Portal:Royal Air Force
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Main Page The Royal Air Force (RAF) is responsible for conducting Britain's air operations. It was established on the April 1, 1918. Before then, the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service were responsible for air defence. The RAF has around 1000 planes and employs 48,700 people. It played a key role in World War 2 and has been deployed in many operations, including the Gulf War and the Suez Crisis.
Pink's War was an air to ground bombardment and strafing carried out by the Royal Air Force, under the command of Wing Commander Pink, against the mountain strongholds of Mahsud tribesmen in South Waziristan in March and April 1925. Following attacks by tribemen on British Army positions in southern Waziristan, it was decided that the Royal Air Force would conduct air operations against the tribesmen independently of the army. Bristol Fighters and de Havilland DH9s from Nos. 5, 27 and 60 squadrons were deployed to the airstrips at Miranshah and Tank. Operations commenced on 9 March 1925 and the RAF squadrons strafed tribal mountain strongholds in a successful attempt to crush the rebellion. On 1 May 1925, the tribal leaders sought an honourable peace bringing the short campaign to a close. Pink's War was the first air action of the RAF carried out independently of the Army or Navy.
The RAF consists of many divisions:
The Westland Sea King is a British license-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters now AgustaWestland. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with British Rolls-Royce (Bristol-Siddeley) Gnome engines, British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a fully computerised control system. The Westland Sea King was also developed for a wider range of missions than the Sikorsky Sea King. |
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