THE ROYAL AIR FORCETHE ROYAL AIR FORCE

PART 2 PART 2 ORGANISATION OF THE RAFORGANISATION OF THE RAF The RAF, like the Navy & Army is loyal to the

Crown but is controlled by Parliament.

Defence CouncilDefence Council

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet hold supreme responsibility for national defence and they decide what policies the country should follow.

They exercise control of the Armed Forces through the Defence Council.

The Secretary of State for Defence, appointed by the PM, is Chairman of the Defence Council

Air Force BoardAir Force Board

  Each of the 3 services is controlled by a board of senior officers:

   Admiralty Board – RNAdmiralty Board – RN Army Board – BAArmy Board – BA Air Force Board – RAFAir Force Board – RAF

   The Heads of these Service Boards are members of the

Defence Council where they advise the Government on matters affecting their own service.

The Air Force Board controls the Royal Air Force.

Each member of the AFB is a senior officer or civil servant heading a

specialist branch concerned with a particularly section of the RAF’s work; all the different Branches added together

are called:

  

““The Air Force Department” of the The Air Force Department” of the Ministry of Defence (MOD)Ministry of Defence (MOD)

RAF Command StructureRAF Command Structure Outside the MOD the directives of the Air Force Department are put into effect by:

RAF CommandsRAF Commands

Grouped into 2 Commands, determined by the jobs they do:

• Strike Command.

• Personnel & Training Command.

RAF GroupsRAF Groups Sub Headquarters called Groups to control specialist units – e.g. those flying a particular class of aircraft such as fighters.

Only exist in Strike Command. P&T Command controls its Units directly.

RAF Units & StationsRAF Units & Stations

“Unit” is the title applied to elements of the RAF which are established to cover a particular function, e.g. Maintenance Unit, Signals Unit.

• The Basic Operational Unit is a Squadron.

• Squadrons are equipped with aircraft or missiles or they may be squadrons of the RAF Regiment.

• According to their size & role, squadrons may be sub divided into two or more flights.

• The location of an individual unit or number of units is known as a RAF Station.

• An RAF Station is run by specially trained staff, who themselves are arranged in squadrons.

Framework of the RAFFramework of the RAF DEFENCE COUNCIL

CHIEF of AIR STAFF

AIR FORCE BOARD

STRIKE COMMAND PERSONNEL & TRAINING

COMMAND

UNITS

No. 1 GROUP No. 2 GROUP No. 3 GROUP

OVERSEASUNITS

UNITS UNITS UNITS

STRIKE COMMANDSTRIKE COMMAND

Strike Command is based at RAF High Wycombe where it controls all RAF Offensive & Defensive operations at home & overseas.

Overseas units include:

• Falkland Islands

• Cyprus

• Gibraltar

• Ascension Island

GroupsGroups

No. 1 Group:

• Responsible for all strike attack & offensive support aircraft.

• Operates all the RAF’s front line fighter aircraft including, in the future, Eurofighter.

• Seek & attack enemy targets on the ground.

• Battlefield support forces – long range transport & tactical transport & short range offensive aircraft to support battlefield operations.

No. 2 Group:

• Operates all the aircraft & force elements that support front line operations.

• Includes air transport & air to air refuelling aircraft

• RAF Regiment & Ground Based Air Defence systems.

(Defence Systems will now be controlled by the British Army).

• RAF E3 Sentry – Air Defence. (RAF Waddington)

No. 3 Group:

• Home for the new Joint Force Harrier. (With RN).

• Nimrod Maritime Patrol aircraft.

• Search & rescue Helicopters.

• RAF Mountain Rescue Teams.

HQ Personnel & Training Command

P&T Command was created on the 1st of April 1994 and embraces all aspects of:

• Recruitment

• Training

• Career Management

• Welfare

• Conditions of Service

• Pensions

All RAF policy & implementation staffs involved in the full span of personnel functions are based at the Command’s headquarters at RAF Innsworth in Gloucester.

RAF Units & StationsRAF Units & Stations

More than 1 unit can be located on an RAF Station. If the Units are mostly operational Squadrons, i.e. squadrons flying aircraft designed to perform an offensive, defensive or reconnaissance air role, the station is known as an operational station.

Other stations can be either flying stations, e.g. stations housing Maintenance Units or Command/Group Headquarters etc.

A typical station is organised into 3 wings:

• Operations

• Engineering

• Administrative

Station Commander

OC Operations

Wing

Flying SQN’s

OperationsSQN’s

Air TrafficControl

OC Engineering

Wing

OC Admin Wing

M&E SQNAIR

Electrical Eng

Squadron

M&E SQNGROUND

SupplySquadron

Station Service

Squadron

Education & Training SQN

Supply Squadron

CateringSquadron

PersonnelManagement

SQN

Personnel Services

Flight

Accounts Flight

General Duties

Flt

Security & Police

Catering Flight

Estates Flight

RAF Regt Flt

PEFlight

MedicalFlight

 Structure of Station:

Operations Wing

Flying Squadrons

  Air Traffic Control

 

 

Fire Services

• Photographic Interpretation

Engineering Wing

• Electrical Engineering

• Electronic Engineering

• Armoury

 

 

The Engineering Wing is responsible for the repair & maintenance of Air & Ground equipment.

Mechanical Engineering

 

MT Section 

Housing & Services the vehicles needed to re-fuel, re-arm and ground handle the aircraft, as well as the other vehicles to support the Station’s domestic task.

Day to day repair & maintenance on operational aircraft.

Admin Wing

The Administrative Wing looks after the personnel who live & work on the Station. Through it’s specialist squadrons & flights, Admin Wing controls the day to day management of:

 

Catering

Accommodation

Recreation

Security

Financial

Medical

BASE SECURITY!

All RAF Bases have a high level of security measures to ensure prevention of attack by terrorism etc.

As a cadet on an RAF Base or any other MOD site, you should do the following:

• Always carry your 3822 (ID) at all times.

• Behave in a sensible and cadet like manner.

• Never enter buildings without permission.

• Never touch military hardware/aircraft/equipment unless advised.

• Report any suspicious/unidentified packages to the Guardroom.

The Guardroom is manned 24 hours a day to ensure site security. Security is EVERBODY’S responsibility when on an RAF/MOD Base.

RAF Ranks – (Non Commissioned)

LAC – Leading Aircraftsman

SAC – Senior Aircraftsman

JT – Junior Technician

CPL – Corporal (JNCO)

SGT – Sergeant (SNCO)

CT – Chief Technician (SNCO)

F/SGT – Flight Sergeant (SNCO)

WO – Warrant Officer (SNCO)Highest & Most Respected Rank (Non – commissioned).

Aircrew Ranks

SGT AC – Sergeant Aircrew (SNCO)

F/SGT AC – Flight Sergeant Aircrew (SNCO)

MAC – Master Aircrew (SNCO)

ARE THERE ANY ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?