The Royal Air Force Air Cadets is a national organisation for young people aged 12 to 20. Sponsored by the RAF, and previously known as the Air Cadet Organisation (ACO), it comprises of two branches:
- The Air Training Corps (ATC)
- RAF sections of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF)
The Air Training Corps, to which 1244 Squadron belongs, is made up of independent squadrons and detached flights around the UK. These are run by local volunteers and open to anyone in the community. The ATC is the oldest of the two contingents that make up RAFAC. Formed on the 5th February 1941 from the Air Defence Cadet Corps, the ATC currently has around 900 squadrons, which are divided into 6 Regions, each containing approx. 6 Wings; 1244 Squadron is part of the Dorset & Wiltshire Wing in the South West Region.
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) comprises around 500 cadet units embedded in independent and state schools around the UK. They are staffed by volunteers from the school and open to pupils as part of their extra curricular activities. They can be made up of one or more sections, with each section being affiliated to one of the three main military services - Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force. The training and activities provided by a CCF unit will depend on its section(s). Only the RAF sections of CCF units (approx 200) are part of RAFAC.
The RAF Air Cadet organisation has the following aims:
- Promote & encourage a practical interest in aviation and the Royal Air Force among young people
- Provide training which will be useful in the Services and civilian life
- Encourage the spirit of adventure and develop qualities of leadership and citizenship
See our potential recruit page if you think this could be for you!
For more information
For more information about the ATC and CCF (RAF), visit the main RAF Air Cadet website.
Contact details for all ATC Squadrons can be found in the 'Find a Squadron' section of the Air Cadets website. Other Squadrons in the Swindon area are:
