Timeline Index 5

Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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RAF Timeline 1981 - 2005

To view further details of each main Command development click on the Command title on the right of the timeline

For a summary click here

January 1981		Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment opened at Cottesmore



May 1981		Boeing Vertol Chinook entered service
June 1981		Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit formed at Honington.




November 1981		30 - Last RAF Whirlwind SAR sortie

January 1982		6 - TWCU opened


April 1982		2 - Argentina invades the Falkland Islands. 21 - First air drop by RAF to ships of the Task Force.
May 1982		1 - RAF Vulcan bombs Port Stanley. 20 - RAF Harriers attack Port Stanley for the first time. 27 - 'Atlantic Conveyor' sunk together with three RAF Chinooks.
June 1982		1 - First Tornado (No 9) formed. 14 - Argentina surrenders, Falklands War ends.






Jan 1983




June 1983		BAe 146 used for trials
July 1983		BAe VC10 K Mk 2 entered service. Lockheed Tristar entered service.

September 1983		RAF Buccaneers operate over Lebonon

November 1983		29 - First Fighter Controller brevets awarded


February 1984		Chinooks attached to BritLebFor evacuate British personnel from Beirut to Cyprus. First all RAF crewed Tristar flight carried out.
March 1984		Avro Vulcan retired from service.


June 1984		De Havilland Devon retired from service
July 1984		BAe VC10 K Mk 3 entered service

September 1984		CFS moves from Leeming to Scampton
October 1984		McDonnell Phantom F4J (UK) entered service.
November 1984		RAF Hercules aircraft fly out to Ethiopia to carry out Operation Bushell. No 216 Sqn re-formed to operate the Tristar.

January 1985		RAF Hercules aircraft carry out first air drop during Operation Bushell



May 1985		Panavia Tornado F Mk 2 entered service.






December 1985		Operation Bushell comes to an end
January 1986		8 - RAF Marine Branch disbanded

March 1986		Lockheed Tristar K Mk 1 entered service.
April 1986		BAe 146 CC Mk 2 entered service.













June 1987		Operation Maralinga started in Australia, Wessex helicopter surveyed atomic test sites.


September 1987		Operation Maralinga ended






April 1988		English Electric Lightning retired from service
May 1988		Royal Aircraft Establishment renamed Royal Aerospace Establishment



September 1988		Shorts Tucano and BAe Harrier GR Mk 5 entered service.




February 1989		No 3 FTS re-formed at Cranwell





August 1989		Announcement that women will be recruited for non-combat flying duties.



December 1989		First course on Tucano starts at No 7 FTS.


March 1990		Grob 109B Vigilant entered service with Air Cadet VGS

May 1990		First Airborne Technician brevets awarded.

July 1990		Secretary of state announces 'Options for Change'. Boeing Sentry AEW Mk 1 entered service (still on trials controlled by Boeing)
August 1990		2 - Iraq invades Kuwait. 11 - RAF begin Operation Granby




January 1991		17 - Air Operations against Iraq begin (Operation Desert Storm)
February 1991		28 - Operation Desert Storm ended
March 1991		First female navigator qualified at RAF Finningley
April 1991		8 - RAF Defence Support Agency formed
May 1991		RAF helicopters carry out supply missions to Kurdish refugees in Turkey
June 1991		First female pilot received her 'Wings'
July 1991		Avro Shackleton AEW Mk 2 and Bristol Bloodhound Mk 2 retired from service.
August 1991		Royal Observer Corps stood down. RAF Tristars carry relief supplies to Chile.



December 1991		Announcement that female aircrew will be able to undertake combat duties.








September 1992		OASC moves to Cranwell



Jan 93











January 1994		Airmens' Command School moved to RAF Halton. First passing out parade held at RAF Halton after Recruit Training School had moved from RAF Swinderby. Final Phantom retired by A & AEE at Boscombe Down.
February 1994		Tornado GR Mk 1B entered service.
March 1994		Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer retired from service.
April 1994		1 - Womens' Royal Air Force disbanded when all female personnel absorbed into the RAF. 1 - Personnel and Training Command and Logistics Command formed from RAF Support Command.

June 1994		RAF Regiment Depot moved to RAF Honington from RAF Catterick
July 1994		1 - HQ Allied Forces North Western Europe formed.

September 1994		7 - RAF Gatow handed over to the Luftwaffe. No 7 FTS (No 2 TWU) closed with the role being taken over by No 4 FTS at RAF Valley.



January 1995

March 1995		Queen's Flight disbanded. No 3 FTS closed at RAF Cranwell. Hawker Siddeley Andover retired from service.
April 1995		JEFTS moved from Topcliffe to Barkston Heath.




September 1995		Air Warfare Centre opened at RAF Waddington
October 1995		Completion of non pilot training transferred from No 6 FTS at Finningley to No 3 FTS at Cranwell.


January 1996		Implementation Force (IFOR) set up in Bosnia.

March 1996		De Havilland Chipmunk retired from service.. 31 - Nos 11 and 18 Groups merged into 11/18 Group.
April 1996		Last RAF HQ on mainland Europe (No 2 Group) closed



August 1996		Permanent Joint HQ took over control of Operations Jural and Warden




Jan 1997











Jan 1998











Jan 1999

Mar 1999		24 - Last graduation ceremony at No 1 Radio School, Locking. 31 - RAF Manston closed. 31 - TTTE, RAF Cottesmore disbanded
Apr 1999		No 17 Sqn disbanded. Formation of the Defence Logistics Organisation announced. Operation 'Allied Force' begun

Jun 1999		17 - Operation 'Allied Force' ended



Oct 1999		Joint Helicopter Command formed
Nov 1999		Logistics Command disbanded
Dec 1999		7 - First C-130J arrived at Lyneham
Jan 2000

Mar 2000		3 - Joint Forces Air Command HQ reached initial operating capability
Apr 2000		1 - RAF/RN Joint Harrier Force established


Jul 2000		No 28 Sqn reformed to fly the Merlin HC Mk 3
Aug 2000		Announced that specialisations of Navigator, AEO and Air Signaller to be replaced by Weapons Systems Officers/Operators.

Oct 2000		No 74 Sqn disbanded at RAF Valley


Jan 2001

Mar 2001		7 First four EH101 Merlin HC Mk 3s entered service


Jun 2001		No 99 Sqn reformed to operate C-17 RAF Nordhorn (bombing range) in Germany closed
Jul 2001		17 - No 28 Sqn reformed at RAF Benson





Jan 2002

Mar 2002		14 - No 57 (R) Squadron disbanded RAF Inspectorate of Flight Safety disbanded and a new Defence Aviation Safety Centre formed at Bentley Priory



Jul 2002		No 1 FTS Squadrons are redesignated Nos 72 (R) and 207 (R) Squadrons

Sep 2002		No 5 (AC) Squadron disbanded at RAF Coningsby


Dec 2002		Sea Kings of No 203 (R) Squadron deploy to Cyprus to take over the SAR duties of No 84 Squadron, whist the latter re-equips in the UK.
Jan 2003


Apr 2003		1 - First deployment by Merlins of No 28 Squadron. No 56 (R) Squadron relocates from Coningsby to Leuchars

Jun 2003		First Eurofighter Typhoon, handed over to No 17 (R) Squadron
Jul 2003		Joint Elementary Flying Training School, renamed No 1 Elementary Flying Training School
Aug 2003		1 - ACM Sir Jock Stirrup, becomes CAS


Dec 2003		16 - First two Beech King Air B200s arrive at RAF Cranwell for No 45 Squadron
Jan 2004		9 - First solo flight by a RAF pilot in the Eurofighter Typhoon (Wg Cdr David Chan - No 17 (R) Squadron No 1563 Flight reformed in Iraq as part of the Joint Helicopter Force

Mar 2004		19 - Last flight by RAF Jetstreams Air Guided Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit at RAF Valley closed.
Apr 2004		1 - No 5 (AC) Squadron reformed at RAF Waddington Saxa Vord is re-instated as a RAF station
May 2004		Volunteer Ex-Regular Reservist scheme introduced (VRR)





Nov 2004		RAF aircraft provide QRA fighter cover to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia for the first time. RAF Buchan closed

Jan 2005

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