Uncontrolled copy not subject to amendment
The Royal Air Force
Revision 1.01
The Royal Air Force
Learning Outcome 1
Know about the history and organisation
of the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force
The History and Organisation of the
Royal Air Force
Aims and Objectives
• Understand the history of
the RAF
• Understand the structure
of the RAF today
• Understand the roles of
the modern RAF
• Learn how an RAF
Station is organised
Before The RAF
• The Royal Balloon School
was the first “air force”.
Before The RAF
• The Royal Balloon School
was the first “air force”.
• Formation of the Royal
Flying Corps on 13 Mar
1912.
Before The RAF
• The Royal Balloon School
was the first “air force”.
• Formation of the Royal
Flying Corps on 13 Mar
1912.
• Navy Wing splits to form
Royal Navy Air Service in
July 1914.
The Formation of the Royal Air Force
• The RAF formed on 1st of
April 1918 and Lord
Trenchard is appointed
Chief of Air Staff.
The Formation of the Royal Air Force
• The RAF formed on 1st of
April 1918 and Lord
Trenchard is appointed
Chief of Air Staff.
• The RAF gets a new
Badge (crest). Its motto
means “Through
Struggles to the Stars”.
The Formation of the Royal Air Force
• The RAF formed on 1st of
April 1918 and Lord
Trenchard is appointed
Chief of Air Staff.
• The RAF gets a new
Badge (crest). Its motto
means “Through
Struggles to the Stars”.
• The RAF gets a new
Ensign to represent its
authority.
World War II
“This morning the British
Ambassador in Berlin
handed the German
Government a final note
stating that unless we
heard from them by 11.00
a.m. that they were
prepared at once to
withdraw their troops from
Poland, a state of war
would exist between us.
I have to tell you that no
such undertaking has been
received, and that
consequently this country
is at war with Germany.”
World War II
The RAF defeats the
Luftwaffe in the Battle of
Britain
Churchill’s famous speech on ‘The Few’
World War II
• The RAF defeats the
Luftwaffe in the Battle of
Britain.
• The RAF lowers German
moral and disrupts
manufacture with a
massive bombing
campaign over Germany.
The Cold War
• The Berlin Airlift
• The Cold War Begins
The Cold War
• The Berlin Airlift
• The Cold War Begins
The Cold War
• The Berlin Airlift
• The Cold War Begins
• The Cold War causes an
Arms Race
The Cold War
• The Berlin Airlift
• The Cold War Begins.
• The Cold War causes an
Arms Race.
• The RAF Becomes a
largely standoff defence
force as the country waits
for war to come.
An Expeditionary Air Force
• The Falklands War
signalling the return to an
Expeditionary Air Force
An Expeditionary Air Force
• The Falklands War
signalling the return to an
Expeditionary Air Force
• The RAF undertake key
roles in the Gulf
An Expeditionary Air Force
• The Falklands War
signalling the return to an
Expeditionary Air Force
• The RAF undertake key
roles in the Gulf
• The RAF help
Peacekeeping in Kosovo
and Bosnia
The RAF Today
• RAF Strength around
50,000
The RAF Today
• RAF Strength around
50,000
• Women now undertake
front line jobs in the RAF
The RAF Today
• RAF Strength around
50,000
• Women now undertake
front line jobs in the RAF
• What is the RAF involved
in Today?
RAF Organisation
The Defence Council
Chief Of Air Staff (CAS)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton
Air Force Board
Commander in Chief (CinC) Air
Air Chief Marshal Simon Bryant
Air Command
Deputy CinC Operations
Air Marshal Garwood
AOC Number 1 Group
Air Vice-Marshal Greg J Bagwell
AOC Number 2 Group
Air Vice-Marshal S J Hillier
Deputy CinC Personnel
Air Vice-Marshal Lloyd
AOC 22 Training Group
Air Vice-Marshal M C Green
Headquarters Air Cadets
Air Commodore Barbara Cooper
Number 1 Group
Air Combat Group
• HQ – RAF High Wycombe
• Units Which come under 1
Group:
– Fast Jet Squadrons
– The Joint Harrier Force
– The Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight
Number 2 Group
Air Combat Support Group
• HQ – RAF High Wycombe
• Units Which come under 2 Group:
– Force Protection which includes:
• RAF Regiment
• RAF Police
– Tactical Transport and Refuelling
– Combat Intelligence, Surveillance,
Target Acquisition &
Reconnaissance (CISTAR)
Number 22 Group
• HQ – RAF High Wycombe
• Responsible for all Training
including:
– RAF College Cranwell
– DCAE Cosford
– The Air Cadets
– Flying Training
The Organisation of an RAF Station
Station Commander
Group Captain
Operations Wing
Wing Commander
Forward Support
Wing
Wing Commander
Operations
(inc. flying –
Air Traffic Control)
General Aircraft
Engineering
(Elec, Mech & MT)
Base Support Wing
Wing Commander
Training, Supply,
Training,
Supply,
Catering,
Accommodation,
Police, Regiment,
Catering,
PhysEd, Accounts,
Personnel
Accommodation,
Police,
Regiment, PhysEd,
Accounts, Personnel
Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) and Joint
Service Elements in a Modern RAF
• EAWs are formed when
needed and report
directly to Air Command
Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) and Joint
Service Elements in a Modern RAF
• EAWs are formed when
needed and report
directly to Air Command
• Joint Service
Organisations help the
RAF work efficiently with
its fellow services
Aims and Objectives
• Understand the history of
the RAF
• Understand the structure
of the RAF today
• Understand the roles of
the modern RAF
• Learn how an RAF
Station is organised
Questions?