What is the work like?
The main responsibility of the Royal Air Force (RAF) at home is to defend UK airspace. It also operates a search and rescue service at sea and on land. Its role abroad is to operate both as a fighting and peacekeeping force. In addition, it brings aid to the victims of war and natural disaster.
Officers are the senior managers of the RAF. They manage, lead and take responsibility for the welfare of the airmen and airwomen in their command. They also specialise in one of the following roles:
Pilots fly aircraft in air combat and ground attacks, to transport troops and equipment and in search and rescue. They may fly fast jet, multi-engine or rotary wing aircraft.
Weapons systems officers manage air-to-air combat in Tornado aircraft or operate weapons systems in other aircraft.
Engineer officers specialise either as aerosystems engineers, responsible for the weapons, avionics and propulsion systems of all kinds of aircraft or as communications electronics engineers, maintaining every type of communications link, from telephone exchanges to satellite communications.
Catering officers manage accommodation, restaurants and other eating areas, reception areas, bars and lounges. They also set up and manage catering in the field.
RAF police officers lead the RAF's own police force.
RAF Regiment officers lead infantry units which defend RAF airfields and other installations from ground and low-level air attack.
Dental officers are qualified dentists, practising on UK bases and overseas.
Medical officers are qualified doctors, providing medical care for RAF personnel and their families.
Medical support officers support the RAF's medical services in a range of management and administrative roles.
Nursing officers (in the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service) provide nursing services to RAF personnel.
Personnel officers provide support services such as personnel management, accounting, estate management or public relations.
Chaplains minister to the wider RAF community, including service families.
Legal officers are qualified barristers and solicitors. They advise in criminal cases and conduct prosecutions both in the UK and overseas.
Physical education officers arrange fitness programmes, organise adventurous training and run a wide range of sports facilities.
Training officers design, set up and run training courses.
Air traffic control officers use radar and communications equipment to help aircraft take off and land and provide pilots with flight and navigation information.
Aerospace battle managers manage battles in the sky. Some are weapons specialists who direct combat aircraft, surveillance specialists who monitor the skies and gather war-fighting information, and space specialists who warn of missiles and hostile intelligence-gathering satellites.
Flight operations officers plan and manage the RAF's flying tasks.
Intelligence officers obtain, analyse and provide defence intelligence.
Supply officers manage the movement of personnel, aircraft, freight, fuel, explosives and technical equipment.
Hours and environment
Officers need to be available for duty at all times, but they usually work office hours over a five-day week. Occasional weekend work may be required. Some roles involve shifts, early starts and late finishes. On exercise or operations, working hours can be long and changeable.
Many RAF stations are like small towns, with shops, gyms, crèches and banks.
Officers may be posted to RAF bases in the UK or overseas, in territories such as Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and Gibraltar. They may also go on operations and exercises anywhere in the world, including conflict zones such as Afghanistan.
Salary and other benefits
These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the type of job, qualifications, promotion and length of service.
Pilot officers earn around £23,475 a year. Graduates may be offered enhanced promotion and can expect higher salaries.
Flight lieutenants earn from £36,160 to £43,002 a year.
Squadron leaders earn between £45,548 and £55,550 a year.
There are different pay scales for some specialist officers who join with professional qualifications. Salaries are higher for the most senior personnel.
Skills and personal qualities
RAF officers should:
be able to manage and lead people
be able to work as part of a team
have strong communication skills
be prepared to serve their country anywhere in the world
be able to accept responsibility and make decisions under pressure
be able to communicate clearly with people
be physically fit
be able to think and react quickly
be able to lead by example and motivate others
be prepared to travel and be away from their families for long periods.
Interests
It is important to:
be interested in challenging work and learning new skills
enjoy the armed forces' lifestyle.
Getting in
There are almost 9,000 officers in the RAF.
Officers join for a minimum length of service. This is usually between six and 12 years. Many extend their career in the RAF well beyond the number of years for which they initially join up.
Competition for some specialisations can be fierce. The RAF's careers website has a list of the officer roles most in demand.
Entry routes
Entrants need to be aged at least 17 years and six months (older for some specialisations).
Entry to many specialisations is with at least two A levels and five GCSEs (A*-C), including English and maths or equivalent qualifications. Many entrants are graduates. Some roles have more specific entry requirements:
engineer officers need a relevant degree or professional qualification
medical officers, nursing officers, legal officers and chaplains must be professionally qualified
dental officers can train as dentists with the RAF or can enter after qualifying
physical education officers need a relevant degree
training officers must have a degree or a professional qualification
catering officers need a relevant HND, degree or professional qualification.
Applicants must be of British, dual British, Commonwealth or Irish nationality when they apply. For security reasons, there are stricter nationality requirements for some roles. For example, intelligence officers must have been British citizens since birth.
The RAF offers a range of sponsorship schemes for those in school sixth forms and at university.
Applicants have to pass a series of selection tests held at the Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre at RAF College Cranwell, in Lincolnshire. The selection process lasts for up to four days and includes aptitude tests, fitness assessments, interviews and an occupational health assessment.
There are upper age limits for entry. These range from 23 years for pilots to 55 years for medical and dental officers. The upper age limit for entry to most branches is 36 years.
Training
Entrants first take the 30-week initial officer training course at RAF College Cranwell.
Professionally qualified entrants, such as medical officers and legal officers, undertake shorter training (around three months) at Cranwell.
After successfully completing initial training, officers go on to specialist training in their chosen branch.
Getting on
Promotion is possible to flight lieutenant, squadron leader, wing commander, group captain and beyond.
The main responsibility of the Royal Air Force (RAF) at home is to defend UK airspace. It also operates a search and rescue service at sea and on land. Its role abroad is to operate both as a fighting and peacekeeping force. In addition, it brings aid to the victims of war and natural disaster.
Officers are the senior managers of the RAF. They manage, lead and take responsibility for the welfare of the airmen and airwomen in their command. They also specialise in one of the following roles:
Pilots fly aircraft in air combat and ground attacks, to transport troops and equipment and in search and rescue. They may fly fast jet, multi-engine or rotary wing aircraft.
Weapons systems officers manage air-to-air combat in Tornado aircraft or operate weapons systems in other aircraft.
Engineer officers specialise either as aerosystems engineers, responsible for the weapons, avionics and propulsion systems of all kinds of aircraft or as communications electronics engineers, maintaining every type of communications link, from telephone exchanges to satellite communications.
Catering officers manage accommodation, restaurants and other eating areas, reception areas, bars and lounges. They also set up and manage catering in the field.
RAF police officers lead the RAF's own police force.
RAF Regiment officers lead infantry units which defend RAF airfields and other installations from ground and low-level air attack.
Dental officers are qualified dentists, practising on UK bases and overseas.
Medical officers are qualified doctors, providing medical care for RAF personnel and their families.
Medical support officers support the RAF's medical services in a range of management and administrative roles.
Nursing officers (in the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service) provide nursing services to RAF personnel.
Personnel officers provide support services such as personnel management, accounting, estate management or public relations.
Chaplains minister to the wider RAF community, including service families.
Legal officers are qualified barristers and solicitors. They advise in criminal cases and conduct prosecutions both in the UK and overseas.
Physical education officers arrange fitness programmes, organise adventurous training and run a wide range of sports facilities.
Training officers design, set up and run training courses.
Air traffic control officers use radar and communications equipment to help aircraft take off and land and provide pilots with flight and navigation information.
Aerospace battle managers manage battles in the sky. Some are weapons specialists who direct combat aircraft, surveillance specialists who monitor the skies and gather war-fighting information, and space specialists who warn of missiles and hostile intelligence-gathering satellites.
Flight operations officers plan and manage the RAF's flying tasks.
Intelligence officers obtain, analyse and provide defence intelligence.
Supply officers manage the movement of personnel, aircraft, freight, fuel, explosives and technical equipment.
Hours and environment
Officers need to be available for duty at all times, but they usually work office hours over a five-day week. Occasional weekend work may be required. Some roles involve shifts, early starts and late finishes. On exercise or operations, working hours can be long and changeable.
Many RAF stations are like small towns, with shops, gyms, crèches and banks.
Officers may be posted to RAF bases in the UK or overseas, in territories such as Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and Gibraltar. They may also go on operations and exercises anywhere in the world, including conflict zones such as Afghanistan.
Salary and other benefitsThese figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the type of job, qualifications, promotion and length of service.
Pilot officers earn around £23,475 a year. Graduates may be offered enhanced promotion and can expect higher salaries.
Flight lieutenants earn from £36,160 to £43,002 a year.
Squadron leaders earn between £45,548 and £55,550 a year.
There are different pay scales for some specialist officers who join with professional qualifications. Salaries are higher for the most senior personnel.
Skills and personal qualities
RAF officers should:
be able to manage and lead people
be able to work as part of a team
have strong communication skills
be prepared to serve their country anywhere in the world
be able to accept responsibility and make decisions under pressure
be able to communicate clearly with people
be physically fit
be able to think and react quickly
be able to lead by example and motivate others
be prepared to travel and be away from their families for long periods.
Interests
It is important to:
be interested in challenging work and learning new skills
enjoy the armed forces' lifestyle.
Getting inThere are almost 9,000 officers in the RAF.
Officers join for a minimum length of service. This is usually between six and 12 years. Many extend their career in the RAF well beyond the number of years for which they initially join up.
Competition for some specialisations can be fierce. The RAF's careers website has a list of the officer roles most in demand.
Entry routes
Entrants need to be aged at least 17 years and six months (older for some specialisations).
Entry to many specialisations is with at least two A levels and five GCSEs (A*-C), including English and maths or equivalent qualifications. Many entrants are graduates. Some roles have more specific entry requirements:
engineer officers need a relevant degree or professional qualification
medical officers, nursing officers, legal officers and chaplains must be professionally qualified
dental officers can train as dentists with the RAF or can enter after qualifying
physical education officers need a relevant degree
training officers must have a degree or a professional qualification
catering officers need a relevant HND, degree or professional qualification.
Applicants must be of British, dual British, Commonwealth or Irish nationality when they apply. For security reasons, there are stricter nationality requirements for some roles. For example, intelligence officers must have been British citizens since birth.
The RAF offers a range of sponsorship schemes for those in school sixth forms and at university.
Applicants have to pass a series of selection tests held at the Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre at RAF College Cranwell, in Lincolnshire. The selection process lasts for up to four days and includes aptitude tests, fitness assessments, interviews and an occupational health assessment.
There are upper age limits for entry. These range from 23 years for pilots to 55 years for medical and dental officers. The upper age limit for entry to most branches is 36 years.Training
Entrants first take the 30-week initial officer training course at RAF College Cranwell.
Professionally qualified entrants, such as medical officers and legal officers, undertake shorter training (around three months) at Cranwell.
After successfully completing initial training, officers go on to specialist training in their chosen branch.
Getting on
Promotion is possible to flight lieutenant, squadron leader, wing commander, group captain and beyond.
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