Royal Air Force | |
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Founded | 1 April 1918 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Type | Air and space force |
Role | Aerial and space warfare |
Size |
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Part of | British Armed Forces |
Air Staff Offices | Whitehall, London |
Motto(s) | "Per Ardua ad Astra" (Latin) (Through Adversity to the Stars) |
Colours | Red, white, blue |
March | Quick: "Royal Air Force March Past" Slow: "Saeculum"[3] |
Anniversaries | 1 April |
Engagements | See list
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Website | www |
Commanders | |
Commander-in-Chief | King Charles III |
Secretary of State for Defence | Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP |
Chief of the Air Staff | Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton |
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff | Air Marshal Paul Lloyd |
Air and Space Commander | Air Marshal Harvey Smyth |
Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force | Warrant Officer Murugesvaran Subramaniam |
Insignia | |
Roundel | |
Fin flash | |
Ensign | |
Aircraft flown | |
Attack | MQ-9 Reaper Protector RG1[4] |
Fighter | Typhoon FGR4 F-35B Lightning |
Helicopter | Chinook HC5/6/6A Puma HC2 |
Reconnaissance | Poseidon MRA1 Airseeker R1 MQ-9 Reaper Shadow R1/1A Protector RG1 |
Trainer | Hawk T1/2 Texan T1 Phenom T1 Typhoon T3 Viking T1 Prefect T1 Tutor T1 Juno HT1 Jupiter HT1 |
Transport | Voyager KC2/3 Atlas C1 C-17 Globemaster Envoy IV CC1 |
Tanker | Voyager KC2/3 |
Royal Air Force of the British Armed Forces |
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History and future |
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The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.[5] It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by merging the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS).[6] Following the Allied victory over the Central Powers in 1918, the RAF emerged as the largest air force in the world at the time.[7] Since its formation, the RAF has played a significant role in British military history. In particular, during the Second World War, the RAF established air superiority over Hermann Göring's Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, and led the Allied strategic bombing effort.[8][9]
The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (MOD), which are to "provide the capabilities needed to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories, including against terrorism; to support the Government's foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security".[10] The RAF describes its mission statement as "... [to provide] an 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".[11] The mission statement is supported by the RAF's definition of air power, 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".[12]
Today, the Royal Air Force maintains an operational fleet of various types of aircraft,[13] described by the RAF as being "leading-edge" in terms of technology.[14] This largely consists of fixed-wing aircraft, including those in the following roles: fighter and strike, airborne early warning and control, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR), signals intelligence (SIGINT), maritime patrol, air-to-air refueling (AAR) and strategic & tactical transport. The majority of the RAF's rotary-wing aircraft form part of the tri-service Joint Helicopter Command 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, Cyprus, Gibraltar, and the Falkland Islands). Although the RAF is the principal British air power arm, the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm and the British Army's Army Air Corps also operate armed aircraft.
RAF – Frequently Asked Questions
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