RAF Infos

Training & Personnel

Hands on the Machine: The RAF Technicians Who Make Every Mission Possible

Behind every RAF aircraft that lifts off lies an intricate web of skilled professionals whose contributions rarely feature in headlines or airshow commentaries. Aircraft technicians, avionics engineers, weapons loaders, and support specialists form the operational backbone of Britain's air power, ensuring that complex military systems are flight-ready around the clock. This feature goes beyond the cockpit to examine the expertise, training, and daily realities of the people who truly keep the RA

Jul 15, 2026

Technology & Procurement

Airframes Without Expiry: The RAF Veterans That Simply Refuse to Stand Down

Certain RAF aircraft have long outlived the bureaucratic timelines drawn up for their retirement, continuing to serve in roles that newer platforms have yet to fill convincingly. From the rumbling turboprops of the Hercules family to the thumping rotors of the Chinook, these airframes represent a fascinating intersection of engineering resilience, operational necessity, and Treasury pragmatism. This feature examines what keeps the RAF's most venerable machines in the sky—and what that says about

Jul 15, 2026

Technology & Procurement

Lessons in the Sky: How Three Decades of RAF Fleet Transitions Have Shaped Britain's Air Power Future

From the controversial retirement of the Harrier to the protracted introduction of the Typhoon, the RAF's platform transitions over the past thirty years offer a masterclass in strategic planning — and its occasional absence. Understanding these shifts is essential context for evaluating Britain's most ambitious procurement undertaking yet: the Future Combat Air System.

Jul 15, 2026

Training & Personnel

Eyes Without Borders: The RAF's Intelligence and Surveillance Aircraft Quietly Redefining Modern Conflict

Operating far from the headlines and beyond the reach of most cameras, the RAF's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance crews represent some of the most operationally consequential personnel in the British armed forces. Through platforms such as the RC-135W Rivet Joint and the Shadow R1, these quiet professionals are shaping the outcomes of conflicts across multiple theatres — and their work has never been more vital.

Jul 15, 2026

Technology & Procurement

Tempest Rising: Britain's Sixth-Generation Fighter and the Battle for European Air Superiority

The Global Combat Air Programme — the multinational effort to deliver the RAF's next generation combat aircraft, known as Tempest — represents the most ambitious British defence technology undertaking in a generation. With Italy and Japan now confirmed as principal partners, and Sweden contributing key technological expertise, the programme positions the United Kingdom at the forefront of sixth-generation aviation development. As near-peer adversaries accelerate their own advanced aircraft progr

Jul 15, 2026

Training & Personnel

Beyond the Airshow: How the Red Arrows Forge Combat-Ready Aviators

The Red Arrows are celebrated as Britain's most iconic aerial display team, but their contribution to the Royal Air Force extends far beyond the smoke trails and precision loops that delight millions of spectators each year. A closer examination of the team's selection process and training regime reveals a rigorous system that cultivates some of the most tactically aware and operationally prepared pilots in the RAF. Former Red Arrows pilots who have returned to frontline squadrons consistently a

Jul 15, 2026