RAF Air Support Command
Encyclopedia
Air Support Command of the Royal Air Force
was formed on 1 August 1967 by the redesignation of Transport Command
. Its change of name reflected the change of emphasis of the Command from merely transporting materials and men around the world to providing general support to RAF operations around the world. This meant that Air Support Command, unlike its predecessor Transport Command
, possessed strike aircraft such as Hawker Hunter
s. With the contraction of the RAF, it only lasted a short time as a command, and it was absorbed into Strike Command
on 1 September 1972 forming No. 38 Group
and No. 46 Group within Strike Command. The former was designated as a tactical support and the latter as a strategic support group.
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...
was formed on 1 August 1967 by the redesignation of Transport Command
RAF Transport Command
RAF Transport Command was a Royal Air Force command that controlled all transport aircraft of the RAF. It was established on 25 March 1943 by the renaming of the RAF Ferry Command, and was subsequently renamed RAF Air Support Command in 1967.-History:...
. Its change of name reflected the change of emphasis of the Command from merely transporting materials and men around the world to providing general support to RAF operations around the world. This meant that Air Support Command, unlike its predecessor Transport Command
RAF Transport Command
RAF Transport Command was a Royal Air Force command that controlled all transport aircraft of the RAF. It was established on 25 March 1943 by the renaming of the RAF Ferry Command, and was subsequently renamed RAF Air Support Command in 1967.-History:...
, possessed strike aircraft such as Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
s. With the contraction of the RAF, it only lasted a short time as a command, and it was absorbed into Strike Command
RAF Strike Command
The Royal Air Force's Strike Command was the military formation which controlled the majority of the United Kingdom's bomber and fighter aircraft from 1968 until 2007: it was merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air Command. It latterly consisted of two formations - No. 1...
on 1 September 1972 forming No. 38 Group
No. 38 Group RAF
No 38 Group RAF was formed on 6 November 1943 from nine squadrons as part of Fighter Command. It was finally disbanded on 1 April 2000.-History:...
and No. 46 Group within Strike Command. The former was designated as a tactical support and the latter as a strategic support group.
Commanders in Chief
Commanders-in-Chief included:- 1 August 1967 - Air MarshalAir MarshalAir marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Thomas PrickettThomas PrickettAir Chief Marshal Sir Thomas Öther Prickett KCB, DSO, DFC was a World War II bomber pilot and senior Royal Air Force commander in the 1950s and 1960s... - 1 July 1968 - Air Marshal Sir Lewis HodgesLewis HodgesAir Chief Marshal Sir Lewis Macdonald Hodges KCB, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, DL was a pilot for Special Operations Executive in the Second World War, and later achieved high command in the Royal Air Force and NATO....
- 1 October 1970 - Air Marshal Sir Harry BurtonHarry Burton (RAF officer)Air Marshal Sir Harry Burton KCB CBE DSO was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air-Officer-Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Air Support Command.-RAF career:...