This is a list of equipment currently used by the Royal Air Force Regiment. The RAF Regiment is the ground fighting force of the Royal Air Force and contributes to the defence of RAF airfields in the UK and overseas, and provides Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) to the British Army and Royal Marines, and a contingent to the Special Forces Support Group from No. II (Parachute) Squadron. [1]
The equipment of the RAF Regiment has a high degree of commonality with the rest of the British Armed Forces, particularly the British Army. [2]
No. 63 Squadron (King's Colour Squadron) and No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment also operate the ORCUS Counter-Unmanned Aerial System. It relies on an electronic-attack countermeasure to intercept and jam radio signals from hostile drones, rather than a kinetic interceptor. [3] [4]
The system consists of the Leonardo Guardian, which provides the long range jamming effect, the US Air Force-developed NINJA technology, which takes control of a hostile drones protocols at short range and maneouvres it to a safe location, and SKYPERION which is a passive RF detection sensor which is used to detect, track and identify multiple drones at the same time. [5] [6]
The Royal Air Force Regiment Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) support the British Armed Forces. A JTAC’s job is to coordinate close air support (CAS), an attack by fighter jets, helicopter gunships, and armed drones in close proximity to friendly soldiers. JTACs are selected through aptitude screening before undertaking the 8-week JTAC-Certification Course at the Joint Forward Air Controller Training and Standardisation Unit (JFACTSU) based at RAF Leeming. [7]
To do this, they utilise the Collins FireStorm, which is a lightweight and modular integrated targeting system that is designed to enable JTACs to accurately locate the enemy and generate coordinates to enable a precision strike. [8] The system is interoperable with the F-35 Lightning II, the multi-role stealth fighter in service with the Royal Air Force. [9] It provides digital connectivity with virtually all coalition aircraft, field artillery systems, and command-and-control centres. A laser range finder, tactical PC, handheld azimuth augmentation unit and the StrikeHawk video downlink receiver is included in the system. [10]
Name | Origin | Type | Calibre | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
L85A3 | United Kingdom Germany | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm | The SA80 is the standard-issue assault rifle with an effective range of 600 m and a 30-round magazine. Primarily fitted with the Elcan SpecterOS 4X Lightweight Day Sights. The ARILLS (Assault Rifle In-Line Low Light Sight) and Laser Light Module (LLM Mk3) can also be attached in low-light conditions. [11] [12] [13] | |
L131A1 | Austria | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19 mm | The Glock 17 General Service Pistol (GSP) is the current secondary side arm used for close combat with a magazine capacity of 17 rounds. It is carried as a backup weapon by frontline personnel. [14] [15] | |
L129A1, L129A2 | United States | Sharpshooter rifle | 7.62×51mm | The primary designated marksman rifle, 'Sharpshooter' is equipped with an ACOG optical sight for long-range engagements. There is also a Sniper Support Weapon version fitted with a L17A2 Schmidt & Bender 3–12 x 50 Sniper Scope and Surefire Suppressor for use by the second man in each sniper team. [16] [17] | |
L7A2 | United Kingdom Germany | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm | The designated general purpose machine gun (GPMG) for sustained fire out to 1,800m. The GPMG can be used in the sustained fire (SF) role, which requires a two-person team to operate, the light support role, with a single soldier wearing a carrying shoulder strap, or mounted (on a vehicle or sangar). [18] [19] | |
L115A3 | United Kingdom | Long range rifle | 8.6x70 mm (.338 Lapua Magnum) | The Accuracy International L115A3 is the primary precision rifle for RAF Regiment snipers. It is equipped with a 25x scope, suppressor, folding stock, five-round .338 Lapua Magnum magazine and has an effective range of over 1,100m. [20] [21] The L115A3 was developed as part of the Sniper System Improvement Programme to replace the L96 and L115A1 sniper rifles. [22] | |
Heckler & Koch AG36 (L123A3) | Germany | Underslung grenade launcher | 40×46 mm | The Underslung Grenade Launcher (UGL) is a modified variant of the H&K AG36 and fires a range of 40 mm rounds including high explosive, smoke, CS gas and red phosphorus out to distances of 350m. It is usually carried by the section 2IC. [23] [24] [25] | |
NLAW | United Kingdom Sweden | Anti-tank guided missile | 150 mm | Man-portable, short range fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile system designed for non-expert use. It is designed to "rapidly knock out any main battle tank in just one shot by striking it from above". [26] [27] | |
Javelin | United States | Anti-tank guided missile | 127 mm | Man-portable medium range anti-tank missile system. It fires a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead and can penetrate explosive reactive armour. The Javelin has several modes of flight including direct and an overfly-top-attack mode in which the missile arcs high then flies down onto the top of the target, thus getting around the heavy front armour of modern tanks. [28] [29] | |
L16A2 | United Kingdom | Mortar | 81 mm | The 81mm Mortar provides indirect fire support that enables RAF Regiment Gunners to engage targets outside of their line-of-sight, up to a range of 5.5 km (3.4 mi) at a rate of 15 rounds-per-minute. The modernised L16A2 features GPS and laser-range finding systems, dramatically increasing the weapon's accuracy. It fires high explosive, red phosphorus smoke, illuminating, and infared illuminating. [26] [30] | |
L1A2, L111A1 | United States | Heavy machine gun | 12.7×99mm | The L1A2 / L111A1 is the RAF Regiment's version of the M2 Browning. It can be attached to both armoured and soft-skin vehicles, or a ground-mount tripod. The weapon fires .50 calibre rounds at a rate of 485–635 rounds-per-minute out to an effective range of 2,000 metres. [31] [32] | |
Heckler & Koch GMG (L134A1) | Germany | Grenade machine gun | 40×53 mm | The L134A1 is used for the suppression of enemy infantry and can be mounted on both armoured vehicles and tripods. It combines the advantages of a heavy machine gun and a mortar in one; delivering a high rate of fire with fragmentation effect. The weapon has a 320 rpm rate of fire and an effective range of 1,500 m (4,900 ft)-2,000 m (6,600 ft). [33] [34] |
Name | Origin | Type | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jackal 2 | United Kingdom | Protected mobility vehicle | Armament includes a 7.62mm GPMG and either a .50-calibre HMG or 40mm GMG as the main weapon system. [35] [36] [37] | |
Foxhound | United Kingdom | Protected mobility vehicle | Foxhound is lighter and smaller than other protected vehicles, carries a crew of six and a 7.62mm GPMG armament, and has a top speed of 82 mph, but can still protect against improvised explosive devices, thanks to its v-shaped hull. [37] [36] [38] | |
Land Rover Wolf | United Kingdom | Utility vehicle | The Land Rover Wolf is the military version of the Land Rover Defender. In RAF Regiment service it comes in 2 main varieties: the more common Truck Utility Medium (TUM), based on the Defender 110; and the Truck Utility Light (TUL), based on the shorter-wheelbase Defender 90. [39] [40] | |
Grizzly 450 | Japan | All-terrain vehicle | Quad bikes are used as light transport, including evacuation of casualties or movement of supplies. [41] [42] [43] |
The Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP) Personal Clothing System (PCS) is used by all branches of the British Armed Forces and consists of windproof smocks, combat shirts, under-body-armour combat shirts (UBACS), trousers and a variety of sweat-wicking T-shirts, antimicrobial socks and underpants, and thermal fleeces, T-shirts and long johns, as well as waterproof Gore-Tex jackets, over-trousers and gaiters. Multi-Terrain Pattern is designed to blend with a large variety of environments including woodland, jungle, compounds, crops, grassland and arid stone. On the MTP outer layers, buttons have been replaced with Velcro for greater comfort under body armour. PCS is treated with insect repellant and is flame-resistant. [44] [45]
RAF Regiment soldiers are issued 5 types of brown-coloured combat boots; High Liability Combat Boots, Patrol Boots, High Liability Desert Combat Boots, Cold Wet Weather Boots and Jungle Combat Boots, typically of the Altberg (via Iturri S.A.), AKU, HAIX and YDS brands which currently hold contracts with Ministry of Defence. [46] [47]
Gunners from No. 15 Squadron RAF Regiment have been experimenting with a new type of drone, called the Ghost Drone, which will be used for intelligence gathering and reconnaissance. It can fly for up to 55 minutes, has a range of around 12km, or 25 km with Long-Range Tracking Antenna, and can operate in all weather conditions, in temperatures as low as −40°Celsius, at an altitude of 12,000ft. [48] [49]
Other lists:
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by merging the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Following the Allied victory over the Central Powers in 1918, the RAF emerged as the largest air force in the world at the time. Since its formation, the RAF has played a significant role in British military history. In particular, during the Second World War, the RAF established air superiority over Hermann Göring's Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, and led the Allied strategic bombing effort.
The British Armed Forces are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, support international peacekeeping efforts and provide humanitarian aid.
The Army Air Corps (AAC) is the aviation arm of the British Army, first formed in 1942 during the Second World War by grouping the various airborne units of the British Army. Today, there are eight regiments of the AAC, as well as two independent flights and two independent squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations around the world. Regiments and flights are located in the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Canada. Some AAC squadrons provide the air assault elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade, through Joint Helicopter Command.
The Royal Air Force 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, 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, 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 commitment to the Special Forces Support Group as Tactical air controllers and some CBRN specialists.
An artillery observer, artillery spotter, or forward observer (FO) is a soldier responsible for directing artillery and mortar fire support onto a target. An artillery observer usually accompanies a tank or infantry unit. Spotters ensure that indirect fire hits targets which those at a fire support base cannot see.
Forward air control is the provision of guidance to close air support (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller (FAC).
The Tactical Air Control Party, commonly abbreviated TACP, is a small team of military personnel who provide coordination between aircraft and ground forces when providing close air support.
Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) is the term used in the United States Armed Forces and some other military forces for a qualified service member who directs the action of military aircraft engaged in close air support and other offensive air operations from a forward position. The term that is used in most other countries, as well as previously in the U.S. and in the relevant NATO standard, is Forward Air Controller. The term became effective in the U.S. on September 3, 2003 with the publishing of Joint Publication (JP) 3-09.3 Close Air Support.
No. 4 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron composed of the air force special forces Combat Controllers, aircrew who operate the Pilatus PC-21 aircraft and instructors for the Australian Defence Force Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) course.
The Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) is a special forces unit of the British Armed Forces. The SFSG was formed officially on 3 April 2006 to provide support to the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Service and the Special Reconnaissance Regiment on operations. It is a tri-service unit, composed of the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment,, a company of Royal Marine Commandos, and a flight (platoon) from the Royal Air Force Regiment.
The planning for the future of the Royal Air Force involves supporting ongoing British military operations, the introduction of new aircraft types including unmanned aerial vehicles, greater focus on network enabled capability and increasing interoperability with members of NATO, team tempest, and mixed crewed fighters. From the updated plans of the RAF (2021) state that the new initiative will focus on becoming carbon net-zero, with strategies such as using sustainable aviation fuels in aircraft. The RAF also are looking into investing in the maintenance of the aircraft to ensure success of future operations.
No. 34 Squadron RAF Regiment is a C-UAS Sqn of the RAF Regiment in the Royal Air Force. Its mission is to detect, track, and ultimately disrupt and destroy unmanned airborne vehicles. The squadron's current HQ is at RAF Leeming. The motto of the squadron is "Feu de Fer "(Fire from Iron).
Royal Air Force Manorbier, or more simply RAF Manorbier, was a Royal Air Force airfield near Manorbier, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The site was first used in 1933 as a mixed civilian/military airfield and was the base for 'Y' Flight of No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF in 1937, using de Havilland DH.82 Queen Bee unmanned radio-controlled target drone. The airfield was passed on to the War Office in September 1946.
The page contains the current structure of the British Army. The British Army is currently being reorganised to the Future Soldier structure.
Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) is a NATO-allied forward-deployed defense and deterrence military force in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. This posture in Northern Europe through Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and in Central Europe through Poland, Slovakia and Hungary and in Eastern Europe through Romania and Bulgaria, is in place to protect and reassure the security of NATO's Northern, Central and Eastern European member states on NATO's eastern flank.
The following is a hierarchical outline for the British Armed Forces at the end of the Cold War. It is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations.
This is a list of active military units, bases and barracks of the British Armed Forces in Scotland since the Treaty of Union 1707, when the Kingdom of Scotland relinquished its independence and formed a union with the Kingdom of England to the create the Kingdom of Great Britain. As a result, Scottish armed forces were merged, together with the English armed forces, into the British Army. The armed forces in Scotland include the military bases and organisation in Scotland or associated with Scotland. This includes servicemen and women from Scotland and Scottish regiments and brigades. The Military in Scotland includes the three services. The Army which has bases across Scotland, the RAF and the Navy.
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