Basic RAF facts Flashcards
RAF Motto?
Per Ardue ad Astra : Through adversity to the stars
Date the RAF was founded
1st April 1918
What did the RAF replace?
Royal Navy Air Service and Royal Flying Corp
Number of RAF personnel
Full time, Reserves
34,801 as of Q4 2024 (approx 30,000)
(but this includes both trained and untrained full-term service members ie those in training)
Reserves - 3,000 trained and untrained
Number of the UK’s full-time armed forces
148,280
What is the current number of RAF personnel forces now and in 2012
now : 34,801
2012 : 41,988
What is the RAF’s mission statement?
“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”
Definition of Air Power?
The ability to project power from the air and space to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events.
Fundamentally, air power in all its form contributes to Control of the Air through X, Y and Z
Height, Speed and Reach
What are the four fundamental roles of air power?
1) Intelligence and Situational Awareness
2) Air Mobility
3) Attack
4) Control of the air
RAF Values
Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence (RISE)
What is the MOD’s mission?
provide the capabilities needed to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and oversees territories, including against terrorism; to support the Government’s foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security
Name the 4 Oversees RAF Stations and their locations
- RAF Akrotiri - Cyprus
- RAF Ascension Island - South Atlantic Ocean
- RAF Mount Pleasant - Falkland Islands
- RAF Gibraltar - Gibraltar
- RAF Akrotiri - Cyprus
- RAF Ascension Island - South Atlantic Ocean
- RAF Mount Pleasant - Falkland Islands
- RAF Gibraltar - Gibraltar
These are the 3 Oversees RAF Stations - can you now please say why they are important
1) RAF Akrotiri - A vital base for operations in the Middle East, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and operational support.
2) RAF Ascension Island - A staging post for operations, providing support for military flights to and from the South Atlantic.
3) RAF Mount Pleasant - Ensures the security and defence of the Falkland Islands, hosting aircraft and personnel.
4) RAF Gibraltar - A strategic location for Mediterranean and Atlantic operations, supporting air policing and training activities.
What is RAF Waddington - Lincolnshire?
The HQ for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (STAR)
Name 3 active operations and briefly what they are
Operation Kipion - Persian Gulf : This operation maintains the UK’s maritime presence in the Persian Gulf, supporting peace and stability in the region
Operation Shader - This is the UK’s contribution to the military intervention against ISIL in Iraq and Syria. The operation is the most intense flying mission the RAF has undertaken in 25 years. The operation has evolved over time, with a focus on training local forces, conducting airstrikes and intelligence gathering against ISIL. UK Gov announced in September 2024 it will draw to a close over the next 12 months.
Quick Reaction and Alert (QRA) - The RAF maintains a continuous QRA at RAF Lossiemouth (Scotland) and RAF Coningsby (Lincoln) to protect UK and NATO airspace. This involves rapid response by RAF Typhoons to unidentified aircraft approaching UK airspace. The QRA remains an active and essential component of the UK’s air defence strategy.
The Role of the RAF?
pew, pew, pew
Protect the UK and its interests
Provide choice for the nation in times of crisis
Maximise the return of Public investment
Current Air Chief Marhshal?
Sir Richard Knighton
‘An ___, ____ and ____ Air Force that, person for person, is ____ __ ____ and that makes a ____ __ ___ ______ in support of the __ ____ ____’
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 is tasked with providing…to meet the … often in…
air power
uk’s defence requirement
demanding and dangerous circumstances.
What do the armed services exist to do?
defend the Uk and its interests
To meet difficult operational challenges we must have ____ and ____ in eachother
confidence and trust
The RAF needs people who
1) respond…
2)aspire…
3)share a sense of…
4)understand and live by…
1) respond positively to the demands.
2) aspire to excellence
3) share a sense of duty and commitment
4) understand and live by our collective values
Value - Integrity
This is the courage to do what is right in all circumstances.
Name the three main principles
1) Moral courage - having the conviction to do what you believe is right even if unpopular, dangerous and has high personal cost.
2) Honesty - dishonesty = breakdown of trust between the teams and reduced unit effectiveness.
3) Responsibility - acknowledging duty and acting accordingly. Leaders must show fairness and consistency.
Value - Service before Self
Service is an act of selfless commitment, willingness to put others above ourselves. Ultimately laying down your life for others.
Name the 4 main constituents of service:
1) Physical Courage -risking our own or others lives
2) Loyalty - primary loyalty to the Crown, subordinates and leaders
3) Commitment - to service and Nation at all times, placing their needs above our own
4) Teamwork - working together with all aspects of the Service and civilian counterparts
Value - Excellence
Striving for excellence at all times will ensure the RAF continues to improve and develop
Name the 3 main facets of excellence:
1) Personal excellence - each member must strive to achieve & maintain high professional and personal standards
2) Discipline - most effective discipline is self discipline. Clearly understand rules. On and off duty.
3) Pride - Confidence in yourself and RAF
The reputation of the RAF has been built in which three things?
1) outstanding professionalism
2) outstanding personal standards
3) our continuing ability to do our job in extremely demanding situations
What are the 7 UK RAF Bases
RAF Brize Norton (Air Transport)
RAF Coringsby (Air Combat)
RAF Marham (Air Combat)
RAF Lossiemouth (Air Combat)
RAF Waddington (ISTAR)
RAF Benson (Support Helicopter)
RAF Odiham (Support Helicopter)
9 Attributes of an RAF leader
1) courageous
2) emotional intelligence
3) willing to take risks
4) flexible and responsive
5) able to handle ambiguity
6) mentally agile and physically robust
7) politically and globally astute
8) air power minded
9) technologically competent
The Current Air Chief Marhshal is Sir Richard Knighton, who was his predecessor?
Mike Wigston
Where is Air Command HQ?
RAF High Wycombe Oxfordshire
What is the hierarchy of the organisational units of the RAF?
Air command > Groups > Stations > Wings > Squadrons > Flights > Individuals
