This is a list of military communications ('Signals') units and formations of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

. In the Royal Air Force sense, wings, groups, and commands can be considered formations. A formation is defined by the

US Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national sec ...

as "two or more aircraft, ships, or units proceeding together under a commander". "Formations are those military organisations which are formed from different speciality Arms and Services troop units to create a balanced, combined combat force." Higher level communications formations in the Royal Air Force included

RAF Signals Command Signals Command was the British Royal Air Force's command responsible for control of signals units from 1958 to 1969. It was based at RAF Medmenham near Marlow, Buckinghamshire. History Originally, on 24 April 1946, No. 90 (Signals) Group RAF wa ...

, which was later reduced to group status and incorporated into

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 when it merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air C ...

. Nos 26 and No. 60 Group RAF were established in the 1940s. No. 26 Group was reformed on 12 February 1940 within

RAF Training Command Training Command was the Royal Air Force's command responsible for flying and ground training from 1936 to 1940 and again from 1968 to 1977. Training Command was formed from RAF Inland Area on 1 May 1936 and absorbed into RAF Support Command on 13 ...

, and transferred to

RAF Technical Training Command Technical Training Command was an organization within the Royal Air Force which controlled units responsible for delivering aircraft maintenance training and other non-flying training, initially in Berkshire and then in Cambridgeshire. History T ...

on 27 May 1940. It was transferred to RAF Bomber Command on 10 February 1942, and then amalgamated with No. 60 (Signals) Group to form No. 90 (Signals) Group RAF on 25 April 1946. The Radio Warfare Establishment (RWE) was established 21 July 1945 at

RAF Swanton Morley The former Royal Air Force Swanton Morley, more commonly known as RAF Swanton Morley, was a Royal Air Force station in Norfolk, England, located near to the village of Swanton Morley. The site, now known as Robertson Barracks, is occupied by ...

, and later became the Central Signals Establishment (CSE). The CSE was formed 1 September 1946 at

RAF Watton Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) d ...

, equipped with Dominie and

Tiger Moth The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. ...

, and disbanded there on 1 July 1965. When the establishment disbanded, the Research Wing and civilian parts of the "..Installation Squadron became the RAF Signals Command Air Radio Laboratories, and the training and service elements of Installation Squadron became the EW Support Wing."Air of Authority
Other Establishments - Experimental and Administrative
accessed May 2020. Many files regarding the CSE are accessible in the National Archives at Ke

Radio units and formations

Radio Establishment

Radio Schools

Radio Flights

Signals units and formations

Wings

Squadrons

Units

Schools

Calibration units and formations

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Communications units of the Royal Air Force Air force communications units and formations, United Kingdom

RAF The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

Lists of Commonwealth air force units