Modern
British Royal Air Force
1979

Britain

List Air5

by Mark Bevis

1. Strike Command

No. 1 Bomber Group:

    9th, 35th, 44th, 50th, 101st, 617th Bomber Squadrons@ 12x Vulcan B2
    230th OCU Bomber Squadron: 8x Vulcan B2
    55th, 57th Tanker Squadrons@ 8x Victor K2 tankers
    232nd OCU Tanker Squadron: 8x Victor K2 tankers

27th Strategic Recce Squadron: 5x Vulcan SR2
39th Recce Squadron: 17x Canberra PR9
51st Electronc Warfare Squadron: 3x Nimord R1, 4x Canberra B6 ESM
360th Squadron: EW School: 17x Canberra T17 ECM
13th Squadron: EW School: 14x Canberra PR7 (in Malta up to 1978)
231st OCU Squadron: 7x Canberra B2, T4
100th Squadron: #x Canberra B2, E15, T19, T4 (high altitude target training)
7th Special Target Facilities Squadron: #x Canberra B2, B4, T4, TT18
115 Calibration Squadron: 6x Andover E3 (1978+)

Buccaneer Wing:

    12th Attack Squadron: 16x Buccaneer S2A (Martel)
    208th Attack Squadron: 16x Buccaneer S2B
    237th OCU Squadron: 15x Buccaneer
    216th Attack Squadron (1979+): 16?x ex-RN Buccaneer S2B

11th Air Defence Group:

    5th, 11th Fighter Squadrons@ 16x Lightning F3, F6, 2x Lightning T5
    23rd, 29th, 56th, 111th Fighter Squadrons@ 12x FGR2 Phantom
    228th OCU Squadron: 24x FGR2 Phantom
    43rd Fighter Squadron: 12x FG1 Phantom (ex-RN)
    27th Squadron, RAF Regiment: 12x Rapier, 24x Landrover
    85th Squadron, RAF Regiment: 4 Flights@ 4x Bloodhound 2 SAM
    3 Field Squadrons, RAF Regiment: airfield defence infantry
    8th AEW Squadron: 12x Shackleton AEW2

18th Maritime Group

    42nd, 120th, 201st, 206th MR Squadrons@ 7x Nimrod MR1
    236th OCU Squadron: 3x Nimrod MR1, + 11 spares
    22nd SAR Squadron: 9x Wessex HC2 & Whirlwind HAR10 in 5 flights
    202nd SAR Squadron: 9x Wessex HC2 & Whirlwind HAR10 in 4 flights (Whirlwind being replaced by Seaking HAR3 from 1979)
    203rd MR Squadron: 3x Nimrod R1 (up to 1978, based in Malta)

38th Tactical Support Group

    1st Attack Squadron: 18x Harrier GR3
    233rd OCU Squadron: 18x Harrier GR3, T4
    6th, 54th Attack Squadrons@ 18x Jaguar GR1, 4x Jaguar T2
    41st Recce Squadron: 18x Jaguar GR1 + recce pod
    72nd Helicopter Squadron: 20x Wessex HC2
    33rd, 220th Helicopter Squadrons@ 13x Puma HC1
    240th OCU Squadron: 10?x Puma HC1
    10th Tanker Squadron: 11x VC-10 tankers
    24th, 30th, 47th, 70th Transport Squadrons@ 9-11x Hercules C1
    242nd OCU Transport Squadron: 5x C-130 Hercules + 10 spares
    32nd, 207th Communication Squadrons@ #x Hunting Pembrokes, 2x HS-125-400, 1x HS-125-600, 6x DeH Devon, 2x Whirlwind
    Queen's Flight: 3x Andover CC2, 2x Wessex HCC4
    unknown allocation: 12x Andover C1 and CC2

1st Tactical Weapons Unit: 46x Hawk T1, 2x Jet Provost T4, 30x Hunter F6
2nd Tactical Weapons Unit: 63rd, 79th, 234th Squadrons@ 24x Hunter F6A

2. 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force, Gemany

    3rd, 4th Attack Squadrons@ 18x Harrier GR3<+#><-#>
    14th, 17th, 20th, 31st Attack Squadrons@ 18x Jaguar GR1, 4x Jaguar T2
    2nd Recce Squadron: 18x Jaguar GR1 with recce pod
    15th, 16th Attack Squadrons@ 12-16x Buccaneer S2
    19th, 92nd Fighter Squadrons@ 12x FGR2 Phantom
    60th Communication Squadron: 12x Pembroke C1
    18th Helicopter Squadron: 3 Flights@ 5x Wessex HC2 (for army liaison)
    63rd, 16th, 26th, 37th Squadrons, RAF Regiment: 12x Rapier, 24x Landrovers
    25th Squadron, RAF Regiment: 3 Flights@ 4?x Bloodhound 2 SAM
    1 Field Squadron, RAF Regiment: airfield defence infantry

4. RAF Support Command

Training Units total:
No.1 Flight Training School: 40x Jet Provost T3, T5
No.2 Flight Training School: 108x Bulldog trainers, 50x Chipmunk T10
No.3 Flight Training School: 40x Jet Provost T3, T5
No.4 Flight Training School: 20x Hunter F6, T7, 51x Hawk T1
No.6 Flight Training School: 18x Dominie T1 navigation trainers
Central Flying School: 60x Jet Provost T3, T5

    Multi-engine Training Squadron: 9x Jetstream T1
    Helicopter Training: 10x Gazelle HT3, 5x Wessex HU5, 14x Whirlwind

5. Notes

    a) Vulcan B2 is armed with 21x 1000lb HE bombs or 1x nuclear bomb or 12x CBU.
    b) Buccaneer S2A is armed with 4x Martel ARM or 14x 1000lb HE bombs or 14x CBU or 2x 68mm rocket pods and 4x CBU or one nuclear bomb.<:f><:f,BArial,>
    c) Lightning F6 has 2x Red Top or Firestreak missiles.
    d) FGR2 Phantom has up to 4x AIM-9B/D/G and 4x AIM-7E Sparrow and one 20mm Vulcan cannon pod in fighter role.
    e) FGR2 Phantom has 12x 1000lb HE bombs; or 6x CBU, 4x 68mm RP pods and Vulcan pod; or 7x 68mm RP pods; or 2x AIM-9, 4x 1000lb HE, 2x 68mm RP; or 2x AIM-9 & 6x 68mm RP pods or 6x CBU; or other possible combinations.
    f) Harrier GR3 has up to 4x 1000lb HE bombs or 6x CBU or 6x 68mm RP pods or 4x AS-12 missiles.
    g) Jaguar GR1 has up to 8x 1000lb HE bombs or 10x CBU or 4x 68mm RP pods or 2x Martel ASM.
    h) Hawk T1 has 30mm Aden cannon pod, 6x 1000lbe HE bombs or 6x CBU or 4x 68mm RP pods if used in emergency attack role.
    i) Hunter F6 has 4x 30mm cannon and 2x 1000lb HE bombs in weapons training role.
    j) RAF helicopters are usually unarmed, although may gain GPMG in doorways in wartime.
    k) Napalm canisters may still be available, replacing CBU.


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© Copyright 2002-2003 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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