Kosovo War
The Kosovo War (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовски рат, Kosovski rat) was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. It ...
, the 2001
War in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to:
*Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire
* Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...
, the
2003 invasion and
war in Iraq
This is a list of wars involving the Republic of Iraq and its predecessor states.
, style="background:#F88" , Coalition of Gulf War, Coalition victory
* Kuwait, State of Kuwait resumes self-governance over all Kuwaiti sovereign territory
* Esta ...
, the 2011
intervention in Libya and from 2014 onwards has been involved in the
war against the Islamic State
Many states began to intervene against the Islamic State, in both the Syrian civil war and the War in Iraq (2013–2017), in response to its rapid territorial gains from its Northern Iraq offensive (June 2014), 2014 Northern Iraq offensives, u ...
.
The RAF began conducting
Remotely-piloted Air System (RPAS) operations in 2004, with No. 1115 Flight carrying out missions in Afghanistan and Iraq with the
General Atomics MQ-1 Predator
The General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (often referred to as the Predator drone) is an American remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics that was used primarily by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Central Intelligence Agency ...
. Initially embedded with the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
, the RAF formed its own RPAS squadron in 2007 when
No. 39 Squadron was stood up as a
General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper unit at
Creech AFB
Creech Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) command and control facility in Clark County, Nevada used "to engage in daily Overseas Contingency Operations …of remotely piloted aircraft systems which fly missions across the globe." ...
, Nevada.
The RAF's 90th anniversary was commemorated on 1 April 2008 by a flypast of the RAF's Aerobatic Display Team the
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force (RAF) based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-Royal Air Force team, replacing several un ...
and four
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, supersonic, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Syste ...
s along the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...
, in a straight line from just south of
London City Airport
London City Airport is an international airport in London, England. It is located in the Royal Docks in the London Borough of Newham, Borough of Newham, about east of the City of London and east of Canary Wharf. These are the two centres ...
Tower Bridge, the
London Eye
The London Eye, originally the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and the most popular paid Tourist attractions in the ...
, the
RAF Memorial and (at 13.00) the
Ministry of Defence building.
Four major defence reviews have been conducted since the end of the Cold War: the 1990
Options for Change
Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in summer 1990 after the end of the Cold War.
Until this point, UK military strategy had been almost entirely focused on defending Western Europe against the Soviet Armed Forces ...
, the 1998
Strategic Defence Review, the 2003
Delivering Security in a Changing World
Delivery may refer to:
Biology and medicine
*Childbirth
Childbirth, also known as labour, parturition and delivery, is the completion of pregnancy, where one or more Fetus, fetuses exits the Womb, internal environment of the mother via vagi ...
and the 2010
Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). All four defence reviews have resulted in steady reductions in manpower and numbers of aircraft, especially combat aircraft such as fast-jets. As part of the latest 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the
BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol aircraft was cancelled due to over spending and missing deadlines.
Other reductions saw total manpower reduced by 5,000 personnel to a trained strength of 33,000 and the early retirement of the
Joint Force Harrier
Joint Force Harrier, initially known as Joint Force 2000 and towards the end of its life as Joint Strike Wing, was the British military formation which controlled the British Aerospace Harrier II and British Aerospace Sea Harrier aircraft of th ...
aircraft, the
BAE Harrier GR7/GR9.

In recent years, fighter aircraft on
Quick Reaction Alert
Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) is state of Combat readiness, readiness and ''modus operandi'' of Anti-aircraft warfare, air defence maintained at all hours of the day by NATO air forces. The United States usually refers to Quick Reaction Alert as 'Ai ...
(QRA) have been increasingly required to
scramble in response to
Russian Air Force
The Russian Air Force () is a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the latter being formed on 1 August 2015 with the merging of the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the reb ...
aircraft approaching British airspace. On 24 January 2014, in the Houses of Parliament,
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
MP and
Minister of State for the Armed Forces
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces is a mid-level ministerial position at the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence in the Government of the United Kingdom. It has been held by Luke Pollard since ...
,
Andrew Robathan, announced that the RAF's QRA force had been scrambled almost thirty times in the last three years: eleven times during 2010, ten times during 2011 and eight times during 2012.
RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and h ...
in Lincolnshire and
RAF Lossiemouth
Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.
Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the ...
in Moray both provide QRA aircraft, and scramble their Typhoons within minutes to meet or intercept aircraft which give cause for concern. Lossiemouth generally covers the northern sector of UK airspace, while Coningsby covers the southern sector. Typhoon pilot Flight Lieutenant Noel Rees describes how QRA duty works. "At the start of the scaled QRA response, civilian air traffic controllers might see on their screens an aircraft behaving erratically, not responding to their radio calls, or note that it's transmitting a distress signal through its transponder. Rather than scramble Typhoons at the first hint of something abnormal, a controller has the option to put them on a higher level of alert, 'a call to cockpit'. In this scenario the pilot races to the hardened aircraft shelter and does everything short of starting his engines".
On 4 October 2015, a final stand-down saw the end of more than 70 years of
RAF Search and Rescue provision in the UK. The RAF and Royal Navy's
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-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 eng ...
fleets, after over 30 years of service, were retired. A civilian contractor,
Bristow Helicopters
Bristow Helicopters Limited is a British civil helicopter operator originally based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, which is currently a part of the U.S.-based Bristow Group () which in turn has its corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas, U.S ...
, took over responsibility for UK Search and Rescue, under a
Private Finance Initiative
The private finance initiative (PFI) was a United Kingdom government procurement policy aimed at creating "public–private partnerships" (PPPs) where private firms are contracted to complete and manage public projects. Initially launched in 1992 ...
with newly purchased
Sikorsky S-92
The Sikorsky S-92 is an American twin-engine medium-lift helicopter built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the civil and military helicopter markets. The S-92 was developed from the Sikorsky S-70 helicopter and has similar parts such as flight control ...
and
AgustaWestland AW189
The AgustaWestland AW189 is a twin-engined, super-medium-lift helicopter manufactured by Leonardo S.p.A. It is derived from the AW149, and shares similarities with the AW139 and AW169.
Development
On 20 June 2011, development of the eight-t ...
aircraft. The new contract means that all UK SAR coverage is now provided by Bristow aircraft.
In 2018, the RAF's vision of a future constellation of imagery satellites was initiated through the launch of the
Carbonite-2 technology demonstrator. The 100 kg Carbonite-2 uses
commercial off-the-shelf
Commercial-off-the-shelf or commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) products are packaged or canned (ready-made) hardware or software, which are adapted aftermarket to the needs of the purchasing organization, rather than the commissioning of ...
(COTS) components to deliver high-quality imagery and 3D video footage from space.
The Royal Air Force celebrated its 100th anniversary on 1 April 2018. It marked the occasion on 10 July 2018 with a flypast over London consisting of 103 aircraft.
Between March 2020 and 2022, the RAF assisted with the response efforts to the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United Kingdom, it has resulted in confirm ...
as part of
Operation Rescript
Operation Rescript was the code name for the British military operation to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom and its Crown Dependencies between 2020 and 2022. It was described as the UK's "biggest ever homeland military op ...
. This saw the service provide repatriation flights and aeromedical evacuations of COVID-19 patients, drivers and call-handlers to support ambulance services and medics to assist with the staffing of hospitals, testing units and vaccination centres. Under
Operation Broadshare, the RAF has also been involved with COVID-19 relief operations overseas, repatriating stranded nationals and delivering medical supplies and vaccines to British Overseas Territories and military installations.
The UK's 20-year long operations in Afghanistan came to an end in August 2021, seeing the largest airlift since the Berlin Blockade take place. As part of
Operation Pitting, the RAF helped evacuate over 15,000 people in two weeks. Between April and May 2023, the RAF helped evacuate over 2,300 people from Sudan due to the
2023 Sudan conflict
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious and cultural significance in many societies ...
as part of
Operation Polarbear.
In April 2024, Typhoon FGR4s operating from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, engaged and destroyed Iranian drones over Iraqi and Syrian airspace during
Iran's strikes against Israel.
On 26 and 27 March 2025, RAF Puma helicopters marked their retirement from service with a flypast of locations with a historical link to Puma including
RAF Odiham
Royal Air Force Odiham or more simply RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station situated a little to the south of the village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift he ...
,
Andover
Andover may refer to:
Places Australia
*Andover, Tasmania
Canada
* Andover Parish, New Brunswick
* Perth-Andover, New Brunswick
United Kingdom
* Andover, Hampshire, England
** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station
United States
* Andov ...
,
Middle Wallop Flying Station
Middle Wallop Flying Station is a British Army airfield located near the Hampshire village of Middle Wallop. It is the Headquarters for the Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), Army Air Corps, and the 1st Aviation Brigade Combat Team (United Kin ...
,
MOD Boscombe Down
MOD Boscombe Down ' is the home of a military aircraft testing site, on the south-eastern outskirts of the town of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. The site is managed by QinetiQ, the private defence company created as part of the breakup of the D ...
,
Thiepval Barracks
Thiepval Barracks is a British Army barracks and headquarters in Lisburn, County Antrim. It is also the site of the stone frigate HMS ''Hibernia'', Headquarters of the Royal Naval Reserve in Northern Ireland.
History
The barracks were built in 19 ...
,
PJHQ
The Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) is the United Kingdom, British tri-service headquarters from where all overseas military operations are planned and controlled. It is situated at Northwood Headquarters in Northwood, London. The Permanent ...
,
RAF Halton
Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since the First World ...
,
RAF High Wycombe,
RAF Benson
Royal Air Force Benson or RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force (RAF) List of Royal Air Force stations, station located at Benson, Oxfordshire, Benson, near Wallingford, Oxfordshire, Wallingford, in South Oxfordshire, England. It is a front-line st ...
,
RAF Cosford
Royal Air Force Cosford or RAF Cosford (formerly DCAE Cosford) is a Royal Air Force station near to the village of Cosford, Shropshire, England just to the northwest of Wolverhampton and next to Albrighton.
It is a training station, home to ...
,
RAF Shawbury
Royal Air Force Shawbury, otherwise known as RAF Shawbury, is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Shawbury in Shropshire in the West Midlands of England.
History The First World War
The station at Shawbury was first used for milita ...
as well as other places across the UK.
Structure
Senior leadership

The professional head and highest-ranking officer of the Royal Air Force is the
chief of the air staff (CAS). He reports to the
chief of the defence staff, who is the professional head of the
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the unified military, military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its British Overseas Territories, Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests ...
. The incumbent chief of the air staff is
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...
Sir Richard Knighton who was appointed in 2023.
The management of the RAF is the responsibility of the
Air Force Board
The 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 ...
, a sub-committee of the
Defence Council which is part of the
Ministry of Defence
A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...
and the body legally responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom and its
overseas territories. The chief of the air staff chairs the Air Force Board Standing Committee (AFBSC) which decides on the policy and actions required for the RAF to meet the requirements of the Defence Council and
His Majesty's Government
His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. .
The
chief of the air staff is supported by several other senior commanders:
Air Command
Administrative and operational command of the RAF is delegated by the Air Force Board to
Headquarters Air Command
Air Command is the only Command currently active in the Royal Air Force. It was formed by the merger of Royal Air Force Strike and Personnel and Training commands on 1 April 2007, and has its headquarters at RAF High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire ...
, based at
RAF High Wycombe in
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...
. Air Command was formed on 1 April 2007 by combining
RAF Strike Command
The Royal Air Force's Strike Command was the military formation which controlled the majority of the United Kingdom's bomber and fighter aircraft from 1968 until 2007 when it merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air ...
and
RAF Personnel and Training Command
Personnel and Training Command (PTC) was one of two commands of the Royal Air Force (the other being Strike Command) that were merged to form Air Command on 1 April 2007.
History
Formation
PTC was formed in 1994 bringing together the r ...
, resulting in a single command covering the whole RAF, led by the chief of the air staff. Through its subordinate
groups, Air Command oversees the whole spectrum of RAF aircraft and operations.
United Kingdom Space Command (UKSC), established 1 April 2021 under the command of Air Vice-Marshal
Paul Godfrey
Paul Victor Godfrey, CM, OOnt (born January 12, 1939) is a businessman and former Canadian politician. During his career, Godfrey was a North York alderman, Chairman of Metro Toronto, President of the ''Toronto Sun'' and head of the Toronto B ...
is a
joint
A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
command, but sits "under the Royal Air Force."
Godfrey is of equal rank to the commanders of 1, 2, 11, and 22 Groups. The new command has "responsibility for not just operations, but also generating, training and growing the force, and also owning the money and putting all the programmatic rigour into delivering new ..capabilities."
UKSC headquarters is at
RAF High Wycombe co-located with Air Command.
Groups
Groups are the subdivisions of operational commands and are responsible for certain types of capabilities or for operations in limited geographical areas. There are five groups subordinate to Air Command, of which four are functional and one is geographically focused:
No. 1 Group (Air Combat)
No. 1 Group is responsible for combat aircraft (comprising the
Lightning Force
''Lightning Force'' is an American action television series starring Matthew Walker, Wings Hauser and Guylaine St-Onge that aired in syndication. The series premiered in 1991 and went off in 1992, in all 22 episodes were produced.
Synopsis
...
and
Typhoon
A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
Force) and the RAF's
(ISTAR) capabilities. It oversees stations at
RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and h ...
and
RAF Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington , commonly known as RAF Waddington, and informally known by its nickname 'Waddo' is a Royal Air Force station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, in England.
The station is th ...
in Lincolnshire,
RAF Lossiemouth
Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.
Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the ...
in Moray and
RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Marham, commonly abbreviated RAF Marham is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Marham in the county of Norfolk, East Anglia.
It is home to No. 138 Expeditionary Air Wing (138 EAW) and, as such, is one of the RAF's ' ...
in Norfolk. The group's
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 aircraft protect UK and NATO airspace by providing a continuous
Quick Reaction Alert
Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) is state of Combat readiness, readiness and ''modus operandi'' of Anti-aircraft warfare, air defence maintained at all hours of the day by NATO air forces. The United States usually refers to Quick Reaction Alert as 'Ai ...
capability.
No. 2 Group (Air Combat Support)
No. 2 Group controls the Air Mobility Force which provides
strategic and tactical airlift,
air-to-air refuelling and command support air transport (CSAT). The group is also responsible for the RAF Medical Services, RAF Support Force, consisting of the RAF's engineering, logistics, intelligence, signals, musical and mountain rescue assets, RAF's Combat and Readiness Force, comprising the
RAF Regiment
The Royal Air Force Regiment (RAF Regiment) is part of the Royal Air Force and functions as a specialist corps. Founded by Royal Warrant in 1942, the Corps carries-out security tasks relating to the protection of assets and personnel dedicated ...
, and the Air Security Force, comprising
RAF Police
The Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) is the service police branch of the Royal Air Force, headed by the provost marshal of the Royal Air Force. Its headquarters are at RAF Honington, and it deploys throughout the world to support RAF and UK def ...
. It oversees stations at
RAF Benson
Royal Air Force Benson or RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force (RAF) List of Royal Air Force stations, station located at Benson, Oxfordshire, Benson, near Wallingford, Oxfordshire, Wallingford, in South Oxfordshire, England. It is a front-line st ...
and
RAF Brize Norton
Royal Air Force Brize Norton or RAF Brize Norton is the largest List of Royal Air Force stations, station of the Royal Air Force. Situated in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, it is close to the village of Brize Norton and the tow ...
in Oxfordshire,
RAF Henlow
Royal Air Force Henlow or more simply RAF Henlow is a Royal Air Force station in Bedfordshire, England, equidistant from Bedford, Luton and Stevenage. It houses the RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine and the Joint Arms Control Implementation ...
in Bedfordshire,
RAF Honington
Royal Air Force Honington or more simply RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. It was used as a bomber station during the Second World War and through the Cold War, hosting Han ...
in Suffolk,
RAF Odiham
Royal Air Force Odiham or more simply RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station situated a little to the south of the village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift he ...
in Hampshire and
RAF Northolt
Royal Air Force Northolt or more simply RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station in South Ruislip, from Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, western Greater London, England, approximately north of ...
in West London.
No. 11 Group (Multi-domain operations)
No. 11 Group is responsible for integrating operations across the
air
An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosph ...
,
cyber and
space
Space is a three-dimensional continuum containing positions and directions. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions. Modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless ...
domains whilst responding to new and evolving threats. It includes the RAF's Battlespace Management Force which controls the UK Air Surveillance and Control System (ASACS). The group oversees stations at
RAF Boulmer
Royal Air Force Boulmer or more simply RAF Boulmer is a Royal Air Force station near Alnwick in Northumberland, England, and is home to Aerospace Surveillance and Control System (ASACS) Force Command, Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) Boulmer ...
in Northumberland,
RAF Fylingdales
Royal Air Force Fylingdales (RAF Fylingdales) is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station on Snod Hill in the North York Moors, England. Its motto is ''Vigilamus'' ("We are watching"). It is a radar Military base, base and i ...
in North Yorkshire and
RAF Spadeadam
RAF Spadeadam (pronounced "Spade Adam") is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station in Cumbria, England, close to the border with Northumberland. It is the home of the 9,000 acre (36 km2) electronic warfare (EW) tactics range, making it the large ...
in Cumbria.
No. 22 Group (Training)
No. 22 Group is responsible for the supply of qualified and skilled personnel to the RAF and provides flying and non-flying training to all three British armed services. It is the end-user of the
UK Military Flying Training System which is provided by civilian contractor
Ascent Flight Training. The group oversees stations at
RAF College Cranwell
The Royal Air Force College (RAFC) is the Royal Air Force academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to become commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is respo ...
in Lincolnshire,
RAF Cosford
Royal Air Force Cosford or RAF Cosford (formerly DCAE Cosford) is a Royal Air Force station near to the village of Cosford, Shropshire, England just to the northwest of Wolverhampton and next to Albrighton.
It is a training station, home to ...
and
RAF Shawbury
Royal Air Force Shawbury, otherwise known as RAF Shawbury, is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Shawbury in Shropshire in the West Midlands of England.
History The First World War
The station at Shawbury was first used for milita ...
in Shropshire,
RAF Halton
Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since the First World ...
in Buckinghamshire,
MOD St Athan
Ministry of Defence St Athan or MOD St Athan ( Welsh: Maes awyr Sain Tathan), formerly known as Royal Air Force St Athan, or more simply RAF St Athan, is a large Ministry of Defence unit near the village of St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, sou ...
in the Vale of Glamorgan,
RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall and
RAF Valley
Royal Air Force Valley or more simply RAF Valley () is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides both basic and advanced fast-jet training using the Beechcraft Texan T. ...
on Anglesey. The
No. 22 Group also manages the
Royal Air Force Air Cadets
The Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) is the combined volunteer-military youth organisation sponsored by the Royal Air Force, which is formed by both the Air Training Corps and RAF Sections of the Combined Cadet Force. The organisation is head ...
.
Stations
An RAF station is ordinarily subordinate to a group and is commanded by a
group captain
Group captain (Gp Capt or G/C) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British influence.
Group cap ...
. Each station typically hosts several flying and non-flying
squadrons or
units
Unit may refer to:
General measurement
* Unit of measurement, a definite magnitude of a physical quantity, defined and adopted by convention or by law
**International System of Units (SI), modern form of the metric system
**English units, histo ...
which are supported by administrative and support wings.
United Kingdom
Front-line flying operations are focused at eight stations:
*
RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and h ...
,
RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Marham, commonly abbreviated RAF Marham is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Marham in the county of Norfolk, East Anglia.
It is home to No. 138 Expeditionary Air Wing (138 EAW) and, as such, is one of the RAF's ' ...
and
RAF Lossiemouth
Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.
Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the ...
(Air Combat)
*
RAF Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington , commonly known as RAF Waddington, and informally known by its nickname 'Waddo' is a Royal Air Force station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, in England.
The station is th ...
(ISTAR)
*
RAF Brize Norton
Royal Air Force Brize Norton or RAF Brize Norton is the largest List of Royal Air Force stations, station of the Royal Air Force. Situated in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, it is close to the village of Brize Norton and the tow ...
and
RAF Northolt
Royal Air Force Northolt or more simply RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station in South Ruislip, from Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, western Greater London, England, approximately north of ...
(Air Transport)
*
RAF Benson
Royal Air Force Benson or RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force (RAF) List of Royal Air Force stations, station located at Benson, Oxfordshire, Benson, near Wallingford, Oxfordshire, Wallingford, in South Oxfordshire, England. It is a front-line st ...
and
RAF Odiham
Royal Air Force Odiham or more simply RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station situated a little to the south of the village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift he ...
(Support Helicopter Force operating under
Joint Aviation Command
The Joint Aviation Command (JAC), previously known as Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), is a tri-service organisation uniting battlefield military helicopters of all three services of the British Armed Forces and unmanned aerial vehicles of the B ...
)
Flying training takes places at
RAF Barkston Heath
Royal Air Force Barkston Heath or RAF Barkston Heath is a Royal Air Force Relief Landing Ground under the command of RAF Cranwell near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England.
RAF Barkston Heath is the home of 57 Sqn's B Flight of No. 3 Flying Train ...
,
RAF College Cranwell
The Royal Air Force College (RAFC) is the Royal Air Force academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to become commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is respo ...
,
RAF Shawbury
Royal Air Force Shawbury, otherwise known as RAF Shawbury, is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Shawbury in Shropshire in the West Midlands of England.
History The First World War
The station at Shawbury was first used for milita ...
and
RAF Valley
Royal Air Force Valley or more simply RAF Valley () is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides both basic and advanced fast-jet training using the Beechcraft Texan T. ...
, each forming part of the
UK Military Flying Training System which is dedicated to training aircrew for all three UK armed services. Specialist ground crew training is focused at
RAF Cosford
Royal Air Force Cosford or RAF Cosford (formerly DCAE Cosford) is a Royal Air Force station near to the village of Cosford, Shropshire, England just to the northwest of Wolverhampton and next to Albrighton.
It is a training station, home to ...
,
RAF St Mawgan and
MOD St. Athan.
Operations are supported by numerous other flying and non-flying stations, with activity focussed at
RAF Honington
Royal Air Force Honington or more simply RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. It was used as a bomber station during the Second World War and through the Cold War, hosting Han ...
which coordinates
Force Protection
Force protection (FP) is the concept of protecting military personnel, family members, civilians, facilities, equipment and operations from threats or hazards in order to preserve operational effectiveness and contribute to mission success. It ...
and
RAF Leeming
Royal Air Force Leeming or more simply RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station located near Leeming, North Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1940 and was jointly used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Between 1950 and 19 ...
&
RAF Wittering
Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire ...
which have a support enabler role.
A
Control and Reporting Centre
A Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) is according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff publication 1.02 defined as: "A subordinated air control element of the tactical air control centre for which radar control and warning operations are conducted within ...
(CRC) at
RAF Boulmer
Royal Air Force Boulmer or more simply RAF Boulmer is a Royal Air Force station near Alnwick in Northumberland, England, and is home to Aerospace Surveillance and Control System (ASACS) Force Command, Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) Boulmer ...
is tasked with compiling a
Recognised Air Picture of UK air space and providing tactical control of the
Quick Reaction Alert Force. In order to achieve this Boulmer is supported by a network of eight Remote
Radar
Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
Heads (RRHs) spread the length of the UK.
Overseas
The UK operates permanent military airfields (known as Permanent Joint Operating Bases) in four
British Overseas Territories
The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or alternatively referred to as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are the fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom that, ...
. These bases contribute to the physical defence and maintenance of sovereignty of the British Overseas Territories and enable the UK to conduct
expeditionary military operations. Although command and oversight of the bases is provided by
Strategic Command
The United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the United States Department of Defense. Headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, USSTRATCOM is responsible for strategic nuclear de ...
, the airfield elements are known as RAF stations.
*
RAF Akrotiri
Royal Air Force Akrotiri, commonly abbreviated RAF Akrotiri (; ) is a large Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which comprise Akroti ...
(
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Akrotiri and Dhekelia (), officially the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (SBA), is a British Overseas Territory made of two non-contiguous areas on the island of Cyprus. The areas, which include British military bases and instal ...
, Cyprus)
*
RAF Ascension Island
RAF Ascension Island , also known as Wideawake Airfield or Ascension Island Auxiliary Field, is a military airfield and facility located on Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean. The airfield is jointly operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) an ...
(
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cuhna)
*
RAF Mount Pleasant
RAF Mount Pleasant (also known as Mount Pleasant Airport, Mount Pleasant Complex or MPA) is a Royal Air Force station in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The airfield goes by the motto of "Defend the right" (while the m ...
(
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; ), commonly referred to as The Falklands, is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and from Cape Dub ...
)
*
RAF Gibraltar
Royal Air Force Gibraltar or more simply RAF Gibraltar (also formerly known as North Front) is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but RAF and aircraft o ...
(
Gibraltar
Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
)
Four RAF squadrons are based overseas.
No. 17 Test and Evaluation Squadron is based at
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, California, Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino County and a souther ...
, California, in the United States and works in close cooperation with the
U.S. Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its origins to 1 ...
in the development of the
Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning.
No. 80 Squadron is part of the Australia, Canada and United Kingdom Reprogramming Laboratory (ACURL) at
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso, Florida, Valparaiso in Okaloosa County, Florida, Okaloosa County.
The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test ...
, Florida, and is tasked with compiling and testing the Mission Data File Sets (MDFS) for the F-35.
No. 84 Squadron is located at RAF Akrotiri in a search and rescue role.
No. 230 Squadron are based at
Medicina Lines
Medicina ( Bolognese: ; Eastern Bolognese: ) is an Italian ''comune'' with c. 16,000 inhabitants in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, part of the region of Emilia-Romagna.
Name
The origins of its name (which in Italian means "medicine") are qui ...
, Brunei.
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 or which aircraft they are operating. They can be awarded
standards Standard may refer to:
Symbols
* Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs
* Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification
Norms, conventions or requirements
* Standard (metrology), an object t ...
and
battle honours
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible.
In European military ...
for meritorious service. Most flying squadrons are commanded by a
wing commander
Wing commander (Wg Cdr or W/C) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence.
Wing commander is immediately se ...
and, for a fast-jet squadron, have a complement of around twelve aircraft.
Flights

Independent flights are so designated because they are explicitly smaller in size than a squadron. Many independent flights are, or have been, front-line flying units. For example,
No. 1435 Flight carries out air defence duties for the
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; ), commonly referred to as The Falklands, is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and from Cape Dub ...
, with four Eurofighter Typhoon fighters based at
RAF Mount Pleasant
RAF Mount Pleasant (also known as Mount Pleasant Airport, Mount Pleasant Complex or MPA) is a Royal Air Force station in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The airfield goes by the motto of "Defend the right" (while the m ...
.
Support wings and units
Support capabilities are provided by several specialist wings and other units.
*
Air Warfare Centre (
RAF Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington , commonly known as RAF Waddington, and informally known by its nickname 'Waddo' is a Royal Air Force station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, in England.
The station is th ...
)
*
Airborne Delivery Wing (
RAF Brize Norton
Royal Air Force Brize Norton or RAF Brize Norton is the largest List of Royal Air Force stations, station of the Royal Air Force. Situated in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, it is close to the village of Brize Norton and the tow ...
)
*
Mobile Meteorological Unit (RAF Waddington)
*
Tactical Communications Wing
90 Signals Unit (90 SU) is based at RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire and provides information and communication services to deployed units of the Royal Air Force.
History
No. 90 (Signals) Group was formed on 26 April 1946 and had its headquarters ...
(
RAF Leeming
Royal Air Force Leeming or more simply RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station located near Leeming, North Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1940 and was jointly used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Between 1950 and 19 ...
)
* Tactical Medical Wing (RAF Brize Norton)
*
Tactical Supply Wing (
MOD Stafford
Ministry of Defence Stafford otherwise known as MOD Stafford, Stafford Station or Beacon Barracks is a Ministry of Defence site in Stafford, in England. It was formerly Royal Air Force Stafford or more simply RAF Stafford, a non-flying Royal Air ...
)
*
No. 1 Air Control Centre (RAF Boulmer)
* No. 1 Air Mobility Wing (RAF Brize Norton)
* No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing (RAF Waddington)
*
No. 42 (Expeditionary Support) Wing (
RAF Wittering
Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire ...
)
*
No. 85 (Expeditionary Logistics) Wing (RAF Wittering)
*
No. 90 Signals Unit (RAF Leeming)
Expeditionary Air Wings
Command, control, and support for overseas operations is typically provided through
Expeditionary Air Wing
On 1 April 2006 Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) 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 their Station management team. The deployable elements of the ...
s (EAWs). Each wing is brought together as and when required and comprises the deployable elements of its home station as well as other support elements from throughout the RAF.
* No. 34 Expeditionary Air Wing (
RAF Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington , commonly known as RAF Waddington, and informally known by its nickname 'Waddo' is a Royal Air Force station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, in England.
The station is th ...
) –
ISTAR
ISTAR stands for Military intelligence, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. In its macroscopic sense, #ISTAR, ISTAR is a practice that links several battlefield functions together to assist a combat force in employ ...
operations
* No. 38 Expeditionary Air Wing (
RAF Brize Norton
Royal Air Force Brize Norton or RAF Brize Norton is the largest List of Royal Air Force stations, station of the Royal Air Force. Situated in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, it is close to the village of Brize Norton and the tow ...
) – air transport operations
* No. 121 Expeditionary Air Wing (
RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and h ...
) – multi-role operations
* No. 135 Expeditionary Air Wing (
RAF Leeming
Royal Air Force Leeming or more simply RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station located near Leeming, North Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1940 and was jointly used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Between 1950 and 19 ...
) – fighter operations
* No. 138 Expeditionary Air Wing (
RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Marham, commonly abbreviated RAF Marham is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Marham in the county of Norfolk, East Anglia.
It is home to No. 138 Expeditionary Air Wing (138 EAW) and, as such, is one of the RAF's ' ...
) – fighter operations
* No. 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (
RAF Lossiemouth
Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.
Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the ...
) – fighter operations
Several
Expeditionary Air Wing
On 1 April 2006 Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) 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 their Station management team. The deployable elements of the ...
s are based overseas:
* No. 901 Expeditionary Air Wing (
Al Udeid Air Base
Al Udeid Air Base () is one of two military bases southwest of Doha, Qatar, also known as Abu Nakhlah Airport ().
It houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, and other foreign forces. It is host to a forward h ...
, Qatar) – Communication and information systems support
* No. 902 Expeditionary Air Wing (Middle East) – Helicopter support
*No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing (
RAF Akrotiri
Royal Air Force Akrotiri, commonly abbreviated RAF Akrotiri (; ) is a large Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which comprise Akroti ...
, Cyprus) – Supports Operation Shader
*No. 905 Expeditionary Air Wing (
RAF Mount Pleasant
RAF Mount Pleasant (also known as Mount Pleasant Airport, Mount Pleasant Complex or MPA) is a Royal Air Force station in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The airfield goes by the motto of "Defend the right" (while the m ...
, Falklands Islands) – Protection of
British Overseas Territories
The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or alternatively referred to as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are the fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom that, ...
in the South Atlantic
* No. 906 Expeditionary Air Wing (Middle East) – Air transport support
Training schools
Flying training
The RAF Schools consist of the squadrons and support apparatus that train new aircrew to join front-line squadrons. The schools separate individual streams, but group together units with similar responsibility or that operate the same aircraft type. Some schools operate with only one squadron, and have an overall training throughput which is relatively small; some, like No. 3 Flying Training School RAF, No. 3 Flying Training School, have responsibility for all Elementary Flying Training (EFT) in the RAF, and all RAF aircrew will pass through its squadrons when they start their flying careers. No. 2 Flying Training School RAF, No. 2 Flying Training School and No. 6 Flying Training School RAF, No. 6 Flying Training School do not have a front-line training responsibility – their job is to group the University Air Squadrons and the Volunteer Gliding Squadrons together. The commanding officer of No. 2 FTS holds the only full-time flying appointment for a Group Captain in the RAF, and is a reservist.
*Central Flying School (RAF Cranwell) – standardises flying training across the air force and ensures standards and safety are maintained.
*No. 1 Flying Training School RAF, No. 1 Flying Training School (RAF Shawbury) – basic and advanced helicopter training.
*No. 2 Flying Training School RAF, No. 2 Flying Training School (RAF Syerston) – gliding training provided by Volunteer Gliding Squadrons based at airfields throughout the UK.
*No. 3 Flying Training School RAF, No. 3 Flying Training School (RAF Cranwell) – Elementary Flying Training (EFT) for RAF, Fleet Air Arm and Army Air Corps crews, also operates from
RAF Wittering
Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire ...
and
RAF Barkston Heath
Royal Air Force Barkston Heath or RAF Barkston Heath is a Royal Air Force Relief Landing Ground under the command of RAF Cranwell near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England.
RAF Barkston Heath is the home of 57 Sqn's B Flight of No. 3 Flying Train ...
.
*No. 4 Flying Training School RAF, No. 4 Flying Training School (
RAF Valley
Royal Air Force Valley or more simply RAF Valley () is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides both basic and advanced fast-jet training using the Beechcraft Texan T. ...
) – Basic Fast Jet Training (BFJT) and Advanced Fast Jet Training (AFJT).
*No. 6 Flying Training School RAF, No. 6 Flying Training School (RAF Cranwell) – Initial training provided by University Air Squadrons and Air Experience Flights based at airfields throughout the UK.
Non-flying training
The British military operate a number of joint training organisations, with Air Command leading the provision of technical training through the Defence College of Technical Training (DCTT). It provides training in aeronautical engineering, electro and mechanical engineering, and communication and information systems.
* No. 1 School of Technical Training RAF, No. 1 School of Technical Training is based at RAF Cosford and provides RAF personnel with mechanical, avionics, weapons and survival equipment training. Also based at Cosford is the Aerosystems Engineer and Management Training School. Both are part of the Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering.
* No. 4 School of Technical Training is part of the Defence School of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering (DSEME) and is based at MOD St Athan. It provides training to non-aircraft ground engineering technicians.
* No. 1 Radio School and the Aerial Erectors School are based at Cosford and RAF Digby respectively and are part of the Defence College of Communications and Information Systems, Defence School of Communications and Information Systems.
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 Studies, RAF Centre for Air Power Studies, both based at RAF Cranwell, and the
Air Warfare Centre, based at RAF Waddington and RAF Cranwell. Non-commissioned officer training and developmental courses occur at
RAF Halton
Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since the First World ...
and officer courses occur at the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham.
Personnel
At its height in 1944 during the Second World War, more than 1,100,000 personnel were serving in the RAF. The longest-lived founding member of the RAF was Henry Allingham, who died on 18 July 2009 aged 113.
As of 1 January 2015, the RAF numbered some 34,200 Regular and 1,940 Royal Auxiliary Air Force personnel, giving a combined component strength of 36,140 personnel. In addition to the active elements of the RAF, (Regular and Royal Auxiliary Air Force), all ex-Regular personnel remain liable to be recalled for duty in Total war, a time of need, this is known as the Regular Reserve (United Kingdom), Regular Reserve. In 2007, there were 33,980 RAF Regular Reserves, of which 7,950 served under a fixed-term reserve contract. Publications since April 2013 no-longer report the entire strength of the Regular Reserve, instead they only give a figure for Regular Reserves who serve under a fixed-term reserve contract. They had a strength of 7,120 personnel in 2014.
[gov.uk MoD – reserves and cadet strengths](_blank)
, table 4-page 13. April 2014.
Figures provided by the International Institute for Strategic Studies from 2012 showed that RAF pilots achieve a relatively high number of flying hours per year when compared with other major NATO allies such as France and Germany. RAF pilots achieve 210 to 290 flying hours per year. French and German Air Force pilots achieved 180 and 150 flying hours across their fleets respectively.
Officers
Officers hold a Letters patent, commission from the British monarchy, sovereign, which provides the legal authority for them to issue orders to subordinates. The commission of a regular officer is granted after successfully completing the 24-week-long Initial Officer Training course at the RAF College Cranwell, RAF College, Cranwell, Lincolnshire.
To emphasise the merger of both military and naval aviation when the RAF was formed, many of the titles of officers were deliberately chosen to be of a naval character, such as flight lieutenant, Wing Commander (rank), wing commander,
group captain
Group captain (Gp Capt or G/C) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British influence.
Group cap ...
, and air commodore.
In 1952, officers served in one of fourteen branches: Catering; Chaplains; Dental; Education; Equipment; Fighter Control; General Duties (i.e. aircrew); Legal; Medical; Physical Fitness; Provost; RAF Regiment; Secretarial; and Technical. All except General Duties and the RAF Regiment were open to women.
[G. H. Chaffe (ed.), ''Careers Encyclopædia'', Avon Press: London, 1952.]
Other ranks
Other ranks attend the Recruit Training Squadron at
RAF Halton
Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since the First World ...
for basic training. The titles and insignia of other ranks in the RAF were based on that of the Army, with some alterations in terminology. Over the years, this structure has seen significant changes: for example, there was once a separate system for those in technical trades, and the ranks of chief technician and junior technician 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. All warrant officers in the RAF are equal in terms of rank, but the most senior non-commissioned appointment is known as the Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force.
From 1952, trades for RAF airmen and airwomen were grouped into 23 trade groups: Accounting and Secretarial; Air Traffic Control and Fire Services; Aircraft Engineering; Airfield Construction; Armament Engineering; Catering; Dental; Electrical and Instrument Engineering; General Duties (i.e. aircrew); General Engineering; General Service; Ground Signalling; Marine Craft; Mechanical Transport; Medical; Music; Photography; Police; Radar Operating; Radio Engineering; RAF Regiment; Safety and Surface; and Supply. All were open to women except Air Traffic Control and Fire Services, Airfield Construction, General Duties, Marine Craft and the RAF Regiment
Ranks
Aircraft
Air combat
Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon, Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 is the RAF's primary multi-role air defence and ground attack fighter aircraft,
following the retirement of the Panavia Tornado ADV, Panavia Tornado F3 in late March 2011.
With the completion of 'Project Centurion' upgrades, the Typhoon FGR4 took over ground attack duties from the Panavia Tornado GR4, which was retired on 1 April 2019. The Typhoon is tasked to defend UK airspace, while also frequently deploying in support of NATO air defence missions in the Baltic (Operation Azotize), Black Sea (Operation Biloxi), and Iceland (Icelandic Air Policing).
The RAF has seven front-line Typhoon squadrons, plus an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU), and Operational Evaluation Unit (OEU); No. 3 Squadron RAF, No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron, No. 11 Squadron RAF, No. XI (F) Squadron, No. 12 Squadron RAF, No. 12 Squadron (joint RAF / Qatar Air Force), No. 29 Squadron RAF, No. 29 Squadron (OCU), and No. 41 Squadron RAF, No. 41 Test and Evaluation Squadron (OEU) based at
RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and h ...
; with 1 Squadron RAF, No. 1 (F) Squadron, No. 2 Squadron RAF, No. II (Army Cooperation) Squadron, No. 6 Squadron RAF, No. 6 Squadron, and No. 9 Squadron RAF, No. IX (Bomber) Squadron based at
RAF Lossiemouth
Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.
Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the ...
.
Additionally, four Typhoons (''Faith'', ''Hope'', ''Charity'', and ''Desperation'') are based at
RAF Mount Pleasant
RAF Mount Pleasant (also known as Mount Pleasant Airport, Mount Pleasant Complex or MPA) is a Royal Air Force station in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The airfield goes by the motto of "Defend the right" (while the m ...
on the
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; ), commonly referred to as The Falklands, is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and from Cape Dub ...
, forming
No. 1435 Flight, where they provide air defence. It was originally suggested that an eighth front-line Typhoon squadron could be formed, however, the Defence in a Competitive Age, 2021 Defence Command Paper announced the retirement of 24 Tranche 1 Typhoons by 2025, and a commitment to seven front-line squadrons.
The Typhoon made its combat debut in support of Operation Ellamy in 2011, and has been supporting Operation Shader since December 2015.
Typhoons have also been supporting 2024 missile strikes in Yemen, Operation Poseidon Archer since January 2024. The Typhoon made its first air-to-air kill in December 2021, shooting down a small hostile drone near Al-Tanf (U.S. military base), Al-Tanf base, Syria, with an ASRAAM.
Lightning
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II is a single-seat, single-engine, all-weather Stealth aircraft, stealth multirole combat aircraft. It is intended to perform both Air superiority fighter, air superiority and Attack aircraft, strike missions while also providing electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. It will be jointly operated by the RAF and the Royal Navy and with its ability to perform STOVL, short take-offs and vertical-landings (STOVL), can operate from the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, ''Queen Elizabeth''-class aircraft carriers. Originally a total of 138 Lightnings were planned, however the 2021 Defence Command Paper amended this to a commitment to increase the fleet beyond the current order of 48.
By May 2025, 39 F-35Bs had been delivered to the RAF
(though one crashed in November 2021). The F-35B has an out of service date (OSD) of 2069.
The first RAF squadron to operate the F-35B was
No. 17 Test and Evaluation Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, Edwards AFB, California, accepting its first aircraft in 2014.
No. 617 Squadron RAF, No. 617 (The Dambusters) Squadron officially reformed on 18 April 2018 as the first operational RAF Lightning squadron. The first four aircraft arrived at
RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Marham, commonly abbreviated RAF Marham is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Marham in the county of Norfolk, East Anglia.
It is home to No. 138 Expeditionary Air Wing (138 EAW) and, as such, is one of the RAF's ' ...
from the United States in June 2018, with a further five arriving in August 2018.
The Lightning was declared combat ready in January 2019. The second UK based F-35B squadron to be formed was No. 207 Squadron RAF, No. 207 Squadron on 1 August 2019 as the OCU for both RAF and Royal Navy pilots.
Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR)
Six Beechcraft Super King Air, Hawker Beechcraft Shadow R1s (with two more to be converted) are operated by No. 14 Squadron RAF, No. 14 Squadron from RAF Waddington, these aircraft are King Air 350CERs that have been specially converted for the ISTAR role. Four Shadow R1s were originally ordered in 2007 due to an Urgent Operational Requirement, and began the conversion process to the ISTAR role in 2009.
''ZZ416'' was the first Shadow R1 to be delivered in May 2009 to No. 5 Squadron RAF, No. V (AC) Squadron. A further Shadow was procured and delivered in December 2011. The Shadow fleet was transferred over to the newly reformed No. 14 Squadron in October 2011. Following the 2015 SDSR, three more Shadows were ordered and the fleet was given an OSD of 2030.
Ten
General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles are operated by No. 13 Squadron RAF, No. XIII Squadron at RAF Waddington.
Three Boeing RC-135, Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joints (also known in RAF service as Airseeker) replaced the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod R1 fleet in the
signals intelligence
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is the act and field of intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly u ...
role under the Airseeker Programme and are flown by No. 51 Squadron RAF, No. 51 Squadron. The Nimrod fleet was retired in 2011, the RAF co-manned aircraft of the US Air Force until the three RC-135s entered service between 2014 and 2017. The aircraft were Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker tankers converted to RC-135W standard in the most complex combined Foreign Military Sales case and co-operative support arrangement that the UK had undertaken with the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
since the Second World War. The Rivet Joint received its first operational deployment in August 2014, when it was deployed to the Middle East to fly missions over Iraq and
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
as part of Operation Shader. The RC-135W's OSD is 2035.
The General Atomics Protector RG1 is currently being introduced into RAF service, with operational flying scheduled to begin in 2025. On 5 October 2015, it was announced that the Scavenger programme had been replaced by "Protector", a new requirement for at least 20 unmanned aerial vehicles.
On 7 October 2015, it was revealed that Protector would be a Type certificate, certifiable derivative of the MQ-9 Reaper, MQ-9B SkyGuardian with enhanced range and endurance. In 2016, it was indicated that at least sixteen aircraft would be purchased with a maximum of up to twenty-six. In July 2018, a General Atomics US civil-registered SkyGuardian was flown from North Dakota to RAF Fairford for the Royal International Air Tattoo where it was given RAF markings. In July 2020, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract for three Protectors with an option on an additional thirteen aircraft. The 2021 Defence Command Paper confirmed the order for 16 Protectors,
despite the fact that the 2015 SDSR originally laid out plans for more than 20. The first Protector RG1 (''PR009'') was delivered to RAF Waddington in September 2023. No. 31 Squadron RAF, No. 31 Squadron was reformed as the first Protector squadron on 11 October 2023, having been earmarked for the role in 2018.
Based at RAF Waddington, No. 54 Squadron RAF, No. 54 Squadron and No. 56 Squadron RAF, No. 56 Squadron act as the OCU and OEU for the ISTAR fleet respectively.
File:RC-135W Rivet Joint MOD 45159809.jpg, Boeing RC-135, Airseeker R1
File:Shadow R1 5(AC) Sqdn RAF Waddington this morning.jpg, Beechcraft Super King Air, Shadow R1
File:Reaper UAV Takes to the Skies of Southern Afghanistan MOD 45151418.jpg, General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, MQ-9A Reaper
File:RIAT 2018 - Static display IMGP2662 (28679706407).jpg, General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper#Protector, Protector RG1
Maritime patrol

Nine Boeing P-8 Poseidon, Boeing Poseidon MRA1 were ordered by the British government in November 2015 in its Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, Strategic Defence and Security Review for surveillance, anti-submarine and anti-surface ship warfare, filling a capability gap in maritime patrol that had been left since the cancellation of the
BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 programme in the 2010 SDSR. On 13 July 2017, it was announced that No. 120 Squadron RAF, No. 120 Squadron and No. 201 Squadron RAF, No. 201 Squadron, both former Hawker Siddeley Nimrod, Nimrod MR2 squadrons, would operate the Poseidon and be based at RAF Lossiemouth.
No. 120 Squadron was stood up on 1 April 2018,
with No. 201 Squadron reforming on 7 August 2021. No. 54 Squadron was the OCU for the Poseidon fleet between 2020 and 2023.
No. 42 Squadron RAF, No. 42 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron has been the OCU for the Poseidon since September 2023.
The first production Poseidon MRA1 ''ZP801'' made its initial flight on 13 July 2019. ''ZP801'' arrived at Kinloss Barracks, the former home of the Nimrod, on 4 February 2020, filling a decade long gap in maritime capability. The Poseidon was declared combat ready in April 2020. The Poseidon carried out its first operational mission on 3 August 2020, when the Russian warship ''Russian patrol boat Vasily Bykov, Vasily Bykov'' was tracked. A Poseidon MRA1 arrived at RAF Lossiemouth for the first time in October 2020.
The ninth, and final Poseidon arrived at RAF Lossiemouth on 11 January 2022.
Air mobility
No. 99 Squadron RAF, No. 99 Squadron operate eight C-17 Globemaster III, Boeing C-17A Globemaster III in the heavy strategic airlift role from
RAF Brize Norton
Royal Air Force Brize Norton or RAF Brize Norton is the largest List of Royal Air Force stations, station of the Royal Air Force. Situated in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, it is close to the village of Brize Norton and the tow ...
, Oxfordshire. Four C-17A were originally leased from Boeing in 2000, These four were subsequently purchased outright, followed by a fifth delivered on 7 April 2008 and a sixth delivered on 11 June 2008. The MOD said there was "a stated departmental requirement for eight" C-17s and a seventh was subsequently ordered, to be delivered in December 2010. In February 2012 the purchase of an eighth C-17 was confirmed; the aircraft arrived at RAF Brize Norton in May 2012.
The Airbus A400M Atlas, Airbus Atlas C1 (A400M) replaced the RAF's fleet of C-130 Hercules, initially replacing the C1/C3 (C-130K) which were withdrawn from use on 28 October 2013, having originally entered service in 1967.
Based at RAF Brize Norton, the Atlas fleet is operated by No. 30 Squadron RAF, No. 30 Squadron and No. 70 Squadron RAF, No. LXX Squadron. The first Atlas C1 (''ZM400'') was delivered to the RAF in November 2014. Originally, twenty-five A400Ms were ordered in the initial batch; the total initial purchase then dropped to twenty-two. The final aircraft in the initial order of 22 aircraft was delivered in May 2023.
In February 2023, the Chief of the Air Staff indicated that up to six additional aircraft were planned for delivery by 2030.
The C-130J Hercules was retired from RAF service on 30 June 2023.
No. 24 Squadron RAF, No. XXIV Squadron acts as the Air Mobility OCU (AMOCU) for the Globemaster and Atlas, while No. 206 Squadron RAF, No. 206 Squadron is the OEU.
Air transport tasks are also carried out by the Airbus A330 MRTT, Airbus Voyager KC2/3, flown by No. 10 Squadron RAF, No. 10 Squadron and No. 101 Squadron RAF, No. 101 Squadron. The first Voyager (''ZZ330'') arrived in the UK for testing at MoD Boscombe Down, MOD Boscombe Down in April 2011, and entered service in April 2012. The Voyager received approval from the MOD on 16 May 2013 to begin air-to-air refuelling flights and made its first operational tanker flight on 20 May 2013 as part of a training sortie with Tornado GR4s. By 21 May 2013, the Voyager fleet had carried over 50,000 passengers and carried over 3,000 tons of cargo. A total of fourteen Voyagers form the fleet, with nine allocated to sole RAF use (three KC2s and six KC3s). As the Voyagers lack a Refueling boom, refuelling boom, the RAF has requested a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States Air Force, USAF allowing the UK access to tankers equipped with refuelling booms for its Boeing RC-135, RC-135W Rivet Joint .
Two Dassault Falcon 900, Dassault Falcon 900XLs were procured in early 2022 to replace the RAF's fleet of four British Aerospace 146, BAe 146s (two CC2s and two C3s) in the Command Support Air Transport role. Known as the Envoy IV CC1 in British service, the aircraft are based at
RAF Northolt
Royal Air Force Northolt or more simply RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station in South Ruislip, from Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, western Greater London, England, approximately north of ...
and are operated by a mixed civilian and No. 32 Squadron RAF, No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron crew. This arrangement will remain until 2026 when the fleet will be placed on the United Kingdom military aircraft registration number, military register.
File:C17 Transport Aircraft Taking Off from RAF Brize Norton MOD 45156519.jpg, C-17 Globemaster III, C-17A Globemaster III
File:RAF A400M Lands at RAF Brize Norton.jpg, Airbus A400M Atlas, Atlas C1 (A400M)
File:Royal Air Force, ZZ330, Airbus KC2 Voyager (42524680970).jpg, Airbus A330 MRTT, Voyager KC2 (A330 MRTT)
File:G-ZAHS, Envoy IV CC1 (Dassault Falcon 900LX) of 32 Sqn RAF at RAF Northolt, in its 'Global Britain' livery - 2022-12-06-1247-01.jpg, Dassault Falcon 900, Envoy IV CC1
Helicopters

RAF helicopters support the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
by moving troops and equipment to and around the battlefield. Helicopters are also used in a variety of other roles, including in support of RAF ground units and heavy-lift support for the Royal Marines. The support helicopters are organised into the tri-service
Joint Aviation Command
The Joint Aviation Command (JAC), previously known as Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), is a tri-service organisation uniting battlefield military helicopters of all three services of the British Armed Forces and unmanned aerial vehicles of the B ...
(JAC), along with helicopters from the British Army and
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
. No. 22 Squadron RAF, No. 22 Squadron, based at
RAF Benson
Royal Air Force Benson or RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force (RAF) List of Royal Air Force stations, station located at Benson, Oxfordshire, Benson, near Wallingford, Oxfordshire, Wallingford, in South Oxfordshire, England. It is a front-line st ...
, is the OEU for JAC.
The large twin-rotor Boeing Chinook (UK variants), Boeing Chinook is the RAF's heavy-lift support helicopter. Originally ordered in 1978, with subsequent orders in 1995, 2011, and 2018 (yet to be finalised), the Chinook is operated by No. 7 Squadron RAF, No. 7 Squadron, No. 18 Squadron RAF, No. 18 (B) Squadron and No. 27 Squadron RAF, No. 27 Squadron at
RAF Odiham
Royal Air Force Odiham or more simply RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station situated a little to the south of the village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift he ...
and No. 28 Squadron RAF, No. 28 (AC) Squadron (Support Helicopter OCU) at RAF Benson.
Since being first delivered in 1980, the Chinook has been involved in numerous operations: the Falklands War (1982); Operation Granby (1991); NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, Operation Engadine (1999); Operation Barras (2000); Operation Herrick (2002–2014); Operation Telic (2003–2011); Operation RUMAN, Operation Ruman (2017); and Operation Barkhane, Operation Newcombe (2018–2022).
The 60-strong fleet of Chinooks currently has an OSD in the 2040s.
Training aircraft
The UK's military flying training has been privatised through a Public–private partnership, public-private partnership, known as the
UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS). Training is provided by
Ascent Flight Training, a consortium of Lockheed Martin and Babcock International. New aircraft were procured to reduce the training gap between the older generation Grob G 115, Grob Tutor T1, Short Tucano, Short Tucano T1 and Beechcraft King Air, Beechcraft King Air T1 aircraft, and the RAF's modern front-line aircraft, including advanced systems and glass cockpits. UKMFTS also relies far more on Flight simulator, synthetic training to prepare aircrew for the front line, where advanced synthetic training is commonplace.
Initial training
The Grob Tutor T1 equips fifteen University Air Squadrons, which provide university students an opportunity to undertake an RAF training syllabus, which includes first solo, as well as air navigation, aerobatics and formation flying. These units are co-located with Air Experience Flights, which share the same aircraft and facilities and provide air experience flying to the Air Training Corps and Combined Cadet Force. The Tutor is also flown by No. 16 Squadron RAF, No. 16 Squadron and No. 115 Squadron RAF, No. 115 Squadron based at RAF Wittering.
Volunteer Gliding Squadrons also provide air experience flying to cadets using the Grob G103a Twin II, Grob Viking T1 conventional glider. Due to an airworthiness issue in April 2014, the Viking fleet and the Grob G109, Grob Vigilant T1 fleet were grounded for a two-year period, although Viking operations have subsequently resumed. The Vigilant was unexpectedly withdrawn from service in May 2018, a year earlier than planned. A contract tender was initiated in February 2018 to replace this capability from 2022 onwards.
Elementary training
The Grob G 120TP, Grob Prefect T1 was introduced to RAF service in 2016 as its elementary trainer. The 23-strong fleet is based at RAF Cranwell and RAF Barkston Heath in Lincolnshire where they are operated by No. 57 Squadron RAF, No. 57 Squadron. On completion of elementary training, aircrew are then streamed to either fast jet, multi-engine, or rotary training.
Basic fast jet training
Basic fast jet training is provided on the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, Beechcraft Texan T1, which replaced the Short Tucano T1 in November 2019. The Texan is a tandem-seat turboprop aircraft, featuring a digital glass cockpit. It is operated by No. 72 Squadron RAF, No. 72 (F) Squadron based at
RAF Valley
Royal Air Force Valley or more simply RAF Valley () is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides both basic and advanced fast-jet training using the Beechcraft Texan T. ...
in Anglesey which provides lead-in training for RAF and Royal Navy fighter pilots prior to advanced training on the BAE Systems Hawk, BAE Hawk T2. The first two Texans were delivered in February 2018 and by December 2018 ten aircraft had arrived at RAF Valley.
Four additional Texans were delivered on 3 November 2020.
Advanced fast jet training
The BAE Hawk T2 is flown by No. 4 Squadron RAF, No. IV Squadron and No. 25 Squadron RAF, No. XXV (F) Squadron based at RAF Valley. The latter provides initial Advanced Fast Jet Training (AFJT), while pilots who graduate on to the former squadron learn tactical and weapons training. After advanced training aircrew go on to an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) where they are trained to fly either the Typhoon FGR4 (No. 29 Squadron RAF, No. 29 Squadron at RAF Coningsby) or F-35B Lightning (No. 207 Squadron RAF, No. 207 Squadron at RAF Marham) in preparation for service with a front-line squadron. The OCUs use operational aircraft alongside flight simulator, simulators and ground training, although in the case of the Typhoon a two-seater training variant exists which is designated the Typhoon T3.
On 15 October 2020, it was announced a joint RAF-Qatari Air Force Hawk squadron (similar to No. 12 Squadron RAF, No. 12 Squadron) would be formed in the future. On 1 April 2021, it was further elaborated that this squadron would be stood up in September 2021 at
RAF Leeming
Royal Air Force Leeming or more simply RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station located near Leeming, North Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1940 and was jointly used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Between 1950 and 19 ...
, North Yorkshire. The Joint Hawk Training Squadron received its first two Hawk Mk.167s at RAF Leeming on 1 September 2021. On 24 November 2021, the Joint Hawk Training Squadron became 11 Squadron (Qatar), 11 Squadron QEAF when it reformed at RAF Leeming.
Multi-engine training
Multi-Engine aircrew, weapon systems officer (WSO) and weapon systems operator (WSOp) students are trained on the Embraer Phenom 100, Embraer Phenom T1. It is operated by No. 45 Squadron RAF, No. 45 Squadron based at RAF Cranwell. Multi-engine aircrew then go to their Operational Conversion Unit or front-line squadron.
File:Royal Air Force Grob G-103A Viking TX1 Lofting-1.jpg, Grob G103a Twin II, Viking T1
File:Grob G 115E EA-3.JPG, Grob Tutor, Tutor T1
File:EGVA - Grob G120TP Prefect T1 - Royal Air Force - ZM307 (48385816261).jpg, Grob G 120TP, Prefect T1
File:Hawker Beechcraft T-6C Texan II N2824B (35871033230).jpg, Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, Texan T1
File:RAF BAE Systems Hawk T2 Lofting-1.jpg, BAE Hawk, Hawk T2
File:EGVA - Embraer 500 Phenom 100 - Royal Air Force - ZM335 (48385967192).jpg, Embraer Phenom 100, Phenom T1
File:Eurofighter Typhoon T.3 ‘ZK382 - BG’ (30750294326).jpg, Eurofighter Typhoon, Typhoon T3
Rotary
No. 1 Flying Training School RAF, No. 1 Flying Training School (No. 1 FTS) (formerly the Defence Helicopter Flying School) is based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire and provides basic helicopter pilot training for all UK armed forces. It flies twenty-nine Eurocopter EC135, Airbus Juno HT1. No. 1 FTS comprises two main elements, 2 Maritime Air Wing (2 MAW) and No. 9 Regiment.
2 MAW includes No. 660 Squadron AAC, No. 660 Squadron of the
Army Air Corps (AAC) and 705 Naval Air Squadron and provide basic helicopter flying training. No. 9 Regiment comprises No. 60 Squadron RAF, No. 60 Squadron of the RAF and No. 670 Squadron RAF, No. 670 Squadron of the AAC in the advanced helicopter flying training. No. 202 Squadron RAF, No. 202 Squadron is also part of No. 1 FTS and operates the Eurocopter EC145, Airbus Jupiter HT1 at RAF Valley.
File:2019 Royal International Air Tattoo 1P4A8375 (48387276351).jpg, Eurocopter EC135, Juno HT1
File:H-145 Jupiter - RIAT 2018 (41932985800).jpg, Eurocopter EC145, Jupiter HT1
Future aircraft

In July 2014, the House of Commons Defence Select Committee released a report on the RAF future force structure that envisaged a mixture of unmanned and manned platforms, including further F-35, Protector RG1, a service life extension for the Typhoon (which would otherwise end its service in 2030) or a possible new manned aircraft. In July 2018, at the Farnborough Airshow, the Defence Secretary announced a £2bn investment for BAE Systems, MBDA and Leonardo (company), Leonardo to develop a new British 6th Generation Fighter to replace Typhoon in 2035 under BAE Systems Tempest, Project Tempest.
On 22 March 2019, the defence secretary announced the UK had signed a $1.98 billion deal to procure five Boeing 737 AEW&C, Boeing E-7 Wedgetails to replace the ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry, Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW1 fleet in the Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) role.
As of May 2020, the first E-7 is expected to enter RAF service in 2023 with the final aircraft arriving in late 2025 or early 2026. In December 2020, it was announced that the Wedgetail AEW1 will be based at RAF Lossiemouth. The 2021 Defence Command Paper cut the Wedgetail order down to three aircraft.
The Sentry AEW1s were officially withdrawn on 28 September 2021.
In March 2021, the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy paper was published which announced the aim to procure a New Medium Helicopter (NMH) in order to replace the Puma HC2, Griffin HAR2 (in RAF service) and the AAC's Bell 212, Bell 212 AH1 and Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, Eurocopter Dauphin AH1. In May 2022, the MoD announced the beginning of the NMH competition, with the aim to acquire up to 44 helicopters. By November 2022, four companies qualified for the MoD's requirements: Airbus (Airbus Helicopters H175, H175M); Boeing (Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf, MH-139 Grey Wolf); Leonardo (AgustaWestland AW149, AW149); and Sikorsky / Lockheed Martin (Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, S-70 Black Hawk). The Minister of State for Defence Procurement opened bidding for the competition, between Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK, in February 2024.
Symbols, flags, emblems and uniform
Following the tradition of the other British armed services, the RAF has adopted symbols to represent it, use as rallying devices for members and promote esprit de corps. British aircraft in the early stages of the First World War carried the Union Flag as an identifying feature; however, this was easily confused with Germany's Iron Cross motif. In October 1914, therefore, 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.
[Robertson 1967, p 89] The relative sizes of the rings have changed over the years and during the Second World War an outer yellow ring was added to the fuselage roundel. Aircraft serving in the Far East during the Second World War had the :File:RAF Far East Command roundel.svg, red disc removed to prevent :File:Japan Air Self-Defense Force roundel.svg, confusion with Japanese 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 non-camouflaged training and transport aircraft retain the traditional red-white-blue roundel.
[
The RAF's motto is and is usually translated from Latin as "Through Adversity to the Stars",][Air Ministry Orders A.666/49, 15 September 1949] 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 for suggestions from a commander of the Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...
, Frederick Sykes, Colonel Sykes.
The badge of the Royal Air Force was first used in August 1918. In Heraldry, heraldic terms, it is: "In front of a circle inscribed with the motto and ensigned by the Imperial Crown an eagle volant and affronté head lowered and to the sinister". Although there have been debates among airmen over the years about whether the bird was originally meant to be an albatross or an eagle, the consensus is that it was always an eagle.
Ceremonial functions and display
Red Arrows
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 Waddington
Royal Air Force Waddington , commonly known as RAF Waddington, and informally known by its nickname 'Waddo' is a Royal Air Force station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, in England.
The station is th ...
. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by RAF commands. The Red Arrows badge shows the aircraft in their trademark ''Diamond Nine'' formation, with the motto , a French word meaning "brilliance" or "excellence".[
Initially, they were equipped with seven Folland Gnat trainers inherited from the RAF Yellowjacks display team. This aircraft was chosen because it was less expensive to operate than front-line fighter aircraft, fighters. In their first season, they flew at sixty-five shows across Europe. In 1966, the team was increased to nine members, enabling them to develop their ''Diamond Nine'' formation. In late 1979, they switched to the BAE Hawk trainer. The Red Arrows have performed over 4,700 displays in fifty-six countries worldwide.
]
Royal Air Force Music
Headquarters Music Services, Headquarters Royal Air Force Music Services, located at RAF Northolt
Royal Air Force Northolt or more simply RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station in South Ruislip, from Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, western Greater London, England, approximately north of ...
, supports professional musicians who perform at events around the globe in support of the RAF. The Central Band of the Royal Air Force was established in 1920. Other bands include the Band of the Royal Air Force College, the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment and the Band of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force.
Trooping the Colour
The Royal Air Force, and its predecessor, the Royal Flying Corps, has provided the flypast for Trooping the Colour since 1913. The RFC performed its first flypast for George V, King George V's King's Official Birthday, Official Birthday over Laffin's Plain, Aldershot.
See also
* List of all aircraft current and former of the United Kingdom
* List of military aircraft operational during World War II
* List of Royal Air Force stations
* Structure of the Royal Air Force
* Royal Air Force Air Cadets
The Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) is the combined volunteer-military youth organisation sponsored by the Royal Air Force, which is formed by both the Air Training Corps and RAF Sections of the Combined Cadet Force. The organisation is head ...
* Royal Air Force Museum
* RAF News
Footnotes
RAF ranks
Other notes
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
* Connolly, Corvin J. ''Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Cotesworth Slessor and the Anglo-American Air Power Alliance, 1940–1945'' (Texas A&M Press, 2001).
* Cox, Jafna L. "A splendid training ground: the importance to the Royal Air Force of its role in Iraq, 1919–32." ''Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History'' 13.2 (1985): 157–184.
* Davis, Richard B. ''Bombing the European Axis Powers. A Historical Digest of the Combined Bomber Offensive 1939–1945'' (Air University Press, 2006
online
* Gooderson, Ian. ''Air Power at the Battlefront: Allied Close Air Support in Europe 1943–45'' (Routledge, 2013).
* Heaton, Colin D., and Anne-Marie Lewis. ''Night Fighters: Luftwaffe and RAF Air Combat Over Europe, 1939–1945'' (Naval Institute Press, 2008).
*
* Hoffman, Bruce. ''British Air Power in Peripheral Conflict, 1919–1976'' (RAND, 1989)
online
, with bibliography
*
*
* Lee, David. ''Eastward: a history of the Royal Air Force in the Far East, 1945–1972'' (Seven Hills Books, 1984).
* Lee, David. ''Flight from the Middle East: A History of the Royal Air Force in the Arabian Peninsula and Adjacent Territories, 1945–1972'' (HM Stationery Office, 1980).
* Maiolo, Joseph. ''Cry Havoc: How the arms race drove the world to war, 1931–1941'' (2010)
* Russell Miller, Miller, Russell. ''Boom: The Life of Viscount Trenchard, Father of the Royal Air Force'' (Weidenfeld, 2016)
* Philpott, Ian, ed. ''Royal Air Force History: Royal Air Force – an Encyclopaedia of the Inter-War Years'' (2 vol 2008)
* Rawlings, John D.R. ''The History of the Royal Air Force'' (1984) well illustrated.
* Richards, Denis, and David Pilgrim. ''Royal Air Force, 1939–1945: The fight at odds'' (1954), the official history.
* Ritchie, Sebastian. "The RAF, Small Wars and Insurgencies: Later Colonial Operations, 1945–1975" (2011)
*
* Saunders, Hilary. ''Per Ardua: The Rise of British Air Power, 1911–1939'' (Oxford UP, 1945).
* Sinnott, Colin S. ''The RAF and Aircraft Design: Air Staff Operational Requirements 1923-1939'' (Routledge, 2014).
* Smith, Malcolm. ''British Air Strategy Between the Wars'' (Oxford, The Clarendon Press, 1984).
* Smith, Gordon Scott. ''RAF War Plans and British Foreign Policy 1935–1940'' (MIT Dept. of Political Science, 1966)
online
*
* Werrell, Kenneth P. "The strategic bombing of Germany in World War II: Costs and accomplishments." ''Journal of American History'' 73.3 (1986): 702–713
online
External links
*
RAF Benevolent Fund
The RAF channel on YouTube
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1918 establishments in the United Kingdom
Articles containing video clips
British Armed Forces
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
Military of the United Kingdom
Military units and formations established in 1918