RAF Strike Command

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Strike Command
Image:Stc-600.jpg
Strike Command Badge
Active 30 April 196801 April 2007
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Headquarters RAF High Wycombe
Motto Defend and Strike
Commanders
AOC-in-C Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French

The Royal Air Force's Strike Command is the military organization which controls the majority of the United Kingdom's combat aircraft. Strike Command is the larger of only two commands in the RAF, the other being Personnel and Training Command. It was announced on 15 March 2007 by the Defence Secretary that Strike Command and Personnel and Training Command are to merge on 01 April 2007 to form a single Air Command.

Contents

[edit] History

Strike Command was formed on 30 April 1968 by the merger of Bomber Command and Fighter Command. Coastal Command was absorbed on 28 November the same year and Signals Command on 1 January 1969. Air Support Command (formerly Transport Command) was absorbed 1 September 1972. RAF Germany was absorbed as No 2 (Bomber) Group on 1 April 1993.

[edit] Structure

Headquarters Strike Command (often abbreviated to HQSTC) is located at RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. The Command is divided into a number of Groups, which at first reflected the function of the old Fighter, Bomber and Coastal Command. Subsequent reorganisations have changed things greatly. Currently, the two Groups which make up Strike Command are:

[edit] Other information

Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French took over command from Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burridge on 13 January 2006 as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Strike Command.

The RAF's Process and Organisation Review has concluded that Strike Command and Personnel and Training Command will be co-located at a single command headquarters by 1 April 2008. It was subsequently decided that both commands will be located at High Wycombe. On the 1 April 2006, the existing 3 Group structure of Strike Command was condensed to 2 Groups.

[edit] Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief

[edit] Deputy Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief

[edit] External links