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Structure of the Royal Air Force

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United Kingdom
Royal Air Force
of the British Armed Forces
Components
  • Special Forces
History and future
Aircraft
Personnel
Organisation
Auxiliary services

This is the structure of the Royal Air Force.

Air Command

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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.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton KCB serves as the Chief of the Air Staff, the professional head of the Royal Air Force, alongside Air Marshal Paul Lloyd CBE, the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff. Warrant Officer Murugesvaran Subramaniam was appointed the senior Warrant Officer of the RAF in April 2023. Air Marshal Allan Marshall was appointed Air and Space Commander in March 2024.

No. 1 Group

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No. 1 Group is one of two operations groups within Air Command, controlling the RAF's fast combat aircraft and the associated airfields.

Air Vice-Marshal Mark Flewin was appointed Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group in 2023.

Air and Space Warfare Centre

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No. 2 Group

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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. The group is headquartered at RAF High Wycombe.

Air Vice-Marshal Jason Appleton was appointed Air Officer Commanding 2 Group in February 2024.

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.[44]

As of early 2023, No. 2 Group comprises the following stations and units.[45][46][47][48][49] Unless indicated otherwise, subordinate units are located at the same location as the unit they report to.

Stations

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Air Mobility Force

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Air Security Force

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Air Command and Control Force

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Combat and Readiness Force

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RAF Medical Services

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Support Force

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No. 11 Group

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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 Tom Burke CBE was appointed Air Officer Commanding 11 Group in August 2023.

No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group

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No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group is the collation of all of the RAF's assets that support operations in the Middle East, such as Op Kipion and Op Shader.

Group Captain Hannah Bishop was appointed Commanding Officer of 83 Expeditionary Air Group and Deputy Air Component Commander, Middle East in November 2023.

No. 22 Group

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No. 22 Group is the direct successor to the Training Group, and so is responsible for RAF training policy and training establishments.

Air Vice-Marshal Ian "Cab" Townsend CBE MA was appointed Air Officer Commanding 22 Group in May 2023.

The group commands the following stations:

Space Command

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UK Space Command is the joint command for space operations, staffed by personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force. It provides command and control for all of the UK's space capabilities, including the UK's Space Operations Centre, RAF Fylingdales, Skynet and more.[96] The commander of UK Space Command is Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey.[97]

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