RAF Regiment
Force security element of Royal Air Force / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Royal Air Force Regiment (RAF Regiment) is part of the Royal Air Force and functions as a specialist corps. Founded by Royal Warrant in 1942, the Corps carries out basic soldiering and security tasks relating to the [protection of] delivery of air power. Examples of such tasks are non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO), recovery of downed aircrew (joint personnel recovery – JPR), defence of airfields by way of aggressively patrolling and actively seeking out infiltrators in a large area surrounding airfields. The key tenant of the RAF Regiments role is based around defensive security operations,[5] rather than the Army’s more traditional offensive infantry role, which is to close with and kill the enemy; notwithstanding, this does require active patrolling outside the Airfield perimeter. In addition the RAF Regiment provides Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) to the British Army in the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) role, and provides a small (flight size) commitment to the Special Forces Support Group as Tactical air controllers and some CBRN specialists.[6]
The Royal Air Force Regiment | |
---|---|
Active | 1 February 1942 – present |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Type | |
Role | |
Size | 1,850[2] regulars (2021), 570 reserves (2016) |
Part of | No. 2 Group, Air Command |
Garrison/HQ | Depot: RAF Honington |
Nickname(s) | "The Rock Apes"; "Rocks" |
Motto(s) | Per Ardua (Latin for "Through Adversity")[3] (Individual squadrons also have their own motto.) |
March | Quick: Holyrood Slow: Centurion |
Commanders | |
Commandant-General | Air Vice-Marshal Michael Smeath[4] |
Honorary Air Commodore | Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton |
Air Commodore-in-Chief | The King |
Insignia | |
Tactical Recognition Flash | |
Shoulder Flash |
The RAF Regiment Gunners are personnel trained in various disciplines such as infantry tactics, force protection, field craft, sniper, support to special forces operations, CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) defence, equipped with advanced vehicles and detection measures. RAF Regiment instructors are responsible for training all Royal Air Force personnel in basic force protection such as first aid, weapon handling and CBRN skills.
The regiment and its members are known within the RAF as "The Regiment", "Rock Apes" or "Rocks". After basic training at RAF Halton, and a 20-week gunner course at RAF Honington, its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and ensure that air operations can continue without delay in the aftermath of an attack.