Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the UK Armed Forces.

History

Formation and Early History (1918–1939)

The RAF was founded on April 1st, 1918 by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. The Royal Flying Corps was a division of the Royal Engineers, under the control of the British Army. The Royal Naval Air Service was its naval equivalent. The decision to merge the two units and create an independent air force was a response to the events of World War I, the first war in which air power proved to be decisive. The newly created RAF was the most powerful air force in the world on its creation, with over 20,000 aircraft.

Related Topics:
April 1st - 1918 - Royal Flying Corps - Royal Naval Air Service - Royal Engineers - British Army - World War I

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The inter-war years were relatively peaceful for the RAF, with only minor actions in the British Empire. The RAF saw service in Afghanistan where the first evacuation of civilians occurred in 1928. In 1936, a reorganisation of RAF command saw the creation of Fighter Command, Bomber Command and Coastal Command. The Naval Air Branch was also de-merged and renamed the Fleet Air Arm under the control of the Royal Navy.

Related Topics:
Afghanistan - 1928 - 1936 - Fighter Command - Bomber Command - Coastal Command - Fleet Air Arm - Royal Navy

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World War II (1939–1945)

The RAF underwent rapid expansion following the outbreak of war against Nazi Germany in 1939. This included the training of British aircrews in Commonwealth countries under the Commonwealth Air Training Plan, and the secondment of many whole squadrons, and tens of thousands of individual personnel, from Commonwealth air forces. To these were later added thousands of personnel from other countries, including many who had fled from European countries conquered by the Nazis.

Related Topics:
Nazi Germany - 1939 - Commonwealth - Commonwealth Air Training Plan - Europe

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A defining period of the RAF's existence came during the Battle of Britain. Over the summer of 1940 the RAF held off the Luftwaffe in perhaps the most prolonged and complicated air campaign in history. This contributed immensely to the delay and cancellation of German plans for an invasion of England (Operation Sea Lion) and helped to turn the tide of World War II. (See also British military history of World War II.)

Related Topics:
Battle of Britain - 1940 - Luftwaffe - Operation Sea Lion - World War II - British military history of World War II

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The largest RAF effort during the war was the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. From May 31, 1942 RAF Bomber Command was able to mount large-scale night raids involving up to 1000 aircraft, many of which were the new heavy four-engined bombers. There exists considerable historical controversy about the ethics of such large attacks against German cities during the last few months of the war, such as the Bombing of Dresden in World War II.

Related Topics:
May 31 - 1942 - Bombing of Dresden in World War II

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Cold War (1945–1990)

After victory in World War II, the RAF was to be further re-organised, as technological advances in air warfare saw the arrival of jet fighters and bombers. After the British development of nuclear weapons, the RAF's V bomber squadrons took sole responsibility for carrying the UK's nuclear deterrent until the development of the Royal Navy's Polaris submarines. Following the introduction of Polaris in 1968 the RAF's strategic nuclear role was reduced to a tactical one, using the WE177 gravity bombs. This tactical role was continued by the V bombers into the 1980s and until 1998 by Tornado GR1s.

Related Topics:
Nuclear weapons - V bomber squadrons - Royal Navy's Polaris submarines - WE177 - Tornado GR1s

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The primary role of the RAF in the Cold War years was the defence of Europe against potential attack by the Soviet Union. With the decline of the British Empire, global operations were scaled back, and RAF Far East Air Force was disbanded on October 31, 1971.

Related Topics:
Cold War - Europe - Soviet Union - British Empire - RAF Far East Air Force - October 31 - 1971

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Despite this, the RAF fought in many battles in the Cold War period. The RAF played a minor role in the Korean War, with flying boats taking part. However, the Suez Crisis in 1956 saw a large RAF role, with aircraft mainly flying from Cyprus and Malta. The Konfrontasi against Indonesia in the early 1960s did see use of RAF aircraft, but due to a combination of deft diplomacy and selective ignoring of certain events by both sides, it never developed into a full scale war.

Related Topics:
Korean War - Flying boats - Suez Crisis - 1956 - Cyprus - Malta - Konfrontasi - Indonesia

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The Falklands War in 1982 was mainly fought by the Navy and Army due to the distance of the battlefield from friendly airfields. However RAF aircraft were deployed on Ascension Island and on board the Navy's aircraft carriers. The most high profile missions in this conflict were the famous Black Buck raids using Avro Vulcans flying from Ascension Island. However, the service did many other things during the conflict, with its helicopters in the Falklands themselves, its Harrier GR3s flying from HMS Hermes, its fighter aircraft protecting Ascension, maritime patrol aircraft scanning the South Atlantic, and tanker and transport fleet helping in the enormous logistical effort required for the war.

Related Topics:
Falklands War - 1982 - Ascension Island - Black Buck - Avro Vulcan - HMS ''Hermes''

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1990–Present

In 1991 over 100 RAF aircraft took part in the Gulf War, in virtually every conceivable role. It marked an important turning point in the RAF's history as it was the first time the service had used precision-guided munitions in significant amounts. Later the Kosovo War in 1999 saw the RAF deployed in Europe for the first time since World War II. The 2001 invasion of Afghanistan saw the RAF provide support to the United States by the provision of tankers and reconnaissance aircraft.

Related Topics:
1991 - Gulf War - Kosovo War - 1999 - 2001 invasion of Afghanistan

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The 2003 invasion of Iraq saw a large RAF deployment in support of the United States Air Force. The only RAF losses were due to accidents and friendly fire when an RAF Tornado jet was shot down by a US patriot missile.

Related Topics:
2003 invasion of Iraq - United States Air Force

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