RAF Strike Command
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Template:RAF 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.
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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.
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 three Groups which make up the command are
- No. 1 Group RAF - the "Air Combat Group"
- No. 2 Group RAF - the "Air Combat Support Group"
- No. 3 Group RAF - the "Battle Management Group"
All three groups have their headquarters located at RAF High Wycombe.
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 Commander-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. Also, the existing 3 Group structure of Strike Command will be condensed to 2 Groups with effect from 1 April 2006.
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Kyle 1968-1968
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Denis Spotswood 1968-1971
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Humphrey 1971-1974
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Denis Smallwood 1974-1976
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Nigel Maynard 1976-1977
- Air Chief Marshal Sir David Evans 1977-1980
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Williamson 1980-1982
- Air Chief Marshal Sir David Craig 1982-1985
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Harding 1985-1988
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Patrick Hine 1988-1991
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon 1991-1992
- Air Chief Marshal Sir John Thomson 1992-1994
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Johns 1994
- Air Chief Marshal Sir William Wratten 1994-1997
- Air Chief Marshal Sir John Alison 1997-1999
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire 1999-2000
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Anthony Bagnall 2000-2001
- Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day 2001-2003
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burridge 2003-2006
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French 2006-
Deputy Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
- Air Marshal Sir Nigel Maynard 1972-1973
- Air Marshal Sir Peter Horsley 1973-1975
- Air Marshal Sir Michael Beetham 1975-1976
- Air Marshal Sir John Stacey 1976-1977
- Air Marshal Sir Alan Davies 1977
- Air Marshal Sir Alfred Ball 1977-1978
- Air Marshal Sir Robert Freer 1978-1979
- Air Marshal Sir Thomas Kennedy 1979-1981
- Air Marshal Sir Peter Bairsto 1981-1984
- Air Marshal Sir Joseph Gilbert 1984-1986
- Air Marshal Sir Brendan Jackson 1986-1988
- Air Marshal Sir Kenneth Hayr 1988-1989
- Air Marshal Sir John Kemball 1989-1993
- Air Marshal Sir Richard Johns 1993-1994
- Air Marshal Sir John Alison 1994-1996
- Air Marshal G A Robertson 1996-
- Air Marshal T I Jenner c.98 99
- Air Marshal Brian Burridge 2002-2003
- Air Marshal Clive Loader c.05