Part 2 - Military Awareness Flashcards
What is air power?
The ability to project power from the air and space to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events
What are the 3 main characteristics of air power?
- Speed
- Height
- Reach
What can you tell us about NATO?
- It stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
- it was founded on the 4th April 1949 (4/4/49)
- NATO is an alliance of 30 independent countries
- north Macedonia was the latest country to join NATO
- NATO is an alliance of countries from Europe and North America
- it allows all participants to consult and cooperate in defence, security and multi national crisis management together.
What is the senior rank structure?
Marshal of the royal air force Air chief marshal Air marshal Air vice marshal Air commodore Group captain Wing commander Squadron leader Flight lieutenant Flying officer Pilot officer
What are the 4 fundamentals of air power?
Role 1 - control of air and space - this means that the RAF must have complete control of what is happening in the air space they protect in order to maintain air power.
Role 2 - air mobility - the ability to move troops and supplies in an out of a combat area by air travel. This helps to support the ground teams and maintain air power.
Role 3 - intelligence and situational awareness - this means having a complete understanding of a situation so we can respond effectively to any threat to our nation
Role 4 - attack - To maintain air power is sometimes needed to eliminate threats by attacking them. This stops us from being attached so we can maintain air power over them.
What is the RAF role in support of operations?
The RAF works with partners around the world to strengthen national and international security and to protect the interests and influence of the UK and its allies. They identify and manage threats before they materialise through intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The RAF can also deploy aircraft and men around the world in response to anything and to support other operations.
Can you tell us about some RAF aircraft?
The globemaster C17 is a transport plane flown by 99 squadron from RAF brize Norton. It is used to deliver cargo and troops rapidly around the world.
The typhoon is a fast jet based at RAF conigsby and RAF lossimouth. It is flown by 9 different squadrons and also has a display team for air shows. It is mainly used for Quick reaction alert to defend our air space.
The voyager is an air to air refueling aircraft based at RAF brize Norton. It is flown by squadron 10 and 101. It supports aircraft flying long distances.
Chinooks are support helicopters used for getting troops and equipment in an out of.combat zones. They are based at RAF Benson and RAF odinham and operated by squadrons 28, 7, 18, 27
Phenom T1 is a training plane used at RAF Cranwell to train pilots on multi engined aircraft before moving onto an OCU
What are air officer commanding (AOC groups)
Is a title given to an officer who is in charge of a group of air force assets. There are 5 AOC groups in the air force which are AOC 1, 2, 11, 22, 38
What is the difference between commissioned officers and non commissioned officers?
Commissioned officers are officers who have gone through officer and leadership training and have been commissioned by a high authority such as the queen. Non commissioned officers are given their role by a commissioned officer and work their way up to that from other roles in the RAF.
Can you name some UK RAF bases?
RAF brize Norton - this is the UK’s largest air force base which is home to many squadrons that fly a range of aircraft such as the C17 and other cargo aircraft and the voyager air to air refueling plane.
RAF coningsby and RAF lossimouth - these two RAF bases are part of the quick response alert program (QRA). There is typhoons based here which fly to protect our airspace.
RAF high wycomb - here RAF high command is based along with many groups and the European air group.
RAF Cranwell - here is where officers go to complete officer training. Pilots also learn to fly here in a tutor or prefect plane. Pilots streamed to multi engine planes also learn to fly the phenom from here.
RAF shawbury - here around a thousand pilots go a year to learn to fly the Juno and Jupiter helicopters.
RAF odinham - is a support helicopter base working within the joint helicopter command. There is many helicopters based here such as the Chinook
RAF swanwick - here RAF controllers are embedded within the London control terminal run by nats. They ensure military and civilian air traffic fly safely around each other.
Can you name some RAF bases abroad?
RAF mount pleasant - this base was opened in 1985 to create a fighter and transport presence on the island. Currently based here is 4 typhoon’s, a voyager air to air refueling aircraft, a Hercules transport plane and some Chinook helicopters.
RAF ascention island - The role of the Station is to deter military aggression against the UK’s South Atlantic Overseas Territories in order to maintain UK sovereignty. It is also used as a staging post for flights between the UK and Falklands.
RAF Gibraltar - located between the Spanish border and the rock of Gibraltar. It’s location makes it ideal staging post for aircraft on major NATO operations in the Mediterranean. The station contributes to British sovereignty of Gibraltar.
RAF Akrotiri - it plays a key part in operations to protect the UK’s strategic interests. It is used as a forward mounting base for operations overseas in the middle East and for fast jet training. Griffin helicopters here also help with search and rescue.
What can you tell us about the UN?
The UN in an international organization founded in 1945 after world war 2 by 51 countries. It’s aim is to maintain peace and security, develop friendly relations between nation’s, promote social progress, better living standards and human rights.
