Aerospace Service (UKIN)

Aerospace Service
Úasanidhe Aéragúaith
Himingeimþjónusta¹

Ensign
Command
State	Isselmere-Nieland
Headquarters - Building	Daurmont
Secretary of State	Bríogaith níb hÉamidh, MP
Chief of Aerospace Staff	MRASF Sir Nathaniel Ketteridge, Bt
Establishment - RINAF - RINASF - The Service	1927 2003 2004
Arms
Aerospace Service
Royal Air Force Air Defence Command Strike Command Training Command Transport Command
Orbital Defence Force Space Command Strategic Defence Force (ASF)
Base Police
Budget (USD, 2007)
Total - Per capita	$10.718 trillion $431,270.57
Percentages - GDP - National budget - Defence budget	2.25% 6.41% 34.18%
References
1 See Dynamic and formal equivalence.

The Aerospace Service of the United Kingdom of Isselmere-Nieland (UKIN) emerged from the Aerospace Service Act, 2003. The Service arose from concerns that the Royal Isselmere-Nieland Air Force (RINAF), which, through its Space Command, had been in charge of the UKIN's military presence in space,^[1] would not give sufficient thought to exoatmospheric attack. The Aerospace Service Act split Space Command and the missile wings^[2] of Strategic Defence Command from the RINAF to create Orbital Defence Command whilst the remainder of the old RINAF became Air Combat Command. Both commands formed part of the new Royal Isselmere-Nieland Aerospace Force (RINASF),^[3] a shortlived rubric that by the start of 2004 was discarded for the present title. The smaller RINAF was re-established and Orbital Defence Command became the Isselmere-Nielander Orbital Defence Force (INODF). As yet, there is little interest in establishing an entirely separate Space Force.

Origins

Starting with the launch of Sputnik in 1957, the RINAF became concerned about defending the United Kingdom against attack from space. Due to the limited defence budget, the Air Force gave the initiative low priority, concentrating instead on conventional air defences. With the creation of the Isselmere-Nielander Space Agency in 1963, however, the RINAF began its limited investment into defences against spaceborne attack, leading to the creation of its own Space Command in 1986 and finally the formation of the Orbital Defence Command as a separate entity from the old Air Force, as well as the establishment of an overarching Aerospace Force Command, in 2003.

Organisation

The RINASF is a massive organisation with comprising many smaller units. The smallest independent unit is a wing, comprised of two or more squadrons. Squadrons vary in size depending on the aircraft type and mission from twenty-two aircraft in a fighter squadron to four aircraft in a heavy bomber squadron. With few exceptions, both squadrons and wings all fly the same basic aircraft for the same basic mission.

Operationally, squadrons of smaller aircraft such as fighters and attack aircraft break down into smaller formations. Typically, these are flights of four aircraft, which sub-divide further into two-plane elements.

At higher levels, two or more wings coalesce into a group. Groups likewise have the same basic mission as their component wings, although additional units may be drafted in as detachments to perform essential support functions. Above the groups are air divisions that perform a variety of functions, albeit for a primary purpose; i.e., air defence, expeditionary, etc. Next come the numbered air forces that defend massive sectors of air and space. The last unit is an air fleet.

• Squadron
• Wing
• Group
• Air Division
• (Numbered) Air Force
• Air Fleet

Rank structure

Ranks according to modified RL North Atlantic Treaty Organization rank structure, with warrant officers officially considered part of "Other Ranks" rather than as a separate stratum.

Note on insignia: For enlisted personnel, chevrons are point down, with rank on upper arm, forearm on dress uniforms if warrant officer (upper arm on duty uniforms). Officer ranks in the Aerospace Service is on lower sleeves in dress or garrison uniforms, on epaulettes on duty uniforms. If body armour is worn, rank is on chest. Air Force officer bands and bars are surmounted by a stylised tern with the symbol of branch of service within its claws.

Rank equivalencies and explanations

Several ranks within the UKINDF have different names dependent upon the branch of service or duties performed. There are a plethora of titles based on the generic rank structure for the junior ratings (e.g., Junior Engineman) in the Royal Isselmere-Nieland Air Force. Indeed, there are so many titles that they, in sum, exceed the scope of the present document.

Qualification insignia

Pilot’s Wings
Navigator/Weapon Systems Officer Wings
Paratrooper’s Wings

Types of aircraft

An attack aircraft is one that performs light to medium surface attack missions with precision or unguided weapons. Generally much lighter than bombers, attack aircraft are typically used against precise targets from the frontline to rear echelon areas deep in enemy territory.

Bomber aircraft are the RINAF's heavy hitters, carrying the largest payloads over intercontinental distances. Along with the land-based intercontinental ballistic missile silos, these aircraft form the basis of the RINAF's Strategic Defence Force contingent.

A fighter is an aircraft that operates against other aircraft and may also engage in tactical bombing of surface targets. Most RINAF aircraft, particularly the numerous DAS-2 Spectre and variants, perform both fighter and light bomber or attack roles. Certain aircraft like the DAS-3 Sea Fury are listed as fighters, but are optimised for attack missions.

Interdiction strike aircraft perform attack missions deep within enemy territory. Such aircraft are designed to use tactical nuclear weapons in combat situations should the need arise, and like the bombers are heavily shielded against electromagnetic pulses caused by the detonation of such devices.

Aircraft and ICBMs of the RINAF

• Angrboda B.1 strategic bombers
• Atlantis KC.1 multirole tanker transport aircraft
• Scimitar F.1 air superiority fighters
• Sea Fury FA.1 and T.2 STOVL fighters
• Sirius C.1 transport aircraft
• Spectre FG.3 and FGR.4 multirole fighters (being upgraded to FG.15 and FG.16 standard in 2006
• Spectre EF.12 electronic combat reconnaissance aircraft
• Swordfish S.2 interdiction strike aircraft
• Tiger F.1 interceptors
• Garuda F.1 multirole fighters
• GWS.82 Triton intercontinental ballistic missiles
• GWS.102 Vidofnir ballistic/quasi-ballistic missiles

Historic aircraft

• De Havilland Vampire
• Dassault Mirage III
• Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
• Blackburn Buccaneer
• Dassault Rafale
• Zoogie Aerospace ZaS-27 Firebird

See also

• Rank structure for the RINAF
• Rank structure for the INODF

Notes

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