Most people forget about them, because they are not as famous, but my Dad was with them, and I know that they are good, damn good. The RAF Regiment is the Royal Air Force's own specialist corps of ground warfare specialists. The Royal Navy has the Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force has the RAF Regiment.
Although they look like soldiers on the outside, the members of the RAF Regiment belong to, and are an integral part of, the Royal Air Force. The RAF Regiment is approximately 3000 strong and is generally formed into Squadrons of 100 to 150 personnel. Their basic job is to provide ground support for the choppers and jets. The RAF Regiment has 5 Field Squadrons, these are responsible for the defence of RAF installations from attack by enemy ground forces. One of the Field Squadrons, No 2 Squadron, has a parachute capability.
The RAF Regiment also has 4 Ground Based Air Defence Squadrons. These squadrons provide the anti-aircraft defence for RAF assets. They are equipped with the Rapier (Field Standard 'C') surface-to-air missile system, which is probably the most advanced system of its type in the world (and look really cool!). There is also an Auxiliary Squadron, No 2623 Squadron, based at Royal Air Force Honington in Suffolk.
In recent years units have served in Bosnia and most recently in Kosovo. Individuals are serving world wide, wherever RAF aircraft operate. A small number of selected personnel are working with the United Nations on peace keeping tasks in Sierra Leone, East Timor, Kuwait and Georgia.
So don't forget them!!