List of wings of the Royal Air Force
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
Wings within the Royal Air Force have both administrative and tactical applications. Over the years, the structure and role of wings has changed to meet the demands placed on the RAF. Many of the RAF's numbered wings were originally Royal Flying Corps (RFC) or Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) units.
Wings can be found at every station in the RAF and also abroad, deployed on operations.
Wings by number
=No. 1 Wing – No. 99 Wing=
File:AWM P02163.016.jpg between July and November that year. The wing's squadrons at the time (including two from the Australian Flying Corps), are: 4 Sqn AFC, 88 Sqn RAF, 4 Sqn AFC, 92 Sqn RAF, 103 Sqn RAF, 46 Sqn RAF, and 54 Sqn RAF.]]
=No. 100 Wing – No. 199 Wing=
=No. 200 Wing – No. 299 Wing=
=No. 300 Wing – No. 499 Wing=
=No. 500 Wing – No. 999 Wing=
class="wikitable" | |||
Wing | Date of establishment | Date of disestablishment | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
No. 500 Wing RAF | |||
No. 551 Wing RAF | Would have been part of Tiger Force, scheduled to be operational by 1 January 1946 at RAF Coningsby, as of August 1945.{{cite web|url=http://www.lancaster-archive.com/lanc_tigerforce.htm|title=Lancaster Main Page|work=lancaster-archive.com|access-date=30 October 2015}} Formation does not seem to have been completed. Later served as part of Second Tactical Air Force at RAF Gutersloh in Germany in the mid 1950s. | ||
No. 552 Wing RAF | |||
No. 553 Wing RAF | |||
No. 554 Wing RAF | |||
No. 700 Wing RAF | |||
No. 701 Wing RAF | |||
No. 900 Wing RAF | |||
rowspan="2" |No. 901 Wing RAF | 1 October 1944 | December 1945 | December 1944: Tactical Wing at Chiringa, India, in 224 Group 3rd Tactical Air Force (3 TAF), with 27, 177, and 211 Sqns (Beaufighter)[http://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/901eaw/901eawhistory.cfm '901 EAW history' RAF retrieved 20 March 2017.]
June 1945: Non-operational in 224 Group with 45, 82, 84 (Mosquito) and 211 (Beaufighter) Sqns |
1 April 2006
| |Expeditionary Air Wing deployed to Middle East within No 83 Expeditionary Air Group | |||
rowspan="2" |No. 902 Wing RAF | 1 December 1944 | Tactical Wing formed from 166 (Tactical) Wing;[http://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/902eaw/ '902 EAW' retrieved 20 March 2017.] December 1944: at Chittagong in 224 Group EAC with 9 (RIAF) (Hurricane), 39 and 135 (Thunderbolt), and 459 USAAF (Lightning) Sqns
June 1945: Non-operational in 224 Group with 11 Sqn (Hurricane) October 1945: at Tengah in RAF Malaya with 152 and 155 Sqns (Spitfire) | |
1 April 2006
| |Expeditionary Air Wing deployed to Middle East within No 83 Expeditionary Air Group | |||
rowspan="4" |No. 903 Wing RAF | 1 December 1944 | 31 October 1945 | Tactical Wing formed at Patenga in 224 Group, 3 TAF
{{Cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/903eaw/ |title='903 EAW' retrieved 20 March 2017. |access-date=19 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318060757/http://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/903eaw/ |archive-date=18 March 2015 |url-status=dead }} October 1945: at Kallang in RAF Malaya with 31 Sqn (Dakota) |
2003
|2009 |Expeditionary Air Wing at Contingency Operating Base Basra/Basra Airport, Iraq for Operation Telic | |||
2009
|2014 |Expeditionary Air Wing at Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan for Operation Herrick | |||
14 December 2014
| |Expeditionary Air Wing at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus in support of Operation Shader | |||
rowspan="2" |No. 904 Wing RAF | December 1944: at Cox's Bazar in 224 Group EAC with 2 (RIAF) and 4 (RIAF) Sqns (Hurricane) and 237 Sqn (Spitfire)
June 1945: Non-operational in 224 Group with 134 and 258 Sqns (Thunderbolt) December 1945: at Batavia with 60 and 81 Sqns (Thunderbolt), 84 and detachments 47 and 110 Sqns (Mosquito), detachment 681 (Spitfire PR), 155 (Spitfire), 31 (Dakota) and 656 (AOP) (Auster) Sqns | ||
2006
|2015 |Expeditionary Air Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan for Operation Herrick | |||
rowspan="2" |No. 905 Wing RAF | November 1944 | 31 October 1945 | December 1944: at Jalia, India, in 224 Group, EAC[http://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/905eaw/ '905 EAW' retrieved 20 March 2017.] with 134 and 258 Sqns (Thunderbolt)
June 1945: Non-operational in 224 Group with 5, 30, 123 and 135 Sqns (Thunderbolt) October 1945: at Kuala Lumpur in RAF Malaya with 60, 81, 131, 258 (Thunderbolt) and 656 (AOP) (Auster) Sqns |
1 April 2006
| |Expeditionary Air Wing at RAF Mount Pleasant Falkland Islands | |||
rowspan="3" |No. 906 Wing RAF | 1 December 1944 | 13 November 1945 | Tactical Wing formed at Tulihal from 170 (Bomber) Wing;[http://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/906eaw/ '906 EAW' retrieved 20 March 2017.] December 1944: at Imphal in 221 Group EAC with 1 (RIAF), 42 and 60 Sqns (Hurricane) June 1945: in 221 Group, RAF Burma, with 28 (Hurricane), 176 (Beaufighter), 273 and 607 (Spitfire) Sqns |
2011
|2011 |Expeditionary Air Wing at Gioia del Colle Air Base, Italy in support of Operation Ellamy | |||
15 January 2013
| |Expeditionary Air Wing at Al Minhad Air Base, United Arab Emirates | |||
rowspan="2" |No. 907 Wing RAF | December 1944: at Tamu in 221 Group EAC with 11 (Hurricane) and 152 (Spitfire) Sqns June 1945: Non-operational in 224 Group with 20 Sqn (Hurricane) | ||
2011
|2011 |Expeditionary Air Wing at RAF Akrotiri in support of Operation Ellamy | |||
No. 908 Wing RAF | December 1944: at Kumbhirgram in 221 Group EAC with 43 Sqn (Mosquito) June 1945: in 221 Group, RAF Burma, with 47 and 110 Sqns (Mosquito) | ||
No. 909 Wing RAF | December 1944: at Pallel in 221 Group EAC with 17, 153 and 607 Sqns (Spitfire), 34 and 113 Sqns (Hurricane) June 1945: in 221 Group, RAF Burma, with 152 and 155 Sqns (Spitfire) | ||
No. 910 Wing RAF | December 1944: at Wangjing in 221 Group EAC with 79, 146 and 261 Sqns (Thunderbolt) June 1945: in 221 Group, RAF Burma, with 34, 42, 79 and 113 Sqns (Thunderbolts) |
Expeditionary Air Wings
{{main|Expeditionary Air Wing}}
Formed on 1 April 2006, Expeditionary Air Wings (EAW) are established at the following RAF Flying Stations:
- RAF Waddington – 34 EAW (ISTAR)
- RAF Brize Norton – 38 EAW (Air Transport)
- RAF Coningsby – 121 EAW (Fighter)
- RAF Leeming – 135 EAW
- RAF Marham – 138 EAW (Ground Attack)
- RAF Lossiemouth – 140 EAW{{Cite web | url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/royal-air-force-typhoons-intercept-russian-aircraft-near-baltics | title=Royal Air Force Typhoons intercept Russian aircraft near Baltics}}
=Deployed EAWs=
- No. 901 EAW – Deployed to Middle East
- No. 902 EAW – Deployed to Middle East
- No. 903 EAW – RAF Akrotiri
- No. 905 EAW – RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands
- No. 906 EAW – Al Minhad Air Base, United Arab Emirates since 15 January 2013
=Disbanded EAWs=
- 122 EAW – RAF Cottesmore
- 125 EAW – RAF Leuchars
- 904 EAW – Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan – stood down December 2014{{cite web|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/904eaw/index.cfm|title=904 Expeditionary Air Wing|publisher=RAF|access-date=1 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214025/http://www.raf.mod.uk/83eag/904eaw/index.cfm|archive-date=4 October 2013|url-status=dead}}
- 907 EAW – RAF Akrotiri{{cite web |url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CoalitionOperationsInLibyaToContinue.htm |title=Coalition operations in Libya to continue |date=21 March 2010 |publisher=Ministry of Defence (MoD)}}
Force Protection wings
{{main|Combat Readiness Force}}
Formed from RAF Regiment field squadrons and RAF Police components, Force Protection (FP) Wings are responsible for defending aircraft and personnel whilst deployed on operations. the overarching Combat Readiness Force HQ is located at RAF Honington. Each Wing is parented by an RAF Station with whom it is usually deployed:{{Cite web|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/force-protection/|title=Force Protection|website=Royal Air Force|language=en-gb|access-date=28 May 2018}}
- No 2 Force Protection Wing – RAF Leeming
- No 3 Force Protection Wing – RAF Marham
- No 5 Force Protection Wing – RAF Lossiemouth
- No 7 Force Protection Wing – RAF Coningsby
- No. 20 Wing RAF Regiment – RAF Honington{{Cite web |title=Structure |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/global-enablement/force-elements/combat-readiness-force/structure/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Royal Air Force |language=en-gb}}
- RAF Force Protection Centre – RAF Honington
- RAF Regiment Training Wing – RAF Honington
= Disbanded FPWs =
RAF Force Protection Wings were, until April 2004, known as Tactical Survive To Operate Headquarters (Tac STO HQs).
- No 4 Force Protection Wing – RAF Brize Norton
- No 8 Force Protection Wing – RAF Waddington
Miscellaneous wings
- No 1 Air Mobility Wing – RAF Brize Norton – HQ Squadron, 44 Mobile Air Movements Squadron and 45 Mobile Air Movements Squadron. This is UK Mobile Air Movements Squadron (UKMAMS) expanded to wing strength.
- No. 42 (Expeditionary Support) Wing – RAF Wittering
- No. 85 (Expeditionary Logistics) Wing – RAF Wittering
- No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Wing – RAF Waddington{{Cite web |title=RAF stands up new ISTAR Air Wing |url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/raf-stands-up-new-istar-air-wing |access-date=2023-10-22 |website=Janes.com |language=en}}
- ISTAR Air Wing – RAF Waddington
- 2nd Tactical Air Force Communication Wing RAF - formed 31 March 1945; disbanded 15 July 1945 at RAF Buckeburg. Became British Air Forces of Occupation Communication Squadron.{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=279}}
Station-based wings
A typical Royal Air Force flying station (not training) will have the following integrated wing-based structure:
- Administrative Wing / Base (Station) Support Wing / Support Wing
- Depth Support Wing
- Forward Support Wing
- Operations Wing
On a smaller RAF Station, these functions may be termed squadrons but their role is identical.
Specialised station-based wings
Some stations has Wings which are customised to their particular role with the RAF:
Tactical wings
Wings termed 'Tactical' within the Royal Air Force provide are cohesive, specialised teams.
- Tactical Communications Wing – RAF Leeming
- Tactical Medical Wing – RAF Brize Norton – This unit has the Latin motto "Summum Bonum" which means 'for the highest good'. It became operational on 1 April 1996 and its CO is currently Wing Commander Alan Cranfield. Some of its sub-units are Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Deployable Aeromedical Response Teams (DARTS), Operational Training Squadron and Operations and Logistics Squadron.
- Tactical Provost Wing – RAF Honington
- Tactical Supply Wing – MOD Stafford
= Disbanded =
Tactical Imagery-Intelligence Wing – RAF Marham – Disbanded, merged to become No. 1 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing RAF based at RAF Waddington
See also
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
Royal Air Force
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft independent flights
- List of conversion units of the Royal Air Force
- List of Royal Air Force Glider units
- List of Royal Air Force Operational Training Units
- List of Royal Air Force schools
- List of Royal Air Force units & establishments
- List of RAF squadron codes
- List of RAF Regiment units
- List of Battle of Britain squadrons
- Royal Air Force roundels
Army Air Corps
{{Col-break}}
Fleet Air Arm
- List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft squadrons
- List of Fleet Air Arm groups
- List of aircraft units of the Royal Navy
- List of aircraft wings of the Royal Navy
Others
- List of Air Training Corps squadrons
- University Air Squadron
- Air Experience Flight
- Volunteer Gliding Squadron
- United Kingdom military aircraft registration number
- United Kingdom aircraft test serials
- British military aircraft designation systems
{{col-end}}
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- David L. Bullock, Allenby's War: The Palestine-Arabian Campaigns 1916–1918, London: Blandford Press, 1988, {{ISBN|0-7137-1869-2}}.
- Ken Delve, D-Day: The Air Battle, London: Arms & Armour Press, 1994, {{ISBN|1-85409-227-8}}.
- [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/UK-NWE-Flanders-I.html Appendix 1, 'British Forces Engaged', Major L.F. Ellis, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940, London: HM Stationery Office, 1954.]
- Major L.F. Ellis, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West, Vol I: The Battle of Normandy, London: HM Stationery Office, 1962/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, {{ISBN|1-845740-58-0}}.
- Major L.F. Ellis, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West, Vol II: The Defeat of Germany, London: HM Stationery Office, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, {{ISBN|1-845740-59-9}}.
- Jonathan Falconer, Bomber Command Handbook 1939–1945, Stroud: Sutton, 1998, {{ISBN|0-7509-1819-5}}.
- Gen Sir William Jackson, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol VI: Victory in the Mediterranean, Part III: November 1944 to May 1945, London: HMSO, 1988/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, {{ISBN|1-845740-72-6}}.
- R.V. Jones, Most Secret War: British Scientific Intelligence 1939–1945, London: Hamish Hamilton 1978/Coronet 1979, {{ISBN|0-340-24169-1}}.
- {{cite book |last1=Lake |first1=A |title= Flying units of the RAF |year=1999 |publisher= Airlife |location= Shrewsbury |isbn= 1-84037-086-6 }}
- Norman Macmillan, Offensive Patrol: The Story of the RNAS, RFC and RAF in Italy 1917–18, London: Jarrold, 1973.
- Brig C.J.C. Molony, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol V: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and the Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944, London: HMSO, 1973/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, {{ISBN|1-845740-69-6}}.
- Brig C.J.C. Molony (Revised by Gen Sir William Jackson), History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol VI: Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I: 1st April to 4th June 1944, London: HMSO, nd/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, {{ISBN|1-845740-70-X}}.
- Maj-Gen I.S.O. Playfair, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol III: (September 1941 to September 1942) British Fortunes reach their Lowest Ebb, London: HMSO, 1960 /Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, {{ISBN|1-845740-67-X}}.
- Maj-Gen I.S.O. Playfair & Brig C.J.C. Molony, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol IV: The Destruction of the Axis forces in Africa, London: HMSO, 1966/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, {{ISBN|1-845740-68-8}}.
- Keith Rennles, Independent Force; The War Diary of the Daylight Squadrons of the Independent Air Force June–November 1918, London: Grub Street, 2002, {{ISBN|1-902304-90-X}}, pp. 6–7.
- Maj-Gen S. Woodburn Kirby, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against Japan Vol II, India's Most Dangerous Hour, London: HM Stationery Office, 1958.
- Maj-Gen S. Woodburn Kirby, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against Japan Vol IV, The Reconquest of Burma, London: HM Stationery Office, 1955.
- Maj-Gen S. Woodburn Kirby, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against Japan Vol V, The Surrender of Japan, London: HM Stationery Office, 1969.
External links
- [https://www.raf.mod.uk Royal Air Force official website]
- [https://www.raf.mod.uk/rafregiment Royal Air Force Regiment official website]
- [https://rafweb.org/index.html Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation]
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{RAF Wings}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Royal Air Force Wings}}