Get To Know The Secrets Of Royal Air Force
RAF is established 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."
RAF has its own mission statement reads as thus, to provide (paraphrase) "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."
As said above the given statement goes hand in hand with the RAF's definition of air power, the concept that guides the RAF strategy. Air Power is defined as thus "The ability to project military force in air or space by or from a platform or missile operating above the surface of the earth. Air platforms are defined as any aircraft, helicopter or unmanned air vehicle." 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 and land environments respectively.
The professional head of the RAF is the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. The CAS heads the Air Force Board, which is a committee of the Defence Council. The Air Force Board is the management board of the RAF and consists of the Commander-in-Chief of Air Command, together with several other high ranking officers. The CAS also has a deputy known as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (ACAS); this post is held by Air Vice-Marshal T M Anderson
Around 3,000 RAF Servicemen and women are currently deployed on operations around the world, from those involved in peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts to those stationed on the front line in theatres of combat.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, Tornado and Harrier forces are providing vital offensive support to troops on the ground, and Nimrods are engaged in intelligence gathering and reconnaissance. Hercules aircraft are conducting airdrops of supplies under demanding environmental conditions, while the Air Transport Force is involved in strategic airlifts and air-to-air refueling.
It's been observed that for the past few years, the RAF has also played a crucial role in underpinning security in the Falkland Islands, protecting the airspace over the UK, providing a Search and Rescue service, delivering vital relief aid after the earthquake in Pakistan and, most recently, contributing to the flood relief efforts in Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire.
RAF has challenging things to over come. Some of them are:
With the Cold War over and the emerging threat of global terror, we're ready to meet new challenges.
The RAF is becoming a smaller, more dynamic, more flexible force. There will be fewer bases, but they will be larger and better equipped.
To meet the changing times and because of the greater capability of technology, personnel levels will fall over the next few years - from about 48,500 to 41,000.
It means we can focus on the staff we have and ensure that they get the very best equipment and training.
It doesn't mean we'll stop recruiting - far from it. We're continuing to take on new staff right across the RAF. In fact, they're a key part of our vision for the future.
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