Are the RAF Regiment an "elite" unit?

[Donlado]

A couple of times this week, I have been drawn into conversations about rock apes.

Some people seem to think that they are an elite unit, though I would have to take the opposite opinion. The Marines and the Paras are elite units, their training is far more substantial than that of the Regiment.

Also, now that the RA run rapier, the RAF Regiment just do the basics of airfield security, aside from II Sqn.

They are good professionals, and well respected by members of the RAF (apart from when it is CCS time) and other services, but I don't think they are an "elite" force. What do you think?

[TheWizard]

Here we go..................

[taxydual]

3 posts. All of which originated on E-Goat.

OK, What's the story?

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Of course they are!

http://i15.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/a2/6a/e55d_1.JPG

[Mr C Hinecap]

This has been done to death on ARRSE as well as everywhere else people take the proverbial. I call troll and I claim my £5.

[Double Zero]

About as 'Elite' as myself ( not even in the RAF, just flown with them a lot ) armed with a hoover.

[L J R]

THe Iraqi Republican Guard were referred in the press as "ELITE" almost every time they were mentioned during GW-1. but alas they were not.....

[Occasional Aviator]

No, I wouldn't say elite, but certainly specialised. What you call "the basics of airfield security" I'd call "Force Protection for the Air Component" - and they're very, very good at it.

[Army Mover]

I think you need to define "elite"; my opinion is that in comparison to the SAS/SBS, no they are not elite. That said, some ex-RAF Regiment guys have moved across to serve with such units and they do have their own II Sqn guys who are a bit special in comparison to their peers; I've lived and worked with the RAF Regiment and always found them professional and competent at what they do.

[TEEEJ]

It's official!

RAF Regiment - RAF Careers (http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs/rafregiment.cfm)

'The RAF Regiment is an elite fighting force .....'

TJ

[johnnypaveway]

Donaldo, been done to death all over the mil web community. Usually by under-acheivers from the green fraternal community, seeking to start what will become the usual slagging match.

'Basics of airfield security' - care to elaborate, in your expert opinion?.....perhaps you have failed to grasp that there is no such thing in a situation the tolerates no failure, as a lapse in airfield security (domination of the GDA), could ultimately lead to a mass casualty event.

99% of Rocks do not consider themselves elite, those that do are somewhere between laudibly proud of the corps to deranged chiselers.

Per Ardua

[anita gofradump]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/docs/internetdickwad.jpg

Troll.

[Airborne Aircrew]

Ahhh... But they are the RAF's only, truly, all-weather fighters...

http://www.hqrafregiment.net/images/smilies/fishing.gifhttp://www.hqrafregiment.net/images/smilies/fishing.gifhttp://www.hqrafregiment.net/images/smilies/fishing.gif


I know, I know... I'm a deranged chiseler who is laudably proud of the Corps who, at times, can be a Total Dickwad...:}

[Heliringer]

The same as any other infantry trained regiment.

The Paras and Marines seen to have the monopoly on the Elite status but in Afganistan the other Line Infantry Regiments are doing the same job. So why are those two classed as Elite.

[Irish Tempest]

By 'elite', i'm wondering if you mean 'special'. The UKSF community uses tiers to define their level of elite(ness).

Tier 1 - SAS/SBS
Tier 2 - Royal Marines
Tier 3 - Parachute Regt & RAF Regt
Tier 4 - Any other man/woman dressed in Green... or Desert Camo in this day and age.
Tier 5 - NAFFI staff

Hope this helps, btw Tier 5 is a falsehood!
IT:ok:

[NDW]

Agreed with Irish Tempest.

I find myself to say the Royal Marines are the 'elite' - but thats coming from me with a ex - marine dad and a marine brother.
The UKSF - no doubt about it - ELITE :ok:

[thedonnmeister]

I'v heard a saying -

When Marines come across a problem, they go around it.......
When Paras come across a problem, they smash the ****er out the way!

I have such massive respect for the Infantry as a whole, but Paras and Marines are something speical - both level in my eyes.

I used to take the piss out of the Regt, but after seeing what they do, I really do respect what they do, its a different job to the Marines&Paras, but equaly important.

[Torque Tonight]

Taxydual,


3 posts. All of which originated on E-Goat.

OK, What's the story?


Here's how it works:
1. Register new username on PPrune
2. Cut and paste plausible threads from another website to artificially boost post count.
3. Probationary status eventually revoked and posts can now be seen without being vetted by a moderator.
4. Bombard board with spam threads for herbal viagra, Nigerian gold reserves, organ upsizing etc.
5. Get banned. Goto 1 with new username.

[NutLoose]

We had a Regiment Chappie as a Bowser driver, nice lad and still rates as the only person I ever knew who managed to loose the Bowser keys in would you believe it, the Bowsers tank..... Ahh we sat up there for hours with locking wire shaped with a fishing hook on the end of it fishing for the keys he managed to drop in there.

:}

[taxydual]

Thanks for that TT.

Oh, about the 'organ upsizing'. I'll vote for that. When can I expect the call?

:ok::ok:

[rogerbucks]

Well, irrespective of the ranking of the RAFR in the 'Elite' competition, my son, coming to the end of his JROC course has been allowed home (briefly) for Easter.

He has worked his ball$ off in all weathers (snow on Dartmoor in April!), he's skinny as a rake, bruised & knackered, but is still going for it; the NCO's on the course are all dedicated (in their different ways!), he was back-coursed after failing his last JROC, but (unlike the majority of those in that group) chose to do it again!

Who cares where they are in the 'Elite' League? (As perceived by others)
A good degree in economics, 7 years in the Air Cadets (famous in his squadron (1414) for cooking the best curry over a solid-fuel stove), but he always wanted to join the Reg & earn his 'mudguards'.

At the end of the day, these decent lads & lasses will be sent out (amongst other things) to help clear up after Blair's phoney war (continued by the pathetically weak Brown), and we should salute their fortitude & dedication.

(Sorry, rant over:ugh:)

RB

[barnstormer1968]

Golf Bravo Zulu.
It seems your version of the rocks is very up to date in it's jointed thinking - A true example of purple forces:}

Irish Tempest. There are a few missing from your list, the SRS, SFSG, Pathfinders and any line regt recce platoons. (from my era, II Sqn RAF Regt would often put more members into the UKSF than any other unit man for man..Just an observation.

From my own experience, there is one very useful way to sort out whether troops of any colour are a force to be reckoned with, and that was were they experienced in combat or not!
The average chap in a Regt Sqn who has seen action and KNOWS what he can do, is a totally different beast from one that has not, no matter how long he has served.
This IMHO is why so many of you now admire the rocks, rather than the old dirision of the cold war days. It seems to have something to do with them keeping your pink fleshy bits safe:ok:

[Al R]

The RAF Regiment is left field. It attracts mature characters, oddballs and its a clever organisation, and in that respect its like the Royal Marines. If you are one of those saying that it isn't as good as the Paras, you possibly haven't quite got the hang of it yet - you're probably the sort of person who also says; 'White cars are better than red cars, everyone knows that..'.

As part of 613 TACP (5 Airborne Brigade) I was happy enough with the rep we had with the people who were important. We never seemed to need to prove ourselves with those who mattered either, and so we all blundered on. That was before messageboards were invented of course.. the e-version of Jacky Door Knockers. So I suppose this business of who is elite and who isn't is only important if you aren't yet shaving as often as you might one day be doing.

[CirrusF]

This is all a very silly argument. Nowadays, there is no such thing as "special forces". Every soldier/sailor/airman in a modern, flexible, responsive, efficient armed force has a specialist role to play. The days of poorly trained troops, whose contributions (and lives) are not valued by senior commanders are long gone.

So what is your measure of "elite" forces?

If it is money invested in their very selective training - then it would be a single-seat FJ pilot.

If it is sheer courage (usually completely unrecognised) then it would probably be the regimental christmas-pudding chefs (ordnance disposal) who regularly undertake their tasks without any tactical advantage or any sort of backup except a body bag.

At least infantry (whether RM, Para or LI) have considerable tactical advantage and backup (compared to say WW1 or WW2) in most though not all of their confrontations.

If it is ability to carry out a complex task under conditions of prolonged physical and mental hardship, then ISTAR/LRRP troops would take the medal.

If it is ability to carry out a demanding physical task on a front-line under continuous fire, whilst relying on others for your defence and being unable to fight back yourself, then RE or even loggies, could take the biscuit.

RAF Reg are just a different category from all of them, doing a different specialist job - doesn't make them more or less "special" than anybody else.

[Tourist]

"Nowadays, there is no such thing as "special forces". Every soldier/sailor/airman in a modern, flexible, responsive, efficient armed force has a specialist role to play. The days of poorly trained troops, whose contributions (and lives) are not valued by senior commanders are long gone."

Absolute tree-huggy, lefty, "we are all special" crap.

[johnnypaveway]

AI R, 615 TACP where always so much better than 613 TACP;)

[Groundaphobic]

Good at what they do...Yes

Elite....er.....No

And just for the record......614 TACP of 5 Airborne Brigade was without doubt the finest of them all...;)

[BROADSWORDCALLING]

Gentlemen.

Notwithstanding that these people guard our airfields.

What the F**k has this to do with aviation.:mad:

I thought this site was all about aircraft related matters.

Shall we now talk about the Guard Service or the Dorris in HR who processes our JPA claims?