Structure of the Royal Air Force

This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Outdated information. Please help update this to reflect recent events or newly available information. (August 2021)

This is the structure of the Royal Air Force, as of October 2020.

Air Command[]

Air Command was formed as a merger of Strike Command, and Personnel and Training Command to administer the majority of operational units within the RAF. It doesn't have an overall commander, but instead two deputy commanders– one for Operations and one for Capability. The Deputy Commander (Operations) has been Air Marshal Gerry Mayhew, since May 2019; and the Deputy Commander (Capability) has been Air Marshal Andrew Turner, also since May 2019.

• Headquarters, RAF Air Command, at RAF High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire^[1][2]
  • RAF Safety Centre, at RAF High Wycombe^[3]

No. 1 Group[]

No. 1 Group is one of two operations groups within Air Command, controlling the RAF's fast combat aircraft and the associated airfields. The AOC has been Air Vice Marshal Ian Duguid, since he took up the appointment in November 2021.^[4]

• Headquarters, No. 1 Group, at RAF High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire^[5]
  • RAF Coningsby
    • No. 3 Squadron RAF, (Eurofighter Typhoon)^[6]
    • No. 11 Squadron RAF, (Eurofighter Typhoon)^[7]
    • No. 12 Squadron RAF, (Eurofighter Typhoon)^[8]
    • No. 29 Squadron RAF, (Eurofighter Typhoon) (Operational Conversion Unit)^[9]
      • RAF Typhoon Display Team^[10]
    • Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, (Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane, Dakota, Chipmunk)^[11]
  • RAF Leeming
    • No. 100 Squadron RAF, (Hawk T1A)^[12]
    • No. 607 (County of Durham) Squadron RAuxAF^[13]
    • Joint Forward Air Controller Training and Standards Unit^[14]
  • RAF Lossiemouth
    • No. 1 Squadron RAF, (Eurofighter Typhoon)^[15]
    • No. 2 Squadron RAF, (Eurofighter Typhoon)^[16]
    • No. 6 Squadron RAF, (Eurofighter Typhoon)^[17]
    • No. 9 Squadron RAF, (Eurofighter Typhoon)^[18]
    • No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAuxAF^[19]
  • RAF Marham
    • No. 207 Squadron RAF, (F-35B Lightning II) (Operational Conversion Unit)^[20]
    • No. 617 Squadron RAF, (F-35B Lightning II)^[21]
  • RAF Waddington
  • RAF Scampton
  • No. 1 Air Control Centre RAF,^[22] at RAF Scampton
  • Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (Red Arrows) (Hawk T1A),^[22] at RAF Scampton
  • Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) Force, at RAF Waddington^[23][24][25] – formed part of the combined NATO Airborne Electronic Warfare Force^[23]
    • ISTAR Force Commander, Air Commodore Nick Hay^[23]
    • No. 8 Squadron RAF, (Sentry AEW1)^[26]
    • No. 13 Squadron RAF, (MQ-9 Reaper)^[27]
    • No. 14 Squadron RAF, (Shadow R1)^[28]
    • No. 39 Squadron RAF, (MQ-9 Reaper) (and Creech AFB)^[27]
    • No. 51 Squadron RAF, (RC-135W Airseeker)^[23][29]
    • No. 54 Squadron RAF, at RAF Waddington
      • Detachment, at RAF Lossiemouth (with Poseidon MRA1)^[30]
    • No. 120 Squadron RAF, (Poseidon MRA1),^[31] at RAF Lossiemouth
    • No. 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron RAuxAF^[32]
    • Poseidon Line Squadron,^[33] at RAF Lossiemouth
    • Poseidon Tactical Operations Centre, at RAF Lossiemouth
  • No. 1 Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing RAF, at RAF Waddington^[34]
    • No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron RAF
    • No. 2 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron RAF
    • No. 3 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron RAF
    • No. 54 Signals Unit RAF
    • Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Support Squadron RAF

Air and Space Warfare Centre[]

• Air and Space Warfare Centre, at RAF Waddington^[35]
  • Development Division
  • Operational Analysis Element
  • Integrated Mission Support
  • Operations Support Division
  • Flying Division
    • No. 17 Squadron RAF, at Edwards AFB (F-35B Lightning II OEU)^[36]
    • No. 41 Squadron RAF, at RAF Coningsby (Eurofighter Typhoon OEU)^[37]
    • No. 206 Squadron RAF, at RAF Brize Norton^[38]
    • Rotary Wing Test and Evaluation Squadron, at MoD Boscombe Down^[39]
    • Empire Test Pilots' School, at MoD Boscombe Down^[40]
  • Operations Division
    • No. 92 Squadron RAF, at RAF Waddington^[41]
    • Command and Battlespace Management (Air) Working Group
    • Information Operations Group
  • Test and Evaluation Division
    • No. 56 Squadron RAF, at RAF Waddington (OEU for ISTAR)^[42]
    • No. 216 Unmanned Aerial Systems Test and Evaluation Squadron, at RAF Waddington (OEU for UAVs)^[43]
    • Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit, at RAF Brize Norton^[44]

No. 2 Group[]

No. 2 Group is the other operations group within Air Command, providing aircraft that support the Royal Navy and RAF front line aircraft, the Royal Air Force Police, and the Royal Air Force Regiment. Its current air officer commanding is Air Vice-Marshal Suraya Marshall, and has been since October 2021.

Following the disbandment of No. 38 Group RAF on 31 December 2020, all units of the former group were moved under a new 1-star 'RAF Support Force', which now forms part of No. 2 Group.^[45]

• Headquarters, No. 2 Group, at RAF High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire^[46]
  • No. 505 (Wessex) Squadron RAuxAF, at RAF St Mawgan^[47]
  • No. 10 Squadron RAF, (Airbus Voyager KC2/KC3)^[48]
  • No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron RAF, (BAE 146 CC2/CC3, AW109S Grand) (VIP Transport)^[49]
  • No. 101 Squadron RAF, (Airbus Voyager KC2/KC3)^[50]
  • No. 606 (Chiltern) Squadron RAuxAF^[51]
  • No. 622 (Reserve Aircrew) Squadron RAuxAF
  • RAF Scampton
  • RAF Fylingdales
  • RAF Boulmer
  • RAF Benson
  • RAF Brize Norton
  • RAF Odiham
  • RAF Northolt
  • RAF Henlow
  • RAF Honington
  • RAF Wittering
  • RAF High Wycombe
  • Airborne Delivery Wing, at RAF Brize Norton^[52]
    • Headquarters and Operation Squadron
    • Parachute Training Squadron
    • Performance Development Squadron
      • RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team
    • Parachute Engineering Squadron
    • Support Squadron
  • Air Mobility Force Headquarters, at RAF Brize Norton^[53]
    • No. 24 Squadron RAF, (C-130 Hercules, A400M Atlas, C-17 Globemaster) (Air Mobility Operational Conversion Unit)^[54]
    • No. 47 Squadron RAF, (C-130 Hercules)^[55]
    • No. 70 Squadron RAF, (A400M Atlas)^[56]
    • No. 99 Squadron RAF, (C-17 Globemaster)^[57]
  • RAF Support Force, at RAF High Wycombe^[53][58]
    • No. 7644 (VR) Public Relations Squadron RAuxAF, at RAF Halton
    • , at RAF Brize Norton^[59]
    • Operations Wing^[53]
      • No. 1 Air Mobility Wing, at RAF Brize Norton^[60][53]
        • Headquarters Squadron^[61]
        • Operational Support Squadron
        • Mobile Air Movements Squadron
      • No. 90 Signals Unit, at RAF Leeming^[62][53]
        • Headquarters Squadron
        • Tactical Communications Wing^[61], at RAF Leeming
          • No. 1 (Engineering Support) Squadron
          • No. 2 (Field Communications) Squadron
          • No. 3 (Field Communications) Squadron
        • Operational Information Services Wing^[61], at RAF Leeming
          • No. 4 (Capability and Innovation) Squadron
          • No. 5 (Information Services) Squadron
          • No. 591 Signals Unit
    • Support Wing^[53]
      • No. 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron RAuxAF, at RAF Brize Norton^[63]
      • No. 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron RAuxAF, at RAF Wittering^[64]
      • No. 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron RAuxAF, at RAF Cosford^[65]
      • No. 42 (Expeditionary Support) Wing, at RAF Wittering^[66] – providing engineering support^[61]
        • No. 71 (Inspection and Repair) Squadron, at RAF Wittering^[67]
        • No. 93 (Expeditionary Armaments) Squadron, at RAF Marham^[68]
        • No. 5001 Squadron RAF, at RAF Wittering^[69]
        • No. 5131 (Bomb Disposal) Squadron
        • Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Squadron, at MoD Boscombe Down (joint RN and RAF)^[70]
      • No. 85 (Expeditionary Logistics) Wing^[61], at RAF Wittering^[71]
        • No. 1 Expeditionary Logistics Squadron, at RAF Wittering^[72]
        • No. 2 Mechanical Transport Squadron, at RAF Wittering^[73]
        • No. 3 Mobile Catering Squadron, at RAF Wittering^[74]
        • Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service, Headquarters at RAF Valley^[75]
      • RAF Medical Services^[76]
        • Head of Royal Air Force Medical Services, Air Commodore D. C. McLoughlin
        • No. 612 (County of Aberdeen) Medical Support Squadron RAuxAF, at Leuchars Station^[77]
        • No. 4626 (County of Wiltshire) Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron RAuxAF^[78]
        • Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service^[76]
        • RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine, at RAF Henlow^[79]
        • , at RAF Brize Norton^[80]
          • Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron^[76][81]
          • Operations and Logistics Squadron^[76]
          • Capability and Sustainment Squadron
          • Training Squadron^[76]
      • Royal Air Force Music Services (Provide medical services in times of conflict)
        • Headquarters Music Services, at RAF Northolt^[82][83]
        • Central Band of the Royal Air Force^[84]
        • Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment^[85]
        • Band of the Royal Air Force College, at RAF Cranwell^[86]
        • , at RAF Cranwell^[87]
  • , at RAF Waddington^[88]
    • No. 7006 Intelligence Squadron RAuxAF
      • Detachment, at RAF Wyton
      • Detachment, at RAF Brize Norton
      • Detachment, at RAF High Wycombe
      • Detachment, at RAF Digby
    • No. 7010 Photographic Interpretation Squadron RAuxAF
      • Detachment, at RAF Wyton
    • ^[89]
  • RAF Force Protection Force Headquarters, at RAF Honington
    • RAF Barnham
    • RAF Force Protection Centre, at RAF Honington
    • RAF Regiment Training Wing, at RAF Honington
    • Royal Air Force Police, at RAF Honington^[90]
      • Counter Intelligence & Exploitation Squadron, at RAF Henlow
      • Defence Flying Complaints Investigation Team, at RAF Henlow
      • Digital Forensic Flight, at RAF Henlow
      • Professional Standards Department Headquarters, at RAF Henlow
      • Provost Marshal's Dog Unit, at RAF Henlow
      • Provost Marshal's Dog Inspectorate, at RAF Henlow
      • Service Complaints Investigation Team, at RAF Henlow
      • Specialist and Security Police Wing, at RAF Honington
    • No. 2 Force Protection Wing, at RAF Leeming^[91]
      • No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment, at RAF Leeming^[92]
      • No. 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAuxAF Regiment, at RAF Leeming^[93]
      • , at RAF Honington
    • No. 3 Force Protection Wing, at RAF Marham^[94]
      • No. 3 (RAuxAF) Police Squadron, at RAF Honington^[95]
      • , at RAF Marham
      • No. 15 Squadron RAF Regiment, at RAF Marham^[96]
      • No. 2620 (County of Norfolk) Squadron RAuxAF Regiment, at RAF Marham^[97][98][99]
    • No. 4 Force Protection Wing, at RAF Brize Norton
      • No. 2 Squadron RAF Regiment, at RAF Brize Norton^[100]
      • , at RAF Brize Norton
      • , at RAF Brize Norton^[101]
    • No. 5 Force Protection Wing, at RAF Lossiemouth^[102]
      • , at RAF Lossiemouth
      • No. 51 Squadron RAF Regiment, at RAF Lossiemouth^[103]
      • No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron RAuxAF (Mixed Police/Regiment role), at Edinburgh
      • No. 2622 (Highland) Squadron RAuxAF Regiment, at RAF Lossieouth^[104]
    • No. 7 Force Protection Wing, at RAF Coningsby^[105]
      • No. 63 (Queen's Colour) Squadron RAF Regiment, at RAF Northolt^[106]
      • No. 2623 (East Anglian) Squadron RAuxAF Regiment, at RAF Honington^{[citation needed]}
      • Air Land Integration Cell, at RAF Coningsby
    • No. 8 Force Protection Wing, at RAF Waddington^[107]
      • No. 1 Squadron RAF Regiment, at RAF Honington^[108]
      • , at RAF Waddington
      • No. 2503 (County of Lincoln) Squadron RAuxAF Regiment, at RAF Waddington

UK Air Surveillance And Control System[]

• • RRH Benbecula
  • RRH Brizlee Wood
  • RRH Buchan
  • RRH Neatishead
  • RRH Portreath
  • RRH Saxa Vord
  • RRH Staxton Wold
  • RRH Trimingham

No. 11 Group[]

No. 11 Group is the newest group formed in the RAF, having only been reformed in late 2018 as a "multi-domain operations group." Air Vice-Marshal Philip Robinson has been the AOC, since December 2021.

• Headquarters, No. 11 Group, at RAF High Wycombe^[109]
  • Joint Force Air Component Headquarters, at RAF High Wycombe
  • National Air & Space Operations Centre, at RAF High Wycombe
  • RAF Spadeadam
    • Electronic Warfare Tactics Range^[110]

No. 22 Group[]

No. 22 Group is the direct successor to the Training Group, and so is responsible for RAF training policy and training establishments. It has been commanded by Air Vice Marshal Richard Maddison since August 2020.^[111]

The group commands the following stations:

• RAF Cosford
• RAF Halton
• RAF Cranwell
• RAF Linton-on-Ouse
• RAF Shawbury
• RAF St Mawgan
• RAF Valley
• RAF Woodvale
• MoD St Athan
• Headquarters, No. 22 Group, at RAF High Wycombe^[45]
  • Directorate of Ground Training
    • RAF Central Training School, at RAF Halton
      • Recruit Training Squadron
      • Airmens Command Squadron
      • Specialist Training Squadron
    • International Defence Training (RAF), at RAF Halton
    • Defence Survive, Evade, Resist, Extract Training Organisation
    • Defence College of Air and Space Operations, at RAF Shawbury^[112]
      • School of Air Operations Control
      • School of Aerospace Battle Management
  • Directorate of Flying Training
    • Headquarters Central Flying School, at RAF Cranwell
    • No. 1 Flying Training School RAF (Tri-Service), at RAF Shawbury^[113]
      • No. 660 Squadron, Army Air Corps, at RAF Shawbury, (Airbus Juno HT1)^[114]
      • 705 Naval Air Squadron, at RAF Shawbury, (Airbus Juno HT1)^[115]
      • No. 202 Squadron RAF, at RAF Valley, (Airbus Jupiter HT1)^[116]
      • 9th Regiment Army Air Corps (British Army)
        • No. 60 Squadron RAF, at RAF Shawbury, (Airbus Juno HT1)^[117]
        • No. 670 Squadron, Army Air Corps, at RAF Shawbury, (Airbus Juno HT1)^[118]
    • No. 3 Flying Training School RAF (Tri-Service), at RAF Cranwell^[119]
      • No. 16 Squadron RAF, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)
      • No. 45 Squadron RAF, at RAF Cranwell, (Embraer Phenom T1)^[120]
      • No. 57 Squadron RAF, at RAF Cranwell, (Grob Prefect T1)^[121]
      • No. 674 Squadron, Army Air Corps, (Grob Prefect T1), at RAF Barkston Heath
      • 703 Naval Air Squadron, at RAF Barkston Heath, (Grob Prefect T1)^[122]
    • No. 4 Flying Training School RAF, at RAF Valley^[123]
      • No. 4 Squadron RAF, at RAF Valley, (Hawk T2)
      • No. 25 Squadron RAF, at RAF Valley, (Hawk T2)^[124]
      • No. 72 Squadron RAF, at RAF Valley, (Texan T1)^[125]
      • Central Flying School Advanced Training Unit
    • No. 6 Flying Training School RAF, at RAF Cranwell^[126]
      • No. 115 Squadron RAF, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)
      • University Air Squadrons
        • University of Birmingham Air Squadron, at RAF Cosford, (Grob Tutor T1)^[127]
        • Bristol University Air Squadron, at Colerne Airfield, (Grob Tutor T1)^[128]
        • Cambridge University Air Squadron, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)^[129]
        • East Midlands Universities Air Squadron, at RAF Cranwell, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron, at Leuchars Station, (Grob Tutor T1)^[130]
        • Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron, at Glasgow Airport, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Liverpool University Air Squadron, at RAF Woodvale, (Grob Tutor T1)^[131]
        • University of London Air Squadron, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)^[132]
        • Manchester and Salford Universities Air Squadron, at RAF Woodvale, (Grob Tutor T1)^[131]
        • Northern Ireland Universities Air Squadron, at JHFS Aldergrove, (Grob Tutor T1)^[133]
        • Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron, at RAF Leeming, (Grob Tutor T1)^[134]
        • Oxford University Air Squadron, at RAF Benson, (Grob Tutor T1)^[135]
        • Southampton University Air Squadron, at MoD Boscombe Down, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • University of Wales Air Squadron, at MoD St Athan, (Grob Tutor T1)^[136]
        • Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron, at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, (Grob Tutor T1)^[137]
      • Air Experience Flights
        • No. 1 Air Experience Flight RAF, at MoD St Athan, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 2 Air Experience Flight RAF, at MoD Boscombe Down, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 3 Air Experience Flight RAF, at Colerne Airfield, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 4 Air Experience Flight RAF, at Glasgow Airport, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 5 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 6 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Benson, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 7 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Cranwell, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 8 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Cosford, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 9 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 10 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Woodvale, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 11 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Leeming, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 12 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Leuchars, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 13 Air Experience Flight RAF, at JHFS Aldergrove, (Grob Tutor T1)
  • , at MoD Lyneham^[138]
    • Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering, at RAF Cosford^[139]
      • RAF Aerosystems Engineer and Management Training School
      • School of Army Aeronautical Engineering, at MoD Lyneham
      • No. 1 School of Technical Training RAF, at RAF Cosford^[140]
        • No. 238 Squadron RAF
        • Aerosystems Training Squadron
        • Mechanical Training Squadron
        • Trenchard Squadron
      • Royal Navy Air Engineering and Survival School, at HMS Sultan^[141]
        • 764 Initial Training Squadron
        • Advanced Training Group
        • Common Training Group
        • Specialist Training Group
        • Training Support Group
    • Defence School of Communications and Information Systems, at Blandford Camp^[142]
      • No. 1 Radio School RAF, at RAF Cosford
        • The Aerial Erector School, at RAF Digby
        • Training Delivery Squadron
        • Training Management Support Squadron
        • Academic Accreditation Group
      • Royal School of Signals, at Blandford Camp
        • 11th (Royal Corps of Signals) Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals, at Blandford Camp^[143]
          • 2 (Catterick) Squadron
          • 3 (Harrogate) Squadron
          • 4 (Military Training) Squadron
          • 5 (Maresfield) Squadron
    • Defence School of Electro-Mechanical Engineering, at MoD Lyneham^[144]
      • , at MoD St Athan^[145]
      • 8 Training Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at MoD Lyneham^[146]
      • Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Arms School, at MoD Lyneham
    • Defence School of Marine Engineering, at HMS Sultan^[147]
      • Marine Engineering Department
      • Craft Skills Group
      • Training Support Organisation
  • Directorate of RAF Sport
    • RAF School of Physical Training, at RAF Cosford
    • RAF Sports Board, at RAF Halton
  • Royal Air Force College Cranwell
    • Officer and Aircrew Cadet Training Unit^[148] Cranwell intakes usually take place at ten week intervals throughout the year.^[149]
  • Headquarters, Royal Air Force Air Cadets, at RAF Cranwell
    • No. 2 Flying Training School RAF, at RAF Syerston^[150]
      • Central Gliding School, at RAF Syerston
      • No. 614 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at MDP Wethersfield, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 615 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at Kenley Airfield, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Little Rissington, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 622 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at Trenchard Lines, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 626 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at Predannack Airfield, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 632 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at Tern Hill Airfield, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 637 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Little Rissington, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Syerston, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 645 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Topcliffe , (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 661 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Kirknewton, (Grob Viking T1)

No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group[]

No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group is the collation of all of the RAF's assets that support operations in the Middle East, i.e., Op Kipion, and Op Shader. The Group has been commanded by Air Commodore Simon Strasdin since September 2020.

• Headquarters, No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group, at RAF Al Udeid, Qatar^[151]
  • No. 901 Expeditionary Air Wing, at RAF Al Udeid^[152]
    • Joint Force Communication Information Systems^[153]
    • Joint Force Support (Middle East) Force Movements Control Centre^[153]
    • Combined Air Operations Centre^[153]
  • No. 902 Expeditionary Air Wing, at RAFO Musannah
  • No. No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing, at RAF Akrotiri^[154]
  • No. 906 Expeditionary Air Wing, at Al Minhad Air Base^[155]

References[]