|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RAF Home Commands formed between 1958 - 2002
[Air | Air Support | Logistics | Personal & Training | RAF Support | Signals | Strike | Support]
[Badges]
Formed
3 Nov 1958 by raising No 90 (Signals) Group to Command status.
Reduced to Group status within Strike Command, 1 Jan 1969.
Motto: Aetherem Vincere
| Date | Air Officers Commanding | Senior Air Staff Officer | Senior Technical Staff Officer | Chief RAF Telecommuncations | Senior Officer i/c Administration |
|
3 Nov 1958 |
A/Cdre A G Powell | Gp Capt J A Robinson | A/Cdre A T Monks | Gp Capt D Lumgair | |
| xx xxx 1959 | Vacant | ||||
| 25 Jan 1960 | Gp Capt W B S Simpson | ||||
| 1 Aug 1960 | A/Cdre B H Boon | ||||
| 22 Dec 1960 | A/Cdre G C Godfrey | ||||
|
1 Mar 1961 |
AVM A Foord-Kelcey ("Locum Tenens") |
||||
|
9 Jun 1961 |
|||||
| 9 Oct 1961 | Gp Capt R A Webster | ||||
| 3 Sep 1962 | Gp Capt J L Whitford | ||||
| 29 Oct 1962 | A/Cdre A D Jackson | ||||
|
1 Feb 1964 |
|||||
| 11 May 1964 | Gp Capt H Durkin | ||||
| 30 Nov 1964 | Gp Capt F E Frayn | ||||
| 30 May 1964 | A/Cdre L H Greenman | ||||
| 10 Sep 1965 | A/Cdre J Goodman | ||||
| 16 Nov 1965 | Gp Capt K Hellawell | ||||
| 13 Dec 1965 | A/Cdre A Foden | ||||
|
7 May 1966 |
|||||
| 10 May 1966 | Gp Capt M J Underhill | ||||
| 28 Dec 1966 | Gp Capt H A F Summers | ||||
| xx xxx 1968 | Gp Capt D W Densham |
Formed 1 Aug 1967 by renaming Transport Command. Absorbed into Strike Command as No 38 (Tactical Support) Group and No 46 (Strategic Support) Group, 1 Sep 1972
Motto: Ferio Ferendo (I strike by carrying)
| Date | Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief | Senior Air Staff Officer | Air Officer i/c Administration |
|
1 Aug 1967 |
AM Sir Thomas Prickett |
AVM D C McKinley | AVM R C Ayling |
| 26 Feb 1968 | AVM A D Frank | ||
|
1 Jul 1968 |
AM Sir Lewis Hodges | ||
| 14 Mar 1969 | AVM A W Heward | ||
| 2 Feb 1970 | AVM R G Knott | ||
| 1 Sep 1970 | AVM N Cameron | ||
|
1 Oct 1970 |
AM Sir Harry Burton | ||
| 31 Jan 1972 | AVM C M Clementi |
Formed by the amalgamation of Bomber Command and Fighter Command, 30 Apr 1968. Coastal Command was absorbed as No 18 (Maritime) Group, 28 Nov 1969. Air Support Command was absorbed as No 38 (Tactical Support) and No 46 (Strategic Support) Group, 1 Sep 1972. RAF Germany was absorbed as No 2 (Bomber) Group , 1 Apr 1993. Disbanded 1 Apr 2007 by being merged with Personnel and Training Command into Air Command.
Motto: Defend and Strike
| Date | Commander-in-Chief | Deputy C-in-C/Chief of Staff | Senior Air Staff Officer *Chief of Staff (Operations) |
Air Officer i/c Administration |
|
30 Apr 1968 |
|
|||
|
26 Aug 1968 |
|
|
|
|
| 1 Jan 1969 | AM Sir Denis Smallwood | |||
| 1 Mar 1969 | AVM D E Hawkins | |||
| 15 Mar 1969 | AM Sir Gareth Clayton | |||
| 1 Dec 1969 | AVM P D G Farr | |||
| 27 Feb 1970 | AM Sir Anthony Heward | |||
|
5 Jan 1971 |
|
|
|
|
| 14 Jul 1971 | AVM A McK S Steedman | |||
| 8 Jan 1972 | AM Sir Nigel Maynard | |||
| 14 Sep 1972 | AVM C M Clementi | |||
| 29 Sep 1972 | AVM P J Lagesen | |||
| 10 Mar 1973 | AM Sir Peter Horsley | |||
| 31 Oct 1973 | AVM J M Nicholls | |||
|
1 Feb 1974 |
|
|
|
|
| 9 Mar 1974 | AVM C G Maughan | |||
| 7 Jun 1975 | AM Sir Michael Beetham | |||
| 13 Sep 1975 | AVM M C S Shepherd | |||
| 20 Sep 1975 | AVM C G Maughan | |||
| 17 Jan 1976 | AM Sir John Stacey | |||
|
21 May 1976 |
|
|
|
|
|
26 Mar 1977 |
|
|
|
|
| 2 Jul 1977 | AM Alan Davies | |||
| 17 Sep 1977 | AVM J E. Smith | |||
| 8 Dec 1977 | AM Sir Alfred Ball | |||
| 28 Dec 1977 | AVM M W P Knight | |||
| 6 Dec 1978 | AM Sir Robert Freer | |||
| 15 Dec 1979 | AM Sir Thomas Kennedy | |||
| 1 Mar 1980 | AVM J B Fitzpatrick | |||
|
15 Sep 1980 |
|
|
|
|
| 10 Jan 1981 | AVM M H Miller | |||
| 1 Feb 1981 | AM Sir Peter Bairsto | |||
| 4 Aug 1981 | AVM R G Price | |||
| 27 Mar 1982 | AVM L A Jones | |||
|
20 Sep 1982 |
ACM Sir David Craig |
|
|
|
| 8 Oct 1983 | AVM K F Sanderson | |||
| 20 Mar 1984 | AM Sir Joseph Gilbert | |||
| 10 May 1984 | AVM M G Simmons | |||
| 8 May 1985 | AVM J R Walker | |||
|
29 Aug 1985 |
|
|
|
|
| 15 Aug 1986 | AM Sir Brendan Jackson | |||
| 23 Mar 1987 | AVM R A F Wilson | |||
| 28 Aug 1987 | AVM A A G Woodford | |||
| 17 Jun 1988 | AM Sir Kenneth Hayr | |||
|
9 Sep 1988 |
ACM Sir Patrick Hine |
|
|
|
| 13 Jan 1989 | AVM Sir Richard Johns | |||
| 29 Jan 1989 | AVM B L Robinson | |||
|
5 Apr 1989 |
|
|
|
|
| 10 Nov 1989 | AM Sir John Kemball | |||
| 22 Mar 1991 | AVM P T Squire | |||
| 28 Mar 1991 | AVM G M Ferguson | |||
|
4 Nov 1992 |
|
|
|
|
| 11 Jan 1993 | AVM J A G May | |||
| 24 Feb 1993 | AM Sir Richard Johns | |||
| 15 Jun 1994 | AM Sir John Allison | |||
|
30 Jun 1994 |
ACM Sir Richard Johns |
|
|
|
| 10 Jan 1994 | AVM T B Sherrington | |||
| xx xxx 1994 | AVM D Cousins | |||
|
14 Jul 1994 |
ACM Sir William Wratten |
|
|
|
| 12 Apr 1995 | AVM D A Hurrell | |||
| 18 Mar 1996 | AM Graeme Robertson | |||
| 16 Jun 1997 | AVM I M Stewart | |||
|
25 Jul 1997 |
ACM Sir John Alison |
|
|
|
| 30 Jan 1998 | AVM P O Sturley | |||
| 27 Jul 1998 | AVM A J Burton | |||
| 16 Sep 1998 | AM Sir Timothy Jenner | |||
|
29 Mar 1999 |
|
|
|
|
|
6 Apr 2000 |
ACM Sir Anthony Bagnall |
|
|
|
| 8 May 2000 | AVM N J Sudborough* | |||
| 6 Nov 2000 | AM Sir Jock Stirrup | |||
|
5 Apr 2001 |
|
|
|
|
| xx xxx 2001 | Post abolished? | |||
| 4 Feb 2002 | AM Sir Brian Burridge | |||
| 7 Aug 2002 | AVM A D White* | |||
|
31 Jul 2003 |
ACM Sir Brian Burridge |
AM Glenn Torpy |
|
|
| 4 Jun 2004 | AM Sir Clive Loader | |||
| 16 Sep 2005 | AVM C N Harper* | |||
|
13 Jan 2006 |
ACM Sir Joe French |
|
|
|
| 16 Feb 2007 | AM Iain McNicoll |
Support Command was formed by renaming Maintenance Command, 31 Aug 1973. Renamed RAF Support Command when Training Command was absorbed , 13 Jun 1977.
| Date | Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief | Senior Air Staff Officer | Air Officer i/c Administration |
|
31 Aug 1973 |
AM Sir Reginald Harland | ||
|
1 Sep 1973 |
AVM H G Cadwallader | ||
| 16 Feb 1974 | AVM J N Stacey | ||
| 3 Aug 1974 | AVM J I R Bowring | ||
| 4 Dec 1975 | AVM P Turner |
Formed 13 Jun 1977 by renaming
Support
Command following its absorption of Training Command. Split
into Personnel & Training Command and
Logistics Command, 1 Apr 1994
Motto: Ut Aquilae Volent (Where eagles dare)
| Date | Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief | Air Officer Training/AOC Training Units | Air Officer i/c Administration/AOC Directly Administered Units | Air Officer Maintenance/AOC Maintenance Units |
|
13 Jun 1977 |
AM Sir Rex Roe |
AVM P E Bairsto | AVM P Turner | AVM E C Dunn |
|
30 Aug 1978 |
||||
| 29 Dec 1979 | AVM D F Bates | |||
| 10 Nov 1979 | AVM J R Rogers | |||
|
3 May 1980 |
||||
| 7 Feb 1981 | AVM D W Richardson | |||
|
27 Apr 1981 |
||||
| 4 Jul 1981 | AVM F D G Clark | |||
| 9 Oct 1982 | AVM R L Lees | |||
| 29 Jan 1983 | AVM M K Adams | |||
| 19 Mar 1983 | AVM T P White | |||
| 7 Jan 1984 | AVM R I Stuart-Paul | |||
|
15 Feb 1984 |
AM Sir David Harcourt-Smith |
|||
| 11 Nov 1985 | AVM J D Spottiswood | |||
|
2 Jan 1986 |
AM Sir John Sutton |
|||
| 10 Feb 1986 | AVM D Whittaker | |||
| 9 Mar 1987 | AVM K A Campbell | |||
| 3 Mar 1989 | AVM M J Pilkington | |||
|
5 Apr 1989 |
AM/ACM Sir Michael Graydon |
|||
| 6 Jan 1989 | AVM M J C W Dicken | |||
| 18 Dec 1989 | AVM D G Campbell | |||
|
xx May 1991 |
ACM Sir John Thomson |
|||
| 28 Jun 1991 | AVM D R French | |||
| 13 Jan 1992 | AVM T B Sherrington | |||
| 30 Jul 1992 | AVM C C C Coville | |||
|
5 Oct 1992 |
AM Sir John Willis |
Formed 1 Apr 1994
by splitting the role of RAF Support Command. The AOC-in-C was a dual role filled by the Air Member for Logistics. The
AML was also the RAF's Chief Engineer
The badge had a steel gauntlet representing the military strength of the Command., supporting an eagle and an astral crown representing the RAF front line and Britain's defence interests.
Motto: Sustentamus et Bellent (We sustain that they may fight)
| Date | Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief | Chief of Staff/AOC Directly Administered Units | AOC Information Systems/ AOC Signals Units | Air Officer Maintenance/AOC Maintenance Units |
|
1 Apr 1994 |
ACM Sir Michael Alcock | AM Sir John Willis | AVM J B Main | AVM R H Kyle |
| 27 Feb 1995 | AVM C G Terry | |||
| 12 Jan 1996 | AVM B C McCandless | |||
|
8 Mar 1996 |
ACM Sir John Allison |
|||
|
11 Jul 1997 |
AM Sir Colin Terry |
|||
|
30 Apr 1999 |
AM M D Pledger | |||
|
3 Sep 1999 |
AVM G Skinner |
Formed 1 Apr 1994 by splitting the role of RAF Support Command. The AOC-in-C is now a dual role filled by the Air Member for Personnel. On 1 Sep 2006 HQ PTC moved from RAF Innsworth to its new home alongside HQ Strike Command at High Wycombe. Disbanded 1 Apr 2007 by being merged with Strike Command into Air Command.
Motto: Ut Aquilae Surgant
| Date | Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief Air Member for Personnel/C-in-C |
Chief of Staff Deputy C-in-C |
Air Officer Training/AOC Training Units | Air Officer Administration/AOC Directly Administered Units |
|
1 Apr 1994 |
ACM Sir Andrew Wilson | AVM P G Beer | AVM C C C Coville | A/Cdre K H Minton |
| 31 Oct 1994 | AVM J A G May | |||
| 5 Dec 1994 | A/Cdre C Davison | |||
|
1 May 1995 |
AM/ACM Sir David Cousins |
|||
| 21 Aug 1995 | AVM M D Smart | |||
| 8 Jan 1997 | AVM A J Stables | |||
| 2 Feb 1998 | AVM R A Wright | |||
|
7 Aug 1998 |
AM Sir Anthony Bagnall | |||
| 2 Nov 1998 | A/Cdre J A McLoughlin | |||
| 17 Nov 1999 | AVM I S Corbitt | |||
| 4 Jan 2000 | AVM C Davison | |||
| 14 Feb 2000 | AVM A G B Vallance | |||
|
23 Mar 2000 |
AM Sir John Day | |||
| 20 Mar 2001 | AM Sir Christopher Coville | |||
| 1 May 2001 | AVM A J Burton | |||
| 12 Dec 2001 | AVM G Jones | |||
| 4 Apr 2002 | AVM G A Miller | |||
| 17 Jan 2003 | AVM J A Collier | |||
| 6 Feb 2003 | AVM R C Moore | |||
|
25 Apr 2003 |
AM Sir Joe French |
|||
| 28 Aug 2003 | AVM D A Walker | |||
| 4 Jan 2005 | AVM J M M Ponsonby | |||
| 17 Mar 2005 | AVM P J Dye | |||
| 29 Mar 2005 | A/Cdre S P J Lilley | |||
|
6 Jan 2006 |
AM B M Thornton |
Air Command/Air and Space Command
Formed 1 April 2007 by the merger of Strike Command with Personnel and Training Command with its HQ at High Wycombe. The post of C-in-C was abolished in Spring 2012, and from this date the Deputy Commanders reported directly to the Chief of the Air Staff. On 31 December 2025, it was renamed Air and Space Command
| Date | C-in-C | Deputy C-in-C (Operations) |
Deputy C-in-C (Personnel)/Air Member for Personnel |
|
|
1 Apr 2007 |
ACM Sir Clive Loader |
AM I W McNicoll |
AM S G G Dalton |
|
|
3 Apr 2009 |
|
|
||
| 1 Apr 2009 | AM Sir Simon Bryant | |||
| 14 Apr 2010 | AM R Garwood | |||
|
18 Jun 2010 |
ACM Sir Simon Bryant |
|
|
|
| xx Jul 2010 | AVM M G Lloyd (acting) | |||
| 1 Sep 2010 | AM A Pulford | |||
|
Deputy Commander Operations/Air Member for Operations |
Deputy Commander Capability/Air Member for Personnel and Capability |
Air and Space Commander |
||
| xx Jul 2013 | ? | |||
| 3 May 2019 | AM Sir Gerry Mayhew | |||
| 23 May 2019 | AM A M Turner | |||
| xx May 2022 | AM Sir Rich Knighton | |||
| 26 Aug 2022 | AM Sir Harvey Smyth | |||
| xx May 2023 | AM R C Maddison | |||
| xx Dec 2025 | AM M R Flewin |
[Air | Air Support | Logistics | Personal & Training | RAF Support | Signals | Strike | Support]
This entry was last updated on 12/09/26©
1939 - 1957
Joint Service Commands
