Flight (military unit)
Encyclopedia
A flight is a military unit in an air force
, naval air
service, or army air
corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft
, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages, multiple flights make up a squadron
. The "flight" is also a basic unit for intercontinental ballistic missile
s.
claims to have invented the term while he was learning to fly with the Royal Navy
's embryonic fleet air arm
. It has also been suggested that the term was coined by technical sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence
which was examining the British air arrangements around the same time.
Royal Air Force
and the air forces of the Commonwealth
, from where much air force terminology emanated, an aircraft flight, in the first decades of air forces, was commanded by a flight lieutenant
, a rank equivalent to captain in armies and other air forces, or a naval lieutenant
. More recently, however, it has become common for a flight to be led by a squadron leader
—a formal rank distinct from a squadron commander—equivalent to an army major
or naval lieutenant commander
.
A flight is usually divided into two Sections, each containing two to three aircraft, which share ground staff with the other section, and are usually commanded by a Flight Lieutenant.
The British Army Air Corps and other army air corps, the Canadian Forces
, and the Royal Australian Air Force
also have flights.
and may be commanded by a flight lieutenant, flying officer
, pilot officer
, or warrant officer
. (The names of ranks are still used, even though a ground flight contains no aircrewmen.) A flight is also a basic unit of guided missiles, such as surface-to-air missile
s. These ground flights may carry out operational roles (such as air traffic control or airfield defence), engineering roles (such as aircraft or ground systems maintenance), medical, dental, and legal units, or purely administrative roles - such as finance, housing, firefighting, or human resource management.
(USAF) has two types of flights. A numbered flight is a unit with a unique base, wing, group
, or Numbered Air Force mission, such as training or finance, though not large enough to warrant designation as a squadron
. Numbered flights are uncommon, and are usually only found in basic training
facilities. An alphabetic flight is an operational component of a flying or ground squadron, not an independent unit; alphabetic flights within a squadron normally have identical or similar functions and are normally designated A, B, C and so on within the squadron. Flights in the USAF are generally authorized to have between 20 and 100 personnel, and are normally commanded by a company-grade officer (lieutenant
or captain) and/or a flight chief, usually a senior noncommissioned officer with the rank of master sergeant
or senior master sergeant
.
In Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile
units of the U.S. Air Force, a flight is composed of ten unmanned launch facilities remotely controlled by a manned launch control center
, containing two personnel. Five of these flights make up one missile squadron. The Air Force has a total of 45 ICBM missile flights.
The aviation units of the United States Navy
, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, U.S. Army, and U.S. Army helicopter
units also have flights.
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
, naval air
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
service, or army air
Army aviation
Army Aviation refers to aviation-related units of a nation's army, often described as an air corps. These units are generally separate from a nation's dedicated air force, and usually comprise helicopters and light support fixed-wing aircraft....
corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages, multiple flights make up a squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
. The "flight" is also a basic unit for intercontinental ballistic missile
Intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
s.
Origins
The use of the term "flight" to describe a collection of aircraft (typically four in the early days of aviation) dates back to around 1912. Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
claims to have invented the term while he was learning to fly with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's embryonic fleet air arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
. It has also been suggested that the term was coined by technical sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence
Committee of Imperial Defence
The Committee of Imperial Defence was an important ad hoc part of the government of the United Kingdom and the British Empire from just after the Second Boer War until the start of World War II...
which was examining the British air arrangements around the same time.
Aircraft flights
In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and the air forces of the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, from where much air force terminology emanated, an aircraft flight, in the first decades of air forces, was commanded by a flight lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
, a rank equivalent to captain in armies and other air forces, or a naval lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. More recently, however, it has become common for a flight to be led by a squadron leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
—a formal rank distinct from a squadron commander—equivalent to an army major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
or naval lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
.
A flight is usually divided into two Sections, each containing two to three aircraft, which share ground staff with the other section, and are usually commanded by a Flight Lieutenant.
The British Army Air Corps and other army air corps, the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, and the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
also have flights.
Ground flights
An air force ground flight is roughly equivalent to an army platoonPlatoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
and may be commanded by a flight lieutenant, flying officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
, pilot officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
, or warrant officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
. (The names of ranks are still used, even though a ground flight contains no aircrewmen.) A flight is also a basic unit of guided missiles, such as surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
s. These ground flights may carry out operational roles (such as air traffic control or airfield defence), engineering roles (such as aircraft or ground systems maintenance), medical, dental, and legal units, or purely administrative roles - such as finance, housing, firefighting, or human resource management.
American usage
The United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) has two types of flights. A numbered flight is a unit with a unique base, wing, group
Group (air force)
A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases...
, or Numbered Air Force mission, such as training or finance, though not large enough to warrant designation as a squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
. Numbered flights are uncommon, and are usually only found in basic training
Basic Training
Basic Training may refer to:* Basic Training, a 1971 American documentary directed by Frederick Wiseman* Basic Training , an American sex comedy* Recruit training...
facilities. An alphabetic flight is an operational component of a flying or ground squadron, not an independent unit; alphabetic flights within a squadron normally have identical or similar functions and are normally designated A, B, C and so on within the squadron. Flights in the USAF are generally authorized to have between 20 and 100 personnel, and are normally commanded by a company-grade officer (lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
or captain) and/or a flight chief, usually a senior noncommissioned officer with the rank of master sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
or senior master sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
.
In Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile
LGM-30 Minuteman
The LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
units of the U.S. Air Force, a flight is composed of ten unmanned launch facilities remotely controlled by a manned launch control center
Launch control center (ICBM)
A launch control center , in the United States, is the main control facility for intercontinental ballistic missiles . A launch control center monitors and controls missile launch facilities. From a launch control center, the missile combat crew can monitor the complex, launch the missile, or relax...
, containing two personnel. Five of these flights make up one missile squadron. The Air Force has a total of 45 ICBM missile flights.
The aviation units of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, U.S. Army, and U.S. Army helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
units also have flights.