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Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, born 21 April 1926) is the reigning queen and head of state of 16 independent sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. In addition, as Head of the Commonwealth, she is the figurehead of the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations and, as the British monarch, she is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
http://wn.com/Elizabeth_II -
First World War
http://wn.com/First_World_War -
Frederick Sykes
Air Vice-Marshal Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes GCSI, GCIE, GBE, KCB, CMG, PC (23 July 1877 - 30 September 1954) was a military officer, British statesman and politician.
http://wn.com/Frederick_Sykes -
Gary Wilcox
Warrant Officer Gary Wilcox is the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer and is therefore the senior Other Ranks in the Royal Air Force.
http://wn.com/Gary_Wilcox -
Henry Allingham
Henry William Allingham (6 June 1896 – 18 July 2009) was a British supercentenarian, First World War veteran and, for one month, the oldest verified living man in the world. He is also the second oldest military veteran ever, On 13 February 2007, he became the UK's second-oldest living person, behind Florrie Baldwin, and on 29 March 2009, he became the oldest ever British male, surpassing Welshman John Evans who died aged 112 years and 295 days. He was also the first ever verified British man to reach the age of 113. Guinness World Records confirmed that at age 113 years, 13 days, he became the oldest living man in the world, following the death of Japanese supercentenarian Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009. On 18 July 2009, Allingham died of natural causes aged 113 years and 42 days. At the time of his death, he was the 14th oldest verified man of all time.
http://wn.com/Henry_Allingham -
Hitler
http://wn.com/Hitler -
Paul Brickhill
Paul Chester Jerome Brickhill (20 December 1916 – 23 April 1991) was an Australian writer, whose World War II books were turned into popular movies.
http://wn.com/Paul_Brickhill -
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War (WWII). He is widely regarded as one of the great wartime leaders. He served as prime minister twice (1940–1945 and 1951–1955). A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer in the British Army, a historian, writer, and an artist. To date, he is the only British prime minister to have received the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the first person to be recognised as an honorary citizen of the United States.
http://wn.com/Winston_Churchill -
World War I
World War I was a military conflict centered on Europe that began in the summer of 1914. The fighting ended in late 1918. This conflict involved all of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (centred around the Triple Entente) and the Central Powers. More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized in one of the largest wars in history. More than 9 million combatants were killed, due largely to great technological advances in firepower without corresponding ones in mobility. It was the second deadliest conflict in history.
http://wn.com/World_War_I
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Afghanistan
{{Infobox country
http://wn.com/Afghanistan -
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa, and from the coast of South America which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa. It is politically organized and governed as part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha from the capital Saint Helena, which is to the southeast, and the territory also includes the "remotest populated archipelago" on earth, the sparsely populated Tristan da Cunha archipelago some thirty degrees farther south — about half the way to the Antarctic circle. The Island is named after the day of its recorded discovery, Ascension Day, and is located at about as far south of the equator as tropical Venezuela is to its north. Historically, it has played a role as an important safe haven and coaling station to mariners and for commercial airliners during the days of international air travel by flying boats and during World War II was an important naval and air station, especially providing antisubmarine warfare bases in the Battle of the Atlantic and throughout the war.
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Bahrain
Bahrain, officially Kingdom of Bahrain (, , literally: "Kingdom of the Two Seas"), is a small island country in the Persian Gulf ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. While Bahrain is an archipelago of thirty-three islands, the largest (Bahrain Island) is long by wide. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain via the King Fahd Causeway, which was officially opened on 25 November 1986. Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain.
http://wn.com/Bahrain -
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was the largest empire in history and, for over a century, was the foremost global power. By 1922 the British Empire held sway over about 458 million people, one-quarter of the world's population at the time, and covered more than 13 million square miles (34 million km2), almost a quarter of the Earth's total land area. As a result, its political, linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, it was often said that "the sun never sets on the British Empire" because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous territories.
http://wn.com/British_Empire -
Canada
Canada () is a country in North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area. Canada's common border with the United States to the south and northwest is the longest in the world.
http://wn.com/Canada -
CFB Goose Bay
Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay (also CFB Goose Bay), is a Canadian Forces Base located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.
http://wn.com/CFB_Goose_Bay -
Cumbria
Cumbria (, locally ) is a non-metropolitan county in North West England, United Kingdom. Cumbria came into existence as a county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. The county consists of six districts, and in 2008 had a total population of just under half a million.
http://wn.com/Cumbria -
Cyprus
Cyprus (; , Kýpros, ; ), – officially the Republic of Cyprus (, Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía, ; ) – is a Eurasian island country in the Eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of its most popular tourist destinations. An advanced, high-income economy with a very high Human Development Index, the Republic of Cyprus was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement until it joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.
http://wn.com/Cyprus -
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at seven degrees, twenty six minutes south latitude (south of the equator). It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude. The atoll is approximately east of the African coast and south of the southern tip of India (Figure 2.3). Diego Garcia lies at the southernmost tip of a long chain of coral reefs, atolls, and islands comprising the Laccadives, Maldives, and the Chagos Archipelago, in which Diego Garcia is geographically situated. Local time is GMT + 6 hours year-round (no daylight time change).
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Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; ) are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located approximately from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago, consisting of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands, is a self-governing Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland.
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Gibraltar
Gibraltar () is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory itself is a peninsula of whose isthmus connects to the north with Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the area and gives its name to the densely populated town, home to almost 30,000 Gibraltarians.
http://wn.com/Gibraltar -
Iraq
Iraq ( or , Arabic: ), officially the Republic of Iraq (Arabic:
http://wn.com/Iraq -
Kenya
The Republic of Kenya (pronounced ) is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean to its southeast and at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Somalia to the northeast, Ethiopia to the north, Sudan to the northwest, Uganda to the west and Tanzania to the south. Lake Victoria is to the southwest and is shared between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Kenya has numerous wildlife reserves, containing thousands of animal species. The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya's area is 580,000 km2 with a population of nearly 39 million which is diverse: more than 40 different ethnic groups are present. The country is named after Mount Kenya, a significant landmark and second among Africa's highest mountain peaks.
http://wn.com/Kenya -
Libya
Libya ( ; Libyan vernacular: Lībya ; Amazigh: ), officially the '''Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya ( , also translated as Socialist People's Libyan Arab Great Jamahiriya'''), is a country located in North Africa. Bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya lies between Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.
http://wn.com/Libya -
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire ( or ; abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire. It also borders Northamptonshire for just 19 metres (20 yards), England's shortest county boundary. The county town is the city of Lincoln, where the county council has its headquarters.
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London
London () is the capital of England and the United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who called it Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, largely retains its square-mile mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and the Greater London administrative area, governed by the elected Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
http://wn.com/London -
Malta
Malta , officially the Republic of Malta (), is a southern European country and consists of an archipelago situated centrally in the Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily and 288 km east of Tunisia, with the Strait of Gibraltar 1,826 km to the west and Alexandria 1,510 km to the east.
http://wn.com/Malta -
MoD Boscombe Down
MoD Boscombe Down is an aircraft testing site located at Idmiston, south of Amesbury, in Wiltshire, England. It is run and managed by QinetiQ, the company created as part of the break up of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in 2001 by the UK Ministry of Defence. It is the home of the Empire Test Pilots' School.
http://wn.com/MoD_Boscombe_Down -
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO ( ; ), also called the "(North) Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The NATO headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium, and the organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party.
http://wn.com/NATO -
Nevada
Nevada is a state located in the western and southwestern region of the United States. Nevada is also part of the Mountain States. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas. The state's nickname is Silver State, due to the large number of silver deposits that were discovered and mined there. "Sagebrush State" and "Battle Born State" are its alternative nicknames. In 1864, Nevada became the 36th state to enter the union, and the phrase "Battle Born" on the state flag reflects the state's entry on the Union side during the American Civil War. Its first nonnative settlement was called Mormon Station.
http://wn.com/Nevada -
Norway
Norway (; Norwegian: (Bokmål) or (Nynorsk)), officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.8 million. It is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe. The majority of the country shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east; and Denmark lies south of its southern tip across the Skagerrak Strait. The capital city of Norway is Oslo. Norway's extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, is home to its famous fjords.
http://wn.com/Norway -
Oman
Oman (pronounced ; '), officially the Sultanate of Oman''' ( ), is an Arab country in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates on the northwest, Saudi Arabia on the west and Yemen on the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The country also contains Madha and Musandam, two exclaves on the Gulf of Oman, south of the Strait of Hormuz and surrounded by the United Arab Emirates on the land side.
http://wn.com/Oman -
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire ( or ; archaically the County of Oxford; abbreviated Oxon from the Latinised form of "Oxford", Oxonia) is a county in the Midlands region of England, bordering on Warwickshire, Northamptonshire (to the north/northeast), Buckinghamshire (to the east), Berkshire (to the south), Wiltshire and Swindon (to the southwest), Gloucestershire (to the west) and Warwickshire (to the north).
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RAF Benson
RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force station near Benson in South Oxfordshire, England. It is home to the Royal Air Force's support helicopters, the Aérospatiale Puma and the AW101 Merlin, known as the Puma HC.Mk 1 and the Merlin HC.Mk 3 and Mk 3a.
http://wn.com/RAF_Benson -
RAF Brize Norton
RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about 65 miles west north-west of London, England, United Kingdom, is the largest airbase of the Royal Air Force.
http://wn.com/RAF_Brize_Norton -
RAF College Cranwell
http://wn.com/RAF_College_Cranwell -
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore is a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station houses all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing. On 15 December 2009 it was announced that the base would close in 2013 as part of defence spending cuts, with the Joint Harrier Force moving to RAF Wittering.
http://wn.com/RAF_Cottesmore -
RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington. The main building of RAF Cranwell is noted for its distinctive dome, visible from most of the surrounding roads.
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RAF Fylingdales
RAF Fylingdales is a Royal Air Force station on Snod Hill in the North York Moors, England. Its motto is "Vigilamus" (translates to "We are watching"). It is a radar base and part of the United States-controlled Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS). As part of intelligence-sharing arrangements between the United States and United Kingdom (see, for example, the UKUSA Community), data collected at RAF Fylingdales are shared between the two countries. Its primary purpose is to give the British and US governments warning of an impending ballistic missile attack (part of the so-called four minute warning during the Cold War, though in practice three minutes was more likely). A secondary role is the detection and tracking of orbiting objects.
http://wn.com/RAF_Fylingdales -
RAF Gibraltar
Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits. Administered by British Forces Gibraltar, the station functions as the Rock's civilian airport – Gibraltar Airport, with the civilian airport's passenger terminal building and apron facilities located on the north side of the runway while the apron and hangar of RAF Gibraltar are located on the south side of the runway.
http://wn.com/RAF_Gibraltar -
RAF Halton
Royal Air Force Station Halton, more commonly known as RAF Halton is one of the larger Royal Air Force (RAF) stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.
http://wn.com/RAF_Halton -
RAF High Wycombe
RAF High Wycombe is a Royal Air Force station, situated in the village of Walters Ash, near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England. Its purpose is to serve the needs of the RAF Air Command, situated on the site. It is also the headquarters of the European Air Group. The motto of RAF High Wycombe is 'Non Sibi', which translates as 'not for ourselves'.
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RAF Honington
RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located six miles south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during World War II, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment.
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RAF Kinloss
RAF Kinloss is a Royal Air Force station near Kinloss, on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. The station was until recently home to all of the Nimrod MR2 fleet in the Royal Air Force. In December 2009, the MOD announced the premature retirement of the MR2 version by March 2010 and delays to the MR4 to 2012.
http://wn.com/RAF_Kinloss -
RAF Leeming
RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, UK.
http://wn.com/RAF_Leeming -
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.
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RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Lossiemouth is a Royal Air Force station to the west of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. It is one of the RAF's biggest bases and currently Britain's main base for Tornado GR4s.
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RAF Luqa
RAF Luqa was an airbase of the Royal Air Force on the island of Malta during World War II. Particularly from 1941 to 1943, RAF Luqa was a very important base for British Commonwealth forces fighting against Italy and Germany for naval control of the Mediterranean and for ground control of North Africa. Air combat over and near Malta was some of the most ferocious of the war, and a series of airfields were built on the small, rocky island: at Luqa, TaQali, and HalFar, plus satellite fields at Safi, Qrendi and on Malta's second island of Gozo.
http://wn.com/RAF_Luqa -
RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It is the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force. The station is also home to No. 38 Expeditionary Air Wing.
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RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Station Marham, commonly known as RAF Marham, is a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, near the village of Marham in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia.
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RAF Nicosia
The former Royal Air Force Station Nicosia, commonly known as RAF Nicosia, was a Royal Air Force airbase in Cyprus. RAF Nicosia was Headquarters Royal Air Force Cyprus from 8 June to 29 July 1941
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RAF Odiham
RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the historic small village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook HC.2/HC.2A. Its current station commander is Group Captain Shell OBE MA RAF.
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RAF Unit Goose Bay
http://wn.com/RAF_Unit_Goose_Bay -
RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.
http://wn.com/RAF_Waddington -
RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.
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RNAS Culdrose
http://wn.com/RNAS_Culdrose -
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR, , abbreviated СССР, SSSR), informally known as the Soviet Union () or Soviet Russia, was a constitutionally socialist state that existed on the territory of most of the former Russian Empire in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.
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UAE
http://wn.com/UAE -
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a country and sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island nation, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border with another sovereign state, sharing it with the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. Great Britain is linked to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel.
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United States
The United States of America (also referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Caribbean and Pacific.
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Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards traditional Charing Cross, now at the southern end of Trafalgar Square and marked by the statue of Charles I, which is often regarded as the heart of London. Recognised as the centre of HM Government, the road is lined with government departments/ministries; "Whitehall" is therefore also frequently used as a metonym for overall UK governmental administration, as well as being a geographic name for the surrounding district.
http://wn.com/Whitehall
- Aerial refueling
- aerial warfare
- Aerospatiale Puma
- Afghanistan
- Agusta A109
- AgustaWestland AW101
- AgustaWestland AW109
- Air Chief Marshal
- Air Force Board
- Air Forces Monthly
- Air Officer
- air power
- Air Training Corps
- Air Vice-Marshal
- Air Warfare Centre
- Airbus A330 MRTT
- Airbus A400M
- Al Udeid Air Base
- ALARM missile
- Anti-Surface Warfare
- area bombing
- Article XV squadrons
- Ascension Island
- aviator
- Aérospatiale Puma
- BAe 125
- BAe 146
- BAe Harrier
- BAE Harrier II
- BAE Hawk
- BAE Mantis
- BAE Taranis
- Bahrain
- Balkans
- Barry North
- Battle of Britain
- Bell 412
- Boeing
- Boeing E-3 Sentry
- Boeing RC-135
- Bombing of Dresden
- British Armed Forces
- British Army
- British Empire
- British monarchy
- C-130 Hercules
- C-17 Globemaster III
- Canada
- CATOBAR
- CFB Goose Bay
- Chief Technician
- close air support
- Cold War
- Creech AFB
- Cumbria
- Cyprus
- Diego Garcia
- Elizabeth II
- Engineering Officer
- esprit de corps
- Eurocopter AS350
- Eurofighter Typhoon
- Europe
- F-35 Lightning II
- Falkland Islands
- Far East
- Fin flash
- First World War
- flag
- Fleet Air Arm
- flight lieutenant
- flight officer
- flypast
- Frederick Sykes
- Gary Wilcox
- Gibraltar
- Grob G 109
- Grob G 115
- Grob G103a Twin II
- Grob Tutor
- Group (air force)
- Group Captain
- Gulf War
- Henry Allingham
- Heraldry
- Hitler
- infantry
- Iraq
- Iraq War
- Iron Cross
- ISTAR
- junior officer
- Junior Technician
- Kenya
- Kenya Air Force
- Kosovo War
- Latin
- Letters patent
- Libya
- Life magazine
- Lincolnshire
- List of RAF stations
- Lockheed L-1011
- logotype
- London
- Luftwaffe
- Malta
- Mark (designation)
- Middle East
- military police
- MoD Boscombe Down
- MQ-9 Reaper
- NATO
- Nevada
- Nimrod R1
- No. 1 Group RAF
- No. 11 Squadron RAF
- No. 111 Squadron RAF
- No. 1435 Flight RAF
- No. 2 Group RAF
- No. 202 Squadron RAF
- No. 203 Squadron RAF
- No. 22 Group RAF
- No. 22 Squadron RAF
- No. 3 Squadron RAF
- No. 39 Squadron RAF
- No. 6 Squadron RAF
- No. 617 Squadron RAF
- No. 83 Group RAF
- No. 84 Squadron RAF
- Norway
- occupied Europe
- Oman
- Operation Chastise
- Operation Ellamy
- Operation Herrick
- Operation Jericho
- Operation Sealion
- Operation Telic
- Operation Veritas
- Oxfordshire
- Panavia Tornado
- Panavia Tornado ADV
- Paul Brickhill
- Per ardua ad astra
- PSAB
- Quick Reaction Alert
- RAF Air Command
- RAF Akrotiri
- RAF Aldergrove
- RAF Ascension Island
- RAF battle honours
- RAF Benson
- RAF Bomber Command
- RAF Brize Norton
- RAF College Cranwell
- RAF Coningsby
- RAF Cottesmore
- RAF Cranwell
- RAF Fylingdales
- RAF Gibraltar
- RAF Halton
- RAF High Wycombe
- RAF Honington
- RAF Intelligence
- RAF Iraq Command
- RAF Kinloss
- RAF Leeming
- RAF Legal Branch
- RAF Leuchars
- RAF Lossiemouth
- RAF Luqa
- RAF Lyneham
- RAF Marham
- RAF Medical Branch
- RAF Mount Pleasant
- RAF News
- RAF Nicosia
- RAF Northolt
- RAF Odiham
- RAF Regiment
- RAF Spadeadam
- RAF Stanley
- RAF station
- RAF Unit Goose Bay
- RAF Valley
- RAF Waddington
- RAF Wittering
- RAuxAF
- Raytheon Sentinel
- Red Arrows
- RNAS Culdrose
- Royal Flying Corps
- Royal Marines
- Royal Navy
- Salisbury Journal
- Search and Rescue
- Second World War
- Shell Mex House
- Short Tucano
- signals intelligence
- Simon Bryant
- Soviet Union
- Squadron (aviation)
- squadron leader
- Stephen Dalton
- Storm Shadow
- STOVL
- Strategic bombing
- Suez crisis
- The Courier
- UAE
- Union Flag
- United Kingdom
- United Nations
- United States
- unmanned air vehicle
- Vickers VC10
- Westland Puma
- Westland Sea King
- Whitehall
- Winston Churchill
- World War I
RELEASE
ALBUMS
Numeri
(Released 2011)
- Numeri
- Senza cielo
- Un’emozione inaspettata
- Nuovi mondi
- Oltre di noi
- Un tempo indefinito
- Controsenso
- Vertigine
- Il mio scenario
- Mai del tutto
- Ogni piccola cosa
Metamorfosi
(Released 2008)
- Ossigeno
- Ballo
- Metamorfosi
- Giù le mani dal cuore
- Nel tuo ritorno
- Lacrime e fragole
- Non è mai un errore
- L'era del gigante
- Il mondo coi tuoi occhi
Passeggeri distratti
(Released 2006)
- Salta più in alto
- Dimentica
- Passeggeri distratti
- Il nodo
- Onde
- Nati ieri
- Acqua
- Se passerai di qui
- Mondi paralleli
TuttoRaf
(Released 2005)
- Self Control
- Gente di mare
- Inevitabile follia
- Ti pretendo
- La battaglia del sesso
- Cosa resterà degli anni '80
- Interminatamente
- Siamo soli nell'immenso
- Oggi un Dio non ho
- Anche tu
- Malinverno
- Sogni
- Il battito animale
- Stai con me
- Due
- Dentro ai tuoi occhi
Ouch
(Released 2004)
- In tutti i miei giorni
- Superstiti
- Milioni di cose che non ti ho detto
- Il senso delle cose
- Estate in città
- Il prestigiatore
- Aria di niente
- Nessuno
- Ouch
- Mi fermo qui
- In tutti i miei giorni (Revolutionized)
Iperbole
(Released 2001)
- Infinito
- R4
- Via
- Nei silenzi
- Oasi
- Assolti
- Troppo sensibile
- Allegro tormentone
- Iperbole
- Infinito (remix)
La prova
(Released 1998)
- Vita, storie e pensieri di un alieno
- Lava
- Little Girl
- Che giorno è
- Jamas
- La danza della pioggia
- Il primo uomo
- Tra le mie domande e il mare
- La prova
Collezione temporanea
(Released 1996)
- Un grande salto
- Il battito animale
- Interminatamente
- Cosa resterà degli anni 80
- Sei la più bella del mondo
- Ti pretendo
- Gente di mare (feat. Umberto Tozzi)
- Svegliarsi un anno fa
- Inevitabile follia
- Malinverno
- Due
- È quasi l'alba
- Oggi un Dio non ho
- Il suono c'è
- Stai con me
- Dentro ai tuoi occhi
- Siamo soli nell'immenso vuoto che c'è
Manifesto
(Released 1995)
- Sei la più bella del mondo
- Dentro ai tuoi occhi
- Io e te
- Manifesto
- È quasi l'alba
- Il suono c'è
- Meteo
- Prima che sia giorno
- Interagendo
Cannibali
(Released 1993)
Sogni... e tutto quello che c'è
(Released 1991)
- Sogni prelude
- Interminatamente
- Siamo soli nell'immenso vuoto che c'è
- Oggi un Dio non ho
- Se ti senti sola
- Anche tu
- Amarsi o non amarsi
- Senza respiro
- È meglio così
- Malinverno
- Sogni
Cosa resterà ...
(Released 1989)
- Ti pretendo
- Santi nel viavai
- La battaglia del sesso
- E gli altri dormono
- Cosa resterà degli anni '80
- Do I Need Your Love
- Fai
- E sia così
Svegliarsi un anno fa
(Released 1988)
- Svegliarsi un anno fa
- Il sapore di un bacio
- L'aeroplano
- Inevitabile follia
- Guai
- Non sei tu
- Sabbia nei bar
- Due occhi deserti
Self Control
(Released 1987)
- Self Control
- Black and Blue
- I Don't Want to Lose You
- Madeleine
- London Town
- Hard
- Change Your Mind
- Why in the World
- She's a Criminal
- Imagination Lover
- Frontiers
RELEASE
ALBUMS
Send this Playlist by SMS
Email this Page
Funny RAF Regiment Video
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:04
- Published: 05 Aug 2007
- Uploaded: 26 Dec 2011
- Author: jeffwalker2
A video showing British troops in Iraq
http://wn.com/Funny_RAF_Regiment_Video
RAF Typhoon Airshow Display - In-cockpit - Narrated by Pilot
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:25
- Published: 27 Sep 2006
- Uploaded: 25 Dec 2011
- Author: IainPlanesTV
www.planestv.com The full RAF Typhoon Display sequence from the Waddington Airshow 2006 DVD. Including views from our 2 cockpit mini-cams, onboard sound and narration from the display pilot.
http://wn.com/RAF_Typhoon_Airshow_Display__In-cockpit__Narrated_by_Pilot
Dara O'Brian - Driving, Sex and the RAF
Dara O'Brian at the theatre royal
http://wn.com/Dara_O'Brian__Driving,_Sex_and_the_RAF
From Manchester City FC to the RAF Regiment.
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:30
- Published: 19 May 2011
- Uploaded: 21 Dec 2011
- Author: royalairforce
Lee Crooks began his career with Manchester City Football Club in 1994. In 2008, he retired from professional football. In 2012 he will be on the front line of Operations in Afghanistan with the RAF Regiment.
http://wn.com/From_Manchester_City_FC_to_the_RAF_Regiment
RAF TORNADO GR4 ATTACK DEMO (enhanced version) - airshowvision
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:39
- Published: 20 Mar 2011
- Uploaded: 25 Dec 2011
- Author: airshowvision
Airshowvision present the Royal Air Force Tornado Role Demonstration 2010, featuring two XV Squadron GR4s from RAF Lossiemouth. Watch as they demonstrate the art of low level precision bombing using this awesome swing-wing beast of a jet. Tornado may be old, but it bristles with the latest up to the minute lazer guided & precision GPRS munitions which can attack tanks & underground bunkers to an accuracy of under one metre. If this comes after you, there is quite literally no escape. It's quite frightening just standing next to it when it begins it's take off run and the afterburners kick in! Sadly it look as if this scenario you see here will be played out for real in Libya over the coming months; as the Tornados & Typhoons head for the Middle East to help enforce the Un "No-Fly Zone". Let us all hope it doesn't last long for everyone's sake... Sadly, since this video was uploaded it has been brought to my attention that the lead aircraft in this video - 138, was destroyed in a crash in January off Loch Ewe in Scotland, (the crew members ejecting successfully). Hopefully this video will be a permanent reminder of this particular airfame to all who flew her and maintained her.
http://wn.com/RAF_TORNADO_GR4_ATTACK_DEMO_enhanced_version__airshowvision
RAF airman pulls WRAF at the bop.
RAF airman takes a WRAF back to the block after a night out at the station's weekly bop.
http://wn.com/RAF_airman_pulls_WRAF_at_the_bop
Video of RAF Tornado jets mid-air refueling en route to Libya
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:45
- Published: 23 Mar 2011
- Uploaded: 26 Dec 2011
- Author: RussiaToday
Britain's Royal Air Force jet fighters participating in operations against Libya were seen being refuelled in midair as they flew in the skies over Cyprus on Wednesday. RAF Akrotiri, one of two British military bases on Cyprus' southern coast, is hosting VC-10, RAF E3D and Sentinel surveillance aircrafts which provide refuelling capability to help enforce the no-fly zone. RT on Facebook: www.facebook.com RT on Twitter: twitter.com
http://wn.com/Video_of_RAF_Tornado_jets_mid-air_refueling_en_route_to_Libya
Monty Python RAF Banter
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:29
- Published: 01 May 2007
- Uploaded: 24 Dec 2011
- Author: bakerco502
secretly why I put a RAF impression together hahah
http://wn.com/Monty_Python_RAF_Banter
Raf - Ossigeno
Music video by Raf performing Ossigeno. (C) 2008 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) SpA
http://wn.com/Raf__Ossigeno
Hercules bid farewell to RAF Lyneham
Wing Commander Pete Cochrane and his C130 planes thank the people of Wiltshire for their support over the last 44 years. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com
http://wn.com/Hercules_bid_farewell_to_RAF_Lyneham
RAF release dramatic ship rescue footage
Dramatic video of a helicopter rescue after a ship sank in the Irish Sea has been released. Report by Tony Ricketts. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com
http://wn.com/RAF_release_dramatic_ship_rescue_footage
RAF Sentry Mission over Libya
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:31
- Published: 10 Aug 2011
- Uploaded: 22 Oct 2011
- Author: defenceheadquarters
Rushes package showing a sortie by a Royal Air Force E-3D Sentry aircraft. The Sentry was controlling multi-national aircraft as part of NATO's Operation Unified Protector. Images show start up, departure, take-off (inside and outside the cockpit), activity during the mission, landing, and the crew disembarking. Read more about the RAF Sentry here: www.mod.uk
http://wn.com/RAF_Sentry_Mission_over_Libya
Great Rafale Display At RIAT RAF Fairford 2011." Capt Brocard Best Solo Jet Display Award"
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:09
- Published: 16 Jul 2011
- Uploaded: 26 Dec 2011
- Author: Wonkabar007
Really enjoyed the Rafale display, its a very nimble aircraft with lots of power, great looking jet also. This display by Capt Brocard was the winner of the Paul Bowen trophy, for the best solo jet display at RIAT 2011.
http://wn.com/Great_Rafale_Display_At_RIAT_RAF_Fairford_2011_Capt_Brocard_Best_Solo_Jet_Display_Award
RAF Lossiemouth to RAF Valley
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:13
- Published: 22 Dec 2011
- Uploaded: 22 Dec 2011
- Author: formbylatic
The epic journey from RAF Lossiemouth to RAF Valley filmed as a time-lapse video.
http://wn.com/RAF_Lossiemouth_to_RAF_Valley
David Guetta vs. Raf Marchesini - I Want Little Bad Girl (DJ Favorite & Ian Deluxe Mash Up)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:53
- Published: 21 Dec 2011
- Uploaded: 25 Dec 2011
- Author: TokitosashaWORLD
All new Songs: www.facebook.com Deejayklisman remixes:www.facebook.com New House songs:www.facebook.com NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED I Do Not Own The Music I Don't Take Credit For This Video
http://wn.com/David_Guetta_vs_Raf_Marchesini__I_Want_Little_Bad_Girl_DJ_Favorite_Ian_Deluxe_Mash_Up
Bournemouth Air Festival | Day 1 - RAF Red Arrows
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:28
- Published: 20 Aug 2011
- Uploaded: 15 Dec 2011
- Author: manychefsbroth
Update: I dedicate this video to Flt Lt Jon Egging, his Wife Emma and the RAF Red Arrows team. Sadly, Red Arrow pilot Jon Eggins died today (20/08/11) in a crash of his RAF Hawk T1. My most sincere condolences go to Jon Egging's family, his friends and the RAF Red Arrows team. Unfortunately I cannot take the time to reply to each comment posted on this video. I would like to say thank you to all of you that have viewed this video and made comments. It has been a pleasure having this video on my channel and to read all of the heartfelt sympathies of the people commenting. RIP Flt Lt Jon Egging - A true Hero. RAF Red Arrows performing Aerobatics on Day 1 of the Bournemouth Air Festival Photos and more: manychefsbroth.co.uk More videos and Photos up soon, subscribe to keep up to date. Socialise with ManyChefsBroth Twitter www.twitter.com Facebook www.facebook.com Website www.manychefsbroth.co.uk
http://wn.com/Bournemouth_Air_Festival_|_Day_1__RAF_Red_Arrows
RAF Harrier Crash KANDAHAR, May '09
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:40
- Published: 04 Jun 2010
- Uploaded: 21 Dec 2011
- Author: THEDAILYP0LITICS
www.the-daily-politics.com
http://wn.com/RAF_Harrier_Crash_KANDAHAR,_May_'09
RAF - Self control ( Eurotops )
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:33
- Published: 12 Dec 2009
- Uploaded: 25 Dec 2011
- Author: patikdisco
If clips from my channel are interesting to you in HQ quality write me the message PM
http://wn.com/RAF__Self_control__Eurotops_
Chinook CH-47 RAF HC Mk2/2A Boeing helicoptor-tactical, landing with reverse takeoff!
Boeing HC Mk2/2A Chinook air show display with the aircraft landing and doing a reverse take off with front gear off the runway. (pinnicle landing) Display Team is made up of personnel from 18(B) Squadron, and is supported by a team of engineers from 18/27 Engineering Squadron, all based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire.
http://wn.com/Chinook_CH-47_RAF_HC_Mk2/2A_Boeing_helicoptor-tactical,_landing_with_reverse_takeoff!
Armstrong & Miller - WWII RAF Sketch 2
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:16
- Published: 27 Oct 2007
- Uploaded: 25 Dec 2011
- Author: JCoquillon
Armstrong and Miller in another WWII sketch
http://wn.com/Armstrong_Miller__WWII_RAF_Sketch_2
Armstrong & Miller - WWII RAF Sketch
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:48
- Published: 27 Oct 2007
- Uploaded: 26 Dec 2011
- Author: JCoquillon
Armstrong and Miller take the WWII film spoof to new levels of mirth.
http://wn.com/Armstrong_Miller__WWII_RAF_Sketch
Raf - Self Control (1984)
Alla corte di Giancarlo Bigazzi già da tempo, Raf riesce ad esordire solo nel 1984 e con l'etichetta francese Carrére: Self Control sarà il suo biglietto da visita salutato da un successo europeo incredibile, che diventa mondiale grazie alla versione della cantante americana Laura Branigan. 80Level for TeleDance
http://wn.com/Raf__Self_Control_1984
Raf - Ballo
Music video by Raf performing Ballo. (C) 2009 SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) SpA
http://wn.com/Raf__Ballo
![All Zeros involved in the attack on Pearl Harbor were light-coloured (JN grey-green) early series A6M2 Model 21s.[14]](http://web.archive.org./web/20111228180036/http://cdn5.wn.com/pd/6d/40/722f86bf591a0cdbdaa7bfea31ad_medium.jpg "All Zeros involved in the attack on Pearl Harbor were light-coloured (JN grey-green) early series A6M2 Model 21s.[14]")
photo: AP / Mary Altaffer
14 Dec 2011
The Elizabeth Taylor Collection sets a new world record for the most valuable private collection of jewels sold at auction, fetching £74million in one night. BY Melissa Whitworth | 14 December 2011...
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| Coordinates | 41°52′55″N87°37′40″N |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Royal Air Force |
| Start date | 1 April 1918 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | HM The Queen |
| Size | 998 aircraft42,200 regular personnel1,500 royal auxiliary air force33,400 Royal Air Force Reserve |
| Command structure | British Armed Forces |
| Garrison | MOD Main Building, Whitehall |
| Garrison label | Air Staff Offices |
| Motto | "Through Adversity to the Stars" it is the oldest independent air force in the world. The RAF has taken a significant role in British military history, playing a large part in the Second World War and in more recent conflicts.
As of mid 2011, the RAF operates around 998 aircraft, as such it is one of the largest and most technologically sophisticated air forces in the world. The RAF has a total manpower strength of 42,200 regular personnel and 1,500 Royal Auxiliary Air Force personnel. In addition the RAF can call-upon 33,400 Royal Air Force Reserves. The majority of the RAF's aircraft and personnel are based in the UK with many others serving on operations (principally Afghanistan and the Middle East) or at long-established overseas bases (Ascension Island, Canada, Cyprus, Diego Garcia, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands and Germany). The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), which are to "provide the capabilities needed: to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories, including against terrorism; to support the Government’s foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security."}} |
The above statement goes hand in hand with the RAF's definition of air power, the concept that guides the RAF strategy. Air Power is defined as: "The ability to project military force in air or space by or from a platform or missile operating above the surface of the earth. Air platforms are defined as any aircraft, helicopter or unmanned air vehicle."
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 deliver air power which is integrated into the maritime, littoral and land environments.
History
Origins
While the British were not the first to make use of heavier-than-air military aircraft, the RAF is the world's oldest independent air force: that is, the first air force to become independent of army or navy control. It was founded on 1 April 1918, with headquarters located in the former Hotel Cecil, during the First World War, by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). After the war, the service was drastically cut and its inter-war years were relatively quiet, with the RAF taking responsibility for the control of Iraq and executing a number of minor actions in other parts of the British Empire. Naval aviation in the form of the RAF's Fleet Air Arm was returned to Admiralty control on 24 May 1939.The RAF developed its doctrine of Strategic bombing which led to the construction of long-range bombers and became the basic philosophy in the Second World War.
Second World War
The RAF underwent rapid expansion prior to and during the Second World War. Under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan of December 1939, the air forces of British Commonwealth countries trained and formed "Article XV squadrons" for service with RAF formations. Many individual personnel from these countries, and exiles from occupied Europe, also served with RAF squadrons.In the Battle of Britain, in the late summer of 1940, the RAF (supplemented by 2 Fleet Air Arm Squadrons, Polish, Czechoslovakian and other multinational pilots and ground personnel) defended the skies over Britain against the German Luftwaffe, helping foil Hitler's plans for an invasion of the United Kingdom, and prompting Prime Minister Winston Churchill to say in the House of Commons on 20 August, "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 campaign against Germany by Bomber Command. While RAF bombing of Germany began almost immediately upon the outbreak of war, under the leadership of Air Chief Marshal Harris, these attacks became increasingly devastating from 1942 onward as new technology and greater numbers of superior aircraft became available. The RAF adopted night-time area bombing on German cities such as Hamburg and Dresden, and developed precision bombing techniques for specific operations, such as the "Dambusters" raid by No. 617 Squadron, or the Amiens prison raid known as Operation Jericho.
Cold War and later engagements
During the Cold War years the main role of the RAF was the defence of the continent of Europe against potential attack by the Soviet Union, including holding the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent for a number of years. After the Cold War, the RAF was involved in several large scale operations, including the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, operations in Afghanistan, the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent war.The RAF celebrated its 90th birthday with a flypast of the Red Arrows and four Typhoons over many RAF Stations and Central London on 1 April 2008.
Structure
The professional head of the RAF is the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton. The CAS heads the Air Force Board, which is a committee of the Defence Council. The Air Force Board is the management board of the RAF and consists of the Commander-in-Chief of Air Command (Air Chief Marshal Simon Bryant), together with several other high ranking officers. The CAS also has a deputy known as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (ACAS); this post is held by Air Vice-Marshal B M North.
Command
Authority is delegated from the Air Force Board to the RAF's command. While there were once individual commands responsible for bombers, fighters, training, etc., now only the Air Command exists. Headquartered at RAF High Wycombe, RAF.
Groups
Groups are the subdivisions of operational commands; these are responsible for certain types of operation or for operations in limited geographical areas. As from 1 April 2007, three groups exist:In addition, No. 83 Group RAF, under the command of the Permanent Joint Headquarters, is active in the Middle East, supporting operations over Iraq and Afghanistan.
Stations
An RAF station is ordinarily subordinate to a group and it is administratively sub-divided into wings. Since the mid to late 1930s RAF stations have controlled a number of flying squadrons or other units at one location by means of a station headquarters.
Wings
A wing is either an operational sub-division of a group or an administrative sub-division of an RAF station.Independent Wings are a grouping of two or more squadrons, either flying squadrons or ground support squadrons. In former times, numbered flying wings have existed, but recently they have been created only when required. For example during Operation Telic, Tornado GR4 wings were formed to operate from Ali Al Salem and Al Udeid air bases and the Tornado F3 equipped Leuchars Fighter Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base; each of these were made up of aircraft and crews from several squadrons.
On 31 March 2006, the RAF formed nine Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) in order to support operations. They were established at the nine main operating bases; RAF Coningsby, RAF Cottesmore, RAF Kinloss, RAF Leeming, RAF Leuchars, RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Lyneham, RAF Marham and RAF Waddington numbered Nos 121, 122, 325, 135, 125, 140, 38, 138 and 34 EAWs respectively. These units are commanded by a Group Captain who is also the parent unit's Station Commander. The EAW comprises the non-formed unit elements of the station that are required to support a deployed operating base, i.e. the command and control, logistics and administration functions amongst others. They are designed to be flexible and quickly adaptable for differing operations. They are independent of flying squadrons, Air Combat Support Units (ACSU) and Air Combat Service Support Units (ACSSU) who are attached to the EAW depending on the task it has been assigned.
A wing is also an administrative sub-division of an RAF station. Historically, for a flying station these were normally Operations Wing, Engineering Wing and Administration Wing and each wing was commanded by an officer of wing commander rank. Early in the 21st century, the model changed, with Engineering Wing typically being split into Forward Support Wing and Depth Support Wing, while Administration Wing was redesignated Base Support Wing.
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, which aircraft they are operating, etc. They can be awarded standards and battle honours for meritorious service. Whilst every squadron is different, most flying squadrons are commanded by a wing commander and, for a fast-jet squadron, have an establishment of around 100 personnel and 12 aircraft.The term squadron can be used to refer to a sub-unit of an administrative wing or small RAF station, e.g. Air Traffic Control Squadron, Personnel Management Squadron etc. There are also Ground Support Squadrons, e.g. No 2 (Mechanical Transport) Squadron which is located at RAF Wittering. Administrative squadrons are normally commanded by a squadron leader.
Flights
A flight is a sub-division of a squadron. Flying squadrons are often divided into two flights, e.g. "A" and "B", each under the command of a squadron leader. Administrative squadrons on a station are also divided into flights and these flights are commanded by a junior officer, often a flight lieutenant.Because of their small size, there are several flying units formed as flights rather than squadrons. For example No. 1435 Flight is based at RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands, maintaining air defence cover with four Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
Personnel
At its height (1944) during the Second World War, more than 1,100,000 personnel were serving. The longest-lived founding member of the RAF was Henry Allingham, who died on 18 July 2009 aged 113.
Officers
Officers hold a commission from the 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 30-week-long Initial Officer Training course at the RAF College, Cranwell, Lincolnshire. Other officers also train at RAF Cranwell, but on different courses, such as those for professionally qualified officers.The titles and insignia of RAF officers were chiefly derived from those used by the Royal Navy, specifically the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during World War I. For example, the rank of Squadron Leader derived its name from the RNAS rank of Squadron Commander. RAF officers fall into three categories: air officers, senior officers and junior officers.
Other ranks
Other ranks attend the Recruit Training Squadron at RAF Halton for basic training, with the exception of the RAF Regiment, which trains its recruits at RAF Honington.The titles and insignia of other ranks in the RAF was 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.
The most senior other ranks of the RAF is known as the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer, a position held by Warrant Officer Gary Wilcox.
Branches and trades
RAF Pilots and Weapon Systems Officers (WSO) (formerly known as Navigators) are commissioned officers of the Flying Branch. i.e. Fg(P) or Fg(WSO). Formerly in the General Duties branch, which is now reserved for Wing Commanders and above from any previous branch. Non-commissioned (NCO) Aircrew known as Weapons System Operators (WSOp), fulfil the specialist roles of air engineer (E), air electronics operator (AEOp), air loadmaster (ALM) and air signaller (S). Though they are now known collectively as weapon systems operators, individual trade specialisations remain. Commissioned officer specialists are promoted from within branch to become Fg(WSO).
The majority of the members of the RAF serve in support roles on the ground. Engineering Officers and technicians are employed to maintain and repair the equipment used by the RAF. This includes routine preparation for flight and maintenance on aircraft, arming aircraft with weapons, as well as deeper level repair work on aircraft systems, IT systems, ground based radar, vehicles, ground support equipment, etc. RAF Flight Operations Officers are involved with the planning and co-ordination of all Flying Operations. Flight Operations Officers can be found in every RAF Flying Station and Squadron. RAF Regiment officers and gunners in the regiment defend RAF airfields from attack. They have infantry and light armoured units to protect against ground attack. Aerospace Battle Managers (formally Fighter Controllers/FC) and Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), control RAF and NATO aircraft from the ground. The FC control the interception of enemy aircraft while the ATC provide air traffic services at RAF stations and to the majority of en-route military aircraft in UK airspace. RAF Intelligence Officers and Intelligence Analysts support all operational activities by providing timely and accurate indicators and warnings. They conduct detailed all source military intelligence fusion and analysis by utilising classified and open source information including imagery, human and communications (signals) intelligence. Intelligence is used to inform commanders of the assessed capabilities and intentions of the enemy for strategic / operational planning and targeting. They also tailor the information to brief aircrews for mission planning and other tactical units (such as RAF Regiment) for Force Protection. RAF Medical Branch provides healthcare at home and on deployed operations, including aeromedical evacuation services. Medical officers are the doctors of the RAF and have specialist expertise in aviation medicine to support aircrew and their protective equipment. Medical officers can go on aeromedical evacuations, providing vital assistance on search-and-rescue missions or emergency relief flights worldwide. RAF Medical Officers are either based in primary care on operations or on RAF stations in the UK or in one of six Ministry of Defence Hospital Units (MDHU's) around the UK as specialist practitioners. Administrative Officers and associated Pers Admin trades are involved with human resources management, training management, physical education, catering, infrastructure management, accounts, dress and discipline, personnel and recruitment. RAF Chaplains Branch provides spiritual and moral support for RAF personnel and their families. RAF Legal Branch provides legal advice on discipline / criminal law and operations law. RAF Police are the military police of the RAF.
Reserves
RAuxAF and RAF Volunteer Reserve personnel fulfil a number of specialist roles in ground roles, including Operations, Intelligence and RAF Regiment in support of the regular RAF.
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, both based at RAF Cranwell, and the Air Warfare Centre, based at RAF Waddington and RAF Cranwell. NCO training and developmental courses occur at RAF Halton and officer courses occur at the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham.
Aircraft
British military aircraft designations generally comprise a type name followed by a mark number which includes an alphabetical rôle prefix. For example, the Tornado F3 is designated as a fighter by the 'F', and is the third variant of the type to be produced.
Strike, attack and offensive support aircraft
The mainstay of the offensive support fleet is the Tornado GR4. This supersonic aircraft can carry a wide range of weaponry, including Storm Shadow cruise missiles, laser-guided bombs and the ALARM anti-radar missile. Since June 2008, the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 has also been capable of being deployed operationally in the air-to-ground role.The Tornado was previously supplemented by the Harrier GR7/GR9 in the strike and close air support roles, and to counter enemy air defences. The Harrier fleet was withdrawn in December 2010 following the Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Air defence and airborne early warning aircraft
The Eurofighter Typhoon F2/FGR4 is the RAF's only air defence fighter aircraft, based at RAF Leuchars and RAF Coningsby, following the retirement of the Panavia Tornado F3 in late March 2011. Their task is to defend the UK’s airspace. In October 2007 it was announced that MoD Boscombe Down, RNAS Culdrose and RAF Marham would also be used as Quick Reaction Alert bases from early 2008, offering around-the-clock fighter coverage for the South and South West of UK airspace when a direct threat has been identified.The RAF has three operational Typhoon units, 3 Squadron and 11 Squadron based at Coningsby, and 6 Squadron at Leuchars, plus an Operational Conversion Unit also at Coningsby. The last Tornado F3 squadron, 111 Squadron at RAF Leuchars disbanded in March 2011.
The Sentry AEW1, based at RAF Waddington, provides airborne early warning to detect incoming enemy aircraft and to co-ordinate the aerial battlefield. Both the Sentry and the Tornado F3 have been involved in recent operations including over Iraq and the Balkans.
Reconnaissance aircraft
The Tornado GR4A is fitted with cameras and sensors in the visual, infra-red and radar ranges of the spectrum.The Sentinel R1 (also known as ASTOR – Airborne STand-Off Radar) provides a ground radar-surveillance platform based on the Bombardier Global Express long range business jet. These were supplemented in 2009 by four Beechcraft Shadow R1 aircraft equipped for the ISTAR role over Afghanistan.
The MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned aerial vehicle has been purchased to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are operated by No. 39 Squadron RAF based at Creech Air Force Base. More MQ-9s are in the process of being purchased.
Three Britten-Norman Islanders are operated by the Station Flight of RAF Northolt, involved in "photographic mapping and light communications roles".
Support helicopters
An important part of the work of the RAF is to support the British Army by ferrying troops and equipment at the battlefield. However, RAF helicopters are also used in a variety of other roles, including support of RAF ground units and heavy-lift support for the Royal Marines. The support helicopters are organised into the tri-service Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), along with helicopters of the British Army and Royal Navy. The only helicopters not coordinated by the JHC are the search and rescue helicopters of the RAF and RN, and those RN helicopters that are normally based onboard a ship such as a destroyer or frigate.The large twin-rotor Chinook HC2/HC2A, based at RAF Odiham provides heavy-lift support and is supported by the Merlin HC3 and the smaller Puma HC1 medium-lift helicopters, based at RAF Benson and RAF Aldergrove.
Maritime patrol
The RAF no longer has dedicated fixed wing maritime patrol aircraft. Until its withdrawal on 31 March 2010, the Nimrod MR2 fulfilled the Anti-Submarine Warfare and Anti-Surface Unit Warfare roles. It also saw use in a Search and Rescue role, where its long range and communications facilities allowed it to co-ordinate rescues by acting as a link between rescue helicopters, ships and shore bases. It could also drop pods containing life rafts and survival supplies to people in the sea.After it was withdrawn, the search and rescue role was adopted by the C-130 Hercules force, and the Royal Navy took full responsibility for anti-submarine warfare.
The Nimrod MR2 was to have been replaced by nine Nimrod MRA4 aircraft from late 2011. However, the MRA4 was cancelled in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review due to over spending and missing deadlines.
Transport and air-to-air refuelling aircraft
Having replaced the former Queen's Flight in 1995, 32 (The Royal) Squadron uses the BAe 125 CC3, Agusta A109 and BAe 146 CC2 in the VIP transport role, based at RAF Northolt, just west of London.More routine, strategic airlift transport tasks are carried out by the TriStars and VC10s based at RAF Brize Norton, for passengers and cargo, and for air-to-air refuelling of other aircraft. These aircraft are due to be replaced by the Airbus A330 MRTT which will be known as the 'Voyager' in RAF service. The first Voyager arrived in the UK for testing at MoD Boscombe Down in April 2011, and is due to be delivered to RAF Brize Norton by the end of the year.
Shorter range, tactical-airlift transport is provided by the Hercules, the fleet including both older C-130K (Hercules C1/C3) and newer C-130J (Hercules C4/C5) variants, based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. All C-130's will be withdrawn by 2022.
The RAF leased four C-17 Globemaster IIIs from Boeing to provide a heavy, strategic airlift capability. These were purchased, as well a fifth C-17, which was delivered on 7 April 2008 followed by a sixth aircraft delivered on 8 June 2008. The new aircraft entered frontline use within days rather than weeks. The MoD said "there is a stated departmental requirement for eight" C-17s and a seventh has been ordered for delivery in December 2010.
Search and rescue aircraft
Three squadrons of helicopters exist with the primary role of military search and rescue; the rescuing of aircrew who have ejected or crash-landed their aircraft. These are 22 Squadron and 202 Squadron with the Sea King HAR.3/HAR3A in the UK and 84 Squadron with the Griffin HAR2 in Cyprus.
Although established with a primary role of military search and rescue, most of their operational missions are spent in their secondary role of conducting civil search and rescue; that is, the rescue of civilians from the sea, on mountainsides and other locations.
Both rescue roles are shared with the Sea King helicopters of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, while the civil search and rescue role is also shared with the helicopters of HM Coastguard.
The Operational Conversion Unit is 203 Squadron RAF based at RAF Valley equipped with the Sea King HAR3.
The related Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service comprises four teams of trained mountaineers stationed in the mainland United Kingdom, first established in 1943.
Training aircraft
Elementary flying training is conducted on the Tutor T1. The Tutor is also used, along with the Viking T1 and Vigilant T1 gliders, to provide air experience training for air cadets and elementary flying training for trainee RAF pilots.Basic pilot training for fixed-wing and helicopter pilots is provided on the Tucano T1 and Squirrel HT1. Weapon systems officer and weapon systems operator training was conducted in the Dominie T1 until the decommissioning of the last six Dominie T1 in January 2011.
Advanced flying training for fast-jet, helicopter and multi-engine pilots is provided using the Hawk T1, Griffin HT1 and B200 King Air respectively. At the more advanced stage in training, variants of front-line aircraft have been adapted for operational conversion of trained pilots; these include the Harrier T10 and Typhoon T1.
Future aircraft
, the RAF is planning for the introduction of the following new aircraft:
The Airbus A400M, of which 22 are to be used to replace the remaining Hercules C1/C3 (C-130K) transport aircraft. Originally, 25 aircraft were ordered, and the A400M will be known as the Atlas in RAF service.
The ageing aerial refuelling fleet of VC10s and TriStars will be replaced with the Airbus A330 MRTT under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme.
The F-35C Lightning II will enter service around 2020 under the Joint Combat Aircraft programme. Prior to the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the STOVL F-35B variant had been intended to directly replace the Harrier GR9. The F-35C CATOBAR variant can be used on both land and aircraft carriers. However, it lacks the STOVL capability of the F-35B. It has more range and will be less expensive to maintain.
Project Taranis is a technology demonstrator programme, possibly leading to a future Strategic Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) for both ground attack and reconnaissance roles. The BAE Mantis is another UCAV under development, with an autonomous capability, allowing it to fly itself through an entire mission. This is a potential candidate to fulfil a requirement for an ISTAR UAV to enter service after 2015 as part of the RAF's Scavenger programme.
The Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint, of which three have been ordered to replace the Nimrod R1 fleet (retired in 2011) in the signals intelligence role by 2014. Until the aircraft are delivered, the RAF will share signals aircraft of the US Air Force. The aircraft will be Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker tankers converted to RC-135W standard in the most complex combined Foreign Military Sales case and co-operative support arrangement that the UK has undertaken with the United States Air Force since the Second World War. In RAF service, they will be known as the Airseeker.
Symbols, flags, emblems and uniform
Following the tradition of the other British fighting services, the RAF has adopted symbols to represent it, act as a rallying point for its members and encourage esprit de corps.
The RAF Ensign is flown from the flagstaff on every RAF station during daylight hours. The design was approved by King George V in 1921, after much opposition from the Admiralty, who have the right to approve or veto any flag flown ashore or on board ship.
British aircraft in the early stages of the First World War carried the Union Flag as an identifying feature, however this was easy to confuse with Germany's Iron Cross motif. Therefore in October 1914 the French system of three concentric rings was adopted, with the colours reversed to a red disc surrounded by a white ring and an outer blue ring. The relative sizes of the rings have changed over the years and during World War II an outer yellow ring was added. Aircraft serving in the Far East during World War II had the red disc removed to prevent confusion with Japanese aircraft. Since the 1970s, camouflaged aircraft carry low-visibility roundels, either red and blue on dark camouflage, or washed-out pink and light blue on light colours. Most uncamouflaged training and transport aircraft retain the traditional red-white-blue roundel.
The Latin motto of the RAF, "Per Ardua ad Astra", is usually translated as "Through Adversity to the Stars", 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 from a commander of the RFC, Colonel Sykes, for suggestions. The RAF inherited the motto from the RFC.
The Badge of the Royal Air Force was first used in August 1918. In heraldic terms it is: "In front of a circle inscribed with the motto Per Ardua Ad Astra and ensigned by the Imperial Crown an eagle volant and affronte Head lowered and to the sinister." Although there have been debates among airmen over the years whether the bird was originally meant to be an albatross or an eagle, the consensus is that it was always an eagle.
In 2006 the RAF adopted a logotype featuring a roundel and the Service's unabbreviated name (shown at the top of this article). The logotype is used on all correspondence and publicity material and aims to provide the Service with a single, universally-recognizable brand identity.
Overseas deployments
See also
References
;Notes
External links
;Video clips
Category:Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) Category:Military of the United Kingdom Category:Military units and formations established in 1918 Category:Organisations based in the United Kingdom with royal patronage Category:British Armed Forces Category:1918 establishments in the United Kingdom
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