Aircraft of Great Britain

The Royal Air Force of Great Britain was established in 1918 to protect the borders of the United Kingdom. The air forces are subordinate to the Ministry of Defense and carry out the tasks that the highest military leadership of the country determines.

Aviation and economics

The British Air Force never participated in military companies, the squadron has not renewed the aircraft fleet for years. Due to low activity, the military aviation department in 1990 began to reduce the number of personnel, which in the twelve years, from 1990 to 2002, decreased from 92 to 54 thousand people. The financial expenses for maintaining the Air Force were significantly curtailed. In 2007, the number of command personnel, pilots and service personnel was 47,712 people, and the technical base included 828 aircraft and helicopters. Obsolete equipment was decommissioned, new planes were preserved.

In 2010, there was a need to update the fleet of aircraft, both military and auxiliary. Expansion of the material base was associated with a difficult political situation in several countries, primarily in Libya and Morocco. The British Parliament adopted a number of recommendations that stimulate the acquisition of new equipment, aircraft, helicopters and airfield equipment.

Modernized "Tornado GR4" and "Typhoons" were purchased. Additional transport aircraft was supplied by Vickers, a model VC-10, which is distinguished by its long fuselage. "Ten" holds up to three hundred personnel and can be very useful when transporting people over long distances.

Structure

Currently, the UK Air Force consists of three air groups. The first includes all combat aircraft, attack planes, fighter jets and bombers. In the group there are several own training high-speed attack aircraft, in which the pilots are practicing new maneuvers. A certain number of combat vehicles combine two functions - a fighter and a bomber. This versatility allows you to minimize the number of aircraft flying on the job.

Fighters of the Air Force of Great Britain

The first air group includes 12 squadrons stationed in different regions of the country. The main core of the assault aircraft are the "Tornado GR4" aircraft. The task of fighters is combat operations in the air and the destruction of ground targets. The effectiveness of the "Tornado" is very high. They are in the 1st air group there are 95 units and all of them are fighter-bombers. Also in the group are 22 reconnaissance aircraft "Tornado".

The F1 multipurpose fighters in the squadrons of the 1st airborne group number 100 units.

Commander of the 1st group is the vice-marshal of aviation Christopher Harper. In his staff there are 12 senior and junior officers.

The second air group

This aviation compound includes twenty-two squadrons, including support aircraft. Machines in the hangars are both super-modern and well-known types, the release of past years. Work is sufficient for both. At present, the squadrons of the second air group are equipped with aircraft and helicopters of the following brands:

• "Chinook NS2".
• "Sea King NAR3".
• "Hercules C4".
• "Merlin NS3".
• "Puma NS1".
• "Griffin NT".
• "Globemaster III".
• VC-10.

Group number 22

The Air Force of Great Britain also includes an air group 22, a training and training unit for improving the flight skills of pilots. In the group there are aircraft equipped with special equipment.

These are the models:

• "Domini T1".
• "Skjurell".
• "Tukano."
• "Hawk TA";

The best airplanes of the British Air Force

Squadrons of the United Kingdom are equipped with various combat vehicles. Among them there can be American and French brands, German and Swedish. However, the most common model of a combat aircraft is the Tornado GR4, the brainchild of the German concern Messerschmidt. In second place - the fighter "Typhoon", an effective machine for air combat. Both aircraft are in service with NATO, Britain, Germany, Italy and Saudi Arabia.

The Tornado airplane of the British Air Force has established itself as a trouble-free fighter-attack aircraft. In the event of the participation of the British armed forces in any international conflict, fighters and ground-attack planes-bombers are relocated to the NATO airbase located in the immediate vicinity of the theater of operations. After the reconnaissance, the squadron starts combat sorties, and at the same time the "Tornado" of the British Air Force is always in the forefront of the attackers.

"Tornado GR4"

Turboreactive combat aircraft Panavia Tornado is presented in two versions: fighter-bomber, GR4 index, and reconnaissance interceptor-GR4A.

The design features include wings with variable geometry, which is an important advantage in air combat. Double "Tornado" is always ready to perform any tasks to destroy the enemy, regardless of weather conditions and time of day. The aircraft is equipped with a special scanner, which gives information about approaching the surface of the earth. Almost "Tornado" is able to fly blindly.

The machine is equipped with electronic reconnaissance and target detection, it is primarily the Raptor system. Of the most recent achievements - it's laser guidance on the target and the LRMTS system, able to find a previously tagged target.

Combat application:

• 1991, the war in the Persian Gulf, 41 aircraft participated;
• 1998-2011, a military company in Iraq;
• 1999, the war in Kosovo; 2011, the military conflict in Libya;
• 2012, the war in Afghanistan, continues to the present;

Fighter "Typhoon"

The development of a combat vehicle was launched in 1988 corporately, in several countries at once. In 1998, Britain acquired for its Air Force 53 fighter. Initially, the aircraft was supposed to be used only in air battles, but as necessary, during the fighting in Afghanistan, the fighters began to use, as bombers, to destroy ground targets.

In 2008, "Typhoon" was officially recognized as a multi-purpose fighter.

Specifications:

• The length of the aircraft is 16.8 meters;
• Height - 6 meters;
• Wingspan, maximum - 13.9 meters;
• Carrying capacity - 9 tons;
• Weight - 14 100 kg;
• Power plant - two turbojet engines of the Rolls-Royce brand with a thrust of 7620 kg / cm;
• Speed close to the maximum - 2340 km / h;
• Ceiling - 15 thousand meters;
• Runway - 760 meters;

Armament:

• Guns of the "Mauser" system, two barrels;
• Rockets ALARM, up to nine pieces;
• Air-to-air missiles ASRAAM;
• Missiles "Brimstone" and "Shadow Storm";
• Bombs "Peyvej 2" and four hundred-kilogram "Penguin";
• Complex of surveillance and reconnaissance systems;

Transport aircraft

The British Air Force is also provided with cargo vehicles in addition to combat vehicles. Transport heavyweights, such as Globmaster III, Boeing S17A, Lockheed 1011 of American production, Vickers VC-10 of British, were bought in large quantities.

Considering the need for constant redeployment, cargo planes were indispensable assistants, ensuring the transportation of multi-tonnage weapons and property over huge distances within a few days. The importance of transport operations can not be overestimated, the squadron was supplied with all necessary uninterrupted and in the shortest possible time.

An important role was played by heavy helicopters such as "Merlin NS3", "Chinook C2", "Westland Puma". These vehicles transported intendant cargo within the base and the aerodrome.