RAF Air Cadets

RAF Air Cadets. The Royal Air Force Air Cadets is a national youth organisation sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and administered by the Royal Air Force. It is composed of the Air Training Corps and the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force, providing aviation-themed training and personal development for young people aged 12 to 20. The organisation aims to foster qualities of leadership, citizenship, and an interest in the air and space domains, with many cadets progressing to careers in the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, British Army, or civil aviation.

History

The origins of the organisation lie in the formation of the Air Defence Cadet Corps in 1938, championed by Air Commodore John Adrian Chamier, which aimed to prepare young men for service in the Royal Air Force ahead of the impending Second World War. During the war, cadets supported the national war effort in roles such as aircraft spotting for the Royal Observer Corps and messenger duties, with many later joining the RAF Volunteer Reserve. In 1941, the corps was re-organised and renamed the Air Training Corps by Royal Warrant, receiving its first King's Colour in 1947. The modern tri-service umbrella term "RAF Air Cadets" was formally adopted in 2017 to encompass both the Air Training Corps and the RAF sections of the Combined Cadet Force, which had been established in many public schools and grammar schools since 1948.

Organisation and structure

The RAF Air Cadets is commanded by Air Commodore Commandant Air Cadets, headquartered at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, and is part of the RAF's No. 22 Group. The Air Training Corps is organised into six regional "Wings" across the United Kingdom, such as the Central & East Region and the London & South East Region, which are further subdivided into local Squadrons typically based in towns and cities. The RAF sections of the Combined Cadet Force are based in over 200 independent and state-funded schools across the nation, including Eton College and Manchester Grammar School. Adult leadership is provided by commissioned officers of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) and Civilian Instructors, supported by RAF Regiment gunnery instructors and Royal Auxiliary Air Force personnel.

Activities and training

Cadets undertake a progressive syllabus leading to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the BTEC in Aviation Studies. Core activities include flying experience in the Grob Tutor at Air Experience Flights operated by volunteer pilots from the Royal Air Force, and gliding scholarships with the Volunteer Gliding Squadrons using aircraft like the Viking T1. Adventure training encompasses orienteering, fieldcraft, and expeditions on Dartmoor and in the Brecon Beacons, while military skills include drill, rifle shooting on target ranges, and aerospace studies. Cadets also participate in the annual Air Cadet National Drill and Rifle Competition and can visit operational RAF stations such as RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby to see aircraft like the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 Lightning II.

Uniforms and insignia

Cadets wear a uniform derived from the Royal Air Force No. 2 Service Dress, featuring a blue-grey shirt and trousers, a stable belt, and a distinctive blue beret with the Air Training Corps cap badge, which incorporates the RAF eagle and the corps' motto "Venture Adventure". Rank insignia for cadet Non-Commissioned Officers, such as Cadet Corporal and Cadet Sergeant, are worn on the sleeve, while adult officers wear the rank insignia of the RAF Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch). Specialist badges are awarded for qualifications in areas such as marksmanship, first aid, and music, with musicians from the organisation performing in the Band of the Royal Air Force College and at events like the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford.

Notable former cadets

Many former cadets have achieved prominence in military, aviation, and public life. In aviation and space, these include Tim Peake, the first British European Space Agency astronaut, and Carol Vorderman, who trained as a pilot and is an advocate for mathematics education. Senior military figures include former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, and Victoria Cross recipient Flight Sergeant John Hannah of No. 83 Squadron RAF. Other distinguished alumni are broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan, actor John Barrowman, and polar explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, demonstrating the organisation's wide-ranging influence on leadership and character development.

Category:Royal Air Force Category:Youth organisations in the United Kingdom Category:Military youth organizations