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The Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force
RAF-Badge.svg
Founded 1 April 1918 (99 years)
Country United Kingdom
Allegiance Elizabeth II
Type Air force
Role Aerial warfare
Size 33,240 Regular
1,940 RAuxAF
2,220 Air Force Reserve
Air Staff Offices Whitehall, London
Motto(s) Latin: Per Ardua ad Astra
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
March Royal Air Force March Past
Website www.raf.mod.uk
Commanders
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier KCB CBE DFC
Notable
commanders
Lord Trenchard
Lord Portal
Insignia
Ensign
Air Force Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg
Logo
Logo of the Royal Air Force.svg
Roundels
Roundel Low visibility roundel
Fin flashes
Fin flash Low visibility fin flash
Pilot's Brevet RAF pilot brevet (Queen's Crown).jpg
Aircraft flown
Attack Panavia Tornado GR4
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4
Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II (Testing)
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper
Electronic
warfare
Boeing E-3 SentryAEW1 (AEW)
Fighter Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4
Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II (Testing)
Helicopter Boeing Chinook HC2/2A/3/4
Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma HC2
Agusta A109E Power
Multirole helicopter Bell 412 Griffin HAR2
Trainer helicopter Eurocopter AS350 Squirrel HT1
Bell 412 Griffin HT1
Reconnaissance Britten-Norman Islander CC2A
Beechcraft Super King Air Shadow R1
Raytheon Sentinel R1
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper
Panavia Tornado GR4A
Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint
Trainer BAE Hawk
Beechcraft Super King Air
Short Tucano T1
Grob G 115 Tutor T1
Grob G 109 Vigilant T1
Grob G103a Twin II Viking TX1
Transport Boeing C-17 Globemaster III C-17ER
Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules C4/C5
Airbus A330 MRTT Voyager KC2/KC3
Airbus A400M Atlas C1
BAe 146 CC2/C3

The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's aerial warfare force. Formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world. Following victory over the Central Powers in 1918 the RAF emerged as, at the time, the largest air force in the world. Since its formation, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history, in particular, playing a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign, the Battle of Britain.

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 RAF describe its mission statement as "... [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". The mission statement is supported by the RAF's definition of air power, which guides its strategy. Air power is defined as "the ability to project power from the air and space to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events".

Today the Royal Air Force maintains an operational fleet of various types of aircraft, described by the RAF as being "leading-edge" in terms of technology. This largely consists of fixed-wing aircraft, including: fighter and strike aircraft, airborne early warning and control aircraft, ISTAR and SIGINT aircraft, aerial refueling aircraft and strategic and tactical transport aircraft. The majority of the RAF's rotary-wing aircraft form part of the tri-service Joint Helicopter Command in support of ground forces. Most of the RAF's aircraft and personnel are based in the UK, with many others serving on operations (principally over Iraq and Syria) or at long-established overseas bases (Ascension Island, Cyprus, Gibraltar, and the Falkland Islands). 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.


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