The Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force

Objectives

• Describe the structure of the RAF• Outline the history of the RAF• List 3 threats to security• Identify why security is important.

The RAF -Today

The vision for today’s RAF is;'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.’

The RAF - Today

StructureHM The Queen

UK Government

Ministry of Defence

Air Command

No 1 Group No 2 Group No 22 Group Expeditionary

Air Wings

The RAF - Air Command

• Responsible for the overall command and control of the RAF

• Commands 3 groups• Based at RAF High Wycombe.

Air Command

The RAF – No 1 GroupNo 1 Group

The RAF – No2 GroupNo 2 Group

The RAFNo 22 Group

The RAF – 22 Group

The RAF - History• The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was formed in 1912• In 1914 the Royal Navy formed the Royal Navy Air Service (RNAS)and broke away• The value of “Air Power” was proven throughout the First World War

The RAF - History

• On the 1st April 1918 The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Navy Air Service (RNAS)were rejoined and the Royal Air Force (RAF) was born.

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The RAF - History

• RAF won the Schneider trophy in 1927, 1929 and 1931.

• Development of radio location to detect and locate aircraft- Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR)

The RAF - History

World War 2• War was declared in 1939• Squadrons from the RAF were sent to France

with the Army to provide air support• As the army withdrew from France (via

Dunkirk) the RAF provided cover

The RAF - HistoryWorld War 2• In the Summer of 1940 Hitler decided that to invade

Britain complete air superiority was required• The German air force (the Luftwaffe) was tasked with

destroying the RAF• The Battle of Britain began.

The RAF - HistoryWorld War 2 - The Battle of BritainIn 1940 six to seven hundred fighters mainly

spitfires and Hurricanes flew daily against the Luftwaffe’s force of 1,000 fighters and 1,250 bombers.

The RAF

The RAF

“The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in

the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and by

their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much

owed by so many to so few”

• The RAF was successful and without Air superiority plans to invade were scrapped.

• The prime minister at the time (Sir Winston Churchill) said this of the RAF;

The RAF• Post war years; the RAF reequipped with Jet aircraft• The Canberra was the first jet-engined bomber to enter RAF service.

The RAF• Post war years; The cold War began soon after the second world war and

this led to the UK building a nuclear deterrent• The RAF element of this deterrent was delivered by the V bombers.

Vulcan

Viktor

Valiant

The RAF• In 1960 the first RAF supersonic fighter, the

‘Lighting” entered service’.

The RAFRecent RAF deployments• Libya –

• The Balkans –

• Iraq –

• Afghanistan –

• The Falklands –

The RAF - SecurityThere are 3 types of security threat;

Direct

Indirect

Terrorism

Indirect and Terrorist threats exist at all times not just in war!!

The RAF - SecurityWe are all responsible for security at our own Squadrons or when we visit RAF or Service establishments!• Never leave bags un-labelled or unattended• Never enter restricted areas• Always report strange occurrences to staff• Do not enter the HQ until staff have arrived• When talking to people about the ATC then think

“do they need to know?” If they don’t then stop talking!• Close and lock doors and windows

The RAF

Questions ?

Objectives

• Describe the structure of the RAF• Outline the history of the RAF• List 3 threats to security• Identify why security is important.

The RAF

The RAF