The Role of The Regiment

[Hopefull]

Hey lads.

Just wondering what the role of the regiment is? Specifically the role of the Parachute section (not sure what it’s called).

I understand they are heavily involved with ground protection of air assets. To me that seems a little... errm... boring?.

Now I am a wee bit of an adrenalin junky, hence why I am looking to join an Infantry unit. However, I have never really considered the RAF Regt.

I have used the search function and googl'ed my question, but I can’t seem to find the information I am looking for. All I can find is some really hard to navigate website with loads of topics on the RAF Regt, and then loads of people slagging it off, and I am not narrow minded enough to take those slagging off's at face value.

So could some of you fine individuals shed some light on what the RAF Regt. do on:
- A day to day basis...
- On tour in Iraq/Afghanistan...
- Specifically the role of an Officer in the Regt.
- What training they do (arctic, jungle etc...)
- And finally the role of the Para section.
- Also, where they stand in the "leauge of forces" I.e. You have, SAS/SBS - Then Para's & Marines then the infantry. Where do the RAF Regt. come in?

Thanks awfully for any help.

[Tartan_Terrier]

Lots of good info on the official site here:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafregiment/

Half decent wiki page here: http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafregiment/

You may also find this site interesting: http://www.rafregt.com/main.htm

The RAF Regiment get a lot of stick, much of it undeserved, but they are well trained troops who do an important job.

Just make sure that you don't confuse them with other units who have a quite different role.

Best of luck.

T_T

[Hopefull]

Thanks mate

[davidemmerson]

Also, where they stand in the "leauge of forces" I.e. You have, SAS/SBS - Then Para's & Marines then the infantry. Where do the RAF Regt. come in?

I don't think there is a league of forces.

Every branch has it's own job to do, hence why they are all slightly different. Don't chose a regiment or service becuase of it's 'standing' or 'popularity', chose the one you want to serve, and because you want to be an Officer, eventually command.

I understand they are heavily involved with ground protection of air assets. To me that seems a little... errm... boring?.

The RAF Regiment are heavily involved with the protection of Basra Airport and patrolling the area. Didn't they also have something to do with the taking of Basra Airport? Have a Google of that- then come back and see if you would find that boring!

If you did want to see what they are like, maybe forget TA and try the RAuxAF Regiment, then you could see if you like the RAF or Army. Just and idea!

David

[Hopefull]

Also, where they stand in the "leauge of forces" I.e. You have, SAS/SBS - Then Para's & Marines then the infantry. Where do the RAF Regt. come in?

I don't think there is a league of forces.

Every branch has it's own job to do, hence why they are all slightly different. Don't chose a regiment or service becuase of it's 'standing' or 'popularity', chose the one you want to serve, and because you want to be an Officer, eventually command.

I understand they are heavily involved with ground protection of air assets. To me that seems a little... errm... boring?.

The RAF Regiment are heavily involved with the protection of Basra Airport and patrolling the area. Didn't they also have something to do with the taking of Basra Airport? Have a Google of that- then come back and see if you would find that boring!

If you did want to see what they are like, maybe forget TA and try the RAuxAF Regiment, then you could see if you like the RAF or Army. Just and idea!

David

*sigh* ... I know there isnt a leauge of forces lol I just couldnt tink of another way to put it and you know what I meant.

I can't really forget the TA now can I, I have my recruit selection weekend in Jan, and its not somthing I would considor. I feel that the TA is the most rounded of the reserve forces.

Yeah ok they took Basra airport, but I was just wondering, how often do they do that? Our main enemy's for now are the Taliban and A.Q ... they don't have airfields

Thanks anyway people.

Can anyone possible shed some light on what they do day to day on operations, I.E do they patrol and have they been in much combat out there?(Iraq/Afghanistan)?

Any anything on 2 Squadron (Parachute)?

Cheers again everyone, your all incredibly helpfull here.

[Artist]

The RAF Regiments primary role is to defend the airfields and the assets on the said airfield, i.e the aircraft plus a lot of other stuff such as repair facilities and suchlike.

2 Sqn as far as I'm aware are there to back up other RAF Regt Sqns at very short notice hence the Para Training. It's a lot easier (and cheaper) to drop a chalk of trained Gunners right into the heart of an airfield than to try and land them in a C130 (Hercules) if the said airfield is under constant enemy attack.

Lets face it, if a C130 toppers with guys is hit whilst landing in a hostile enviroment then you can say goodby to the Aircraft and the guys sat in it. But a C130 dropping a chalk of trained Gunners is a much safer and cheaper option. For starters you still have the C130 and it can repeat the exercise if the first chalk are taken out over time. You can always train up more gunners but you only have a limited amount of C130's.

This may sound callous to some of you but it's the way the military think.

Artist

[Hopefull]

Thanks artist.

I don't think I would consider the RAF Regt over the infantry to be honest.

Mainly because as much as I think the prospect of holding airfields and attacking them sounds amazing, I doubt
there will be much call for this type of attack as none of our enemies at the moment have air capability

Seems to me the best job in the Regiment is a forward air controller.

Thanks.

[davidemmerson]

. . .

[Macca]

Hopefull have a look at this site mate, it's a video tour the RAF Reg did in Afghanistan pal


www.youtube.com/royalairforce

[wannabe_bootneck]

Serving gunner here, who did Afghan April to Sept this year. Don't believe everything you hear about the RAF Regiment, most of it comes from people who have never worked with the corps or are just passing on what other people with no experience of us have told them. In my experience I don't know anyone who has actually worked with us and has a bad word to say to be honest. Being the only Brits who routinely operated in Kandahar province, we were quite in demand from other nationalities operating from KAF namely the US and Canadians. Just to give you a little more insight into what kind of jobs come up on ops, we conducted raids against suspected suicide bomber safe houses, provided ARFs for all the large 82nd airborne air assaults, and a few days before going home were told we had to go and help get the R.Anglians out of the shit in Kajaki, but they managed to extract just as lads were getting on helos. I didn't stag on the wire once, the only thing I did sentry on was Damand district centre. This is a field squadron, the core of the regiment, yes the lads have seen combat in Iraq and Afghan, Iraq this summer 1 squadron were engaged in extremely heavy fighting on a number of occassions. Every infantry unit operates from a base, ours happens to be an airfield, they get an AO, within which they will defend that operating base and pursue the enemy, tell me the difference, we can just get fast air and attack helis on station faster!

[KT1982]

How long after passing out did you go away to Afganistan wannabe_bootneck?

Sounds f@*king awsome what went on by the way!

[wannabe_bootneck]

You will be told all the way through training 'you will be on op's within 12 months lads, and true to the word, I went to afghan 6 months after passing out. Like everything military, there were periods of intense activity and excitement and also periods of intense boredom and frustration.

[KT1982]

Well that sounds good to me. Got my PGAC in February, TG Course possibly March..... could be away this time next year! Happy Days