ABOUT THIS GROUP

Royal Air Force Number 22 Group provides the qualified and skilled personnel that the RAF and the other two Services need to carry out operations world-wide. 22 Group has a wide area of interest with responsibilities for many aspects of training. 

It's primary functions are to provide the Initial Training to RAF Officers at RAF Cranwell and Basic Training for aviators at RAF Halton, to run the Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) and to provide specialist joint training to personnel from all three services. This specialist training covers areas such as Aeronautical Engineering, Communications and Information Systems, Electro & Mechanical Engineering, and flying training for all types of aircraft.

Mission statement

"Efficiently deliver world-class trained and educated personnel, RAF sport and the premier cadet force experience in order to support RAF strategy to meet Defence commitments."

Personnel

22 Group directly employs 3,800 military and 1,900 civilian personnel. The Air Cadet Organisation has approximately 41,000 cadets and 12,000 adult volunteers. Each year, the Group trains around 61,000 individuals at varying levels of training across its 53 sites. A selection of these sites house some of the 420 or so training aircraft owned by the Group.

Always Rising again

What we do

Air Officer Commanding 22 Group sits at the head of the organisation as well as occupying the role of Chief of Staff Training for the RAF. The Group is divided into 6 ‘pillars’, each headed by its own 1 Star Commander.

These pillars each have their own responsibilities in fulfilling the Group’s mission:

Directorate of Ground Training (DGT)

The Directorate of Ground Training delivers RAF individual training and education policy, governance, assurance and support. Composed of Training Policy and Plans, Adventure Training, Force Development and Air Power Education.

Directorate of Flying Training (DFT)

This provides a wide range of courses that train officers and Non-Commissioned Aircrew (NCA) to the high standards needed when flying on modern operations.

The Directorate of Flying Training delivers competent and highly trained military aircrew, Air Traffic Controllers and Flight Operations personnel to meet front line requirements. Comprising Elementary Flying Training and Advanced Flying Training (Multi-Engine, Fast Jet, Rotary Wing).

Defence College of Technical Training (DCTT)

Royal Navy, Army and RAF technical training and education is delivered by the Defence College of Technical Training to around 20,000 trainees per annum through four Defence schools focussed upon specialisations of aeronautical engineering, electronic and mechanical engineering, marine engineering, and communications and information systems engineering. The Schools are located across six sites with Royal Navy training being delivered at HMS SULTAN in Gosport, Army and Royal Marine training at MOD Lyneham and Blandford Garrison, and RAF training at RAF Cosford, MOD St Athan and RAF Digby.   DCTT provides initial training to Service personnel entering the Armed Forces in the engineering trades, and delivers development training to qualified engineers throughout their careers. 

Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC)

The RAF's Air Cadets is one of the country's premier youth organisations and the world's largest youth air training organisation, supported by thousands of dedicated volunteer staff. Composed of the Air Training Corps (ATC), Combined Cadet Force (CCF) RAF sections, Gliding and Air Experience Flying.

Royal Air Force College (RAFC)

Delivers Recruit and Officer Training, and administers the University Air Squadrons, from RAF Cranwell.

Directorate of RAF Sport (DRS)

RAF sport at individual, unit, Service and inter-service levels and is responsible for providing guidance to volunteer sporting committees throughout the RAF.

Through these pillars, 22 Group works with local communities, recruits and selects individuals to join the Service, provides comprehensive training, looks after individuals’ professional development and helps them resettle into civilian life after leaving the Service.

Commander

Air Vice-Marshal Ian Sharrocks CBE MA RAF

Air Vice-Marshal Ian Sharrocks joined the Royal Navy in 1994, starting his front-line service in 1997 with 814 NAS as a Sea King anti-submarine pilot. The majority of the tour was spent embarked on the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible and saw several operational deployments to the Arabian Gulf and the Adriatic – including the 1999 Kosovo campaign.

In 2000 Ian was selected for fast jet training and he re-joined the front-line in 2002 with IX(B) Sqn flying the Tornado GR4. The highlight of the tour was flying strike missions during the opening phases of Op TELIC. Ian transferred to the Royal Air Force in 2005 and after completion of the Qualified Weapons Instructor Course was posted to XIII Sqn where he again flew operations over Iraq.

Promoted to Sqn Ldr in 2007, Ian joined the 2* Commander United Kingdom Amphibious Forces HQ as a J5 planner. Exercises in the USA and Norway were followed by a lengthy deployment to Basrah, Iraq. Working for the last UK commander of Multi-National Division (South East), he was heavily involved in planning the security for Iraq’s first free and fair elections and the UK’s redeployment in 2009. Ian then joined 617 Sqn ‘The Dambusters’ and flew further operational missions during two deployments to Kandahar, Afghanistan in support of Op HERRICK and also fired Storm Shadow Cruise Missile into Libya during Op ELLAMY.

Ian was selected for promotion to Wg Cdr in 2012 and completed Advanced Command and Staff Course. After a tour with the Air Staff, he took command of IX(B) Sqn in 2015 and twice deployed on Op SHADER.

After promotion to Gp Capt, he was posted to MOD Security, Policy and Operations Directorate where he was Assistant Head of Targeting. His OF5 command appointment was as Commandant Number 6 Flying Training School.

In 2022 he was promoted to Air Commodore and became Head of Flying Training, responsible for aircrew flying training across Defence and RAF Air Traffic/Weapons Controller training. He became Director of the Joint Services Command and Staff College in 2024. In 2025 he was promoted to Air-Vice Marshal and took command of No 22 Gp.

Married to Jennie, they have two teenage sons and reside in Wiltshire. Ian is a very keen skier, enjoys vintage cars and reading military history.

 

WHO MAKES UP THIS GROUP

Stations

RAF Cranwell
RAF Cosford
RAF Halton
RAF Shawbury
RAF St Mawgan
RAF Valley

Squadrons

LVII Squadron
IV Squadron
16 Squadron
45 Squadron
60 Squadron
72 Squadron
115 Squadron
XXV (F) Squadron

Units

3 Flying Training School has its headquarters at RAF Cranwell. The School is responsible for Elementary Flying Training (EFT) and Multi-Engine Pilot Training (MEPT), including Mission Crew (Fixed wing and ISTAR) and Remotely Piloted Air Systems, for all of the three UK armed forces. This training is also offered to foreign military aircrew from selected overseas countries. RAF military pilots and Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) pilots undergo EFT flying the Grob 120TP Prefect with 57 Squadron under the UK MFTS.

On completion of EFT, pilots are streamed to their Service requirements for fast jet, rotary or multi-engine training, according to ability and Service needs.

45 Squadron trains multi-engine pilots and Weapon Systems Operators (WSOps) on the Embraer Phenom also provided under the United Kingdom Military Flying Training System (UK MFTS) Contract with Ascent as the Service Provider. After successful completion of MEPT or Mission Crew Training, the students are awarded their pilot wings or WSO/WSOp flying badge and are streamed to the various front-line operational conversion units.

No. 4 Flying Training School (4FTS) takes RAF and Royal Navy fast pilots from Basic Flying Training (BFT) and trains them to fly fast jets prior to moving on to their Operational Conversion Units.

VI Flying Training School was re-formed at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire on 7 September 2015, to oversee the activities of the RAF University Air Squadrons (UAS) and Air Experience Flights (AEF). 
 
The 15 University Air Squadrons spread across Great Britain and Norther Ireland, alongside 13 Air Experience Flights, operate a fleet of 91 Grob G1115E aircraft named the Tutor T1 by the UK military.

HQ RAF Air Cadets manages both the community-based Air Training Corps (ATC) and the school-based Combined Cadet Force (RAF). Within the ATC there are six regional HQs, 34 wing HQs and 921 squadrons throughout the UK and at five locations overseas.  The Combined Cadet Force (RAF) has 220 units in both state and public schools in the UK and at three locations overseas.  In total there are approximately 55,000 cadets and volunteers, a flying training school and two adventure training centres, which are all managed by HQ RAF Air Cadets (RAFAC).  The RAFAC is a world-class uniformed training organisation which is often used by other nations to model their own cadet forces and it is a leader in the provision of training to young people aged 12-19 years.

The RAF’s Central Training School (CTS) is responsible for ensuring that individual ground training in the RAF is aligned with the Defence Systems Approach to Training. The organisation’s mission is to ensure the continuous improvement of RAF Training; ‘The right training, right.’

To achieve this it provides training analysis, design/delivery, and assurance advice and governance to ensure training is fit for purpose and meets operational needs. The Commandant of CTS, is also Deputy Head of the RAF Military Training Employment Field.

International Defence Training

What we fly

Prefect T1

Training, Current

Hawk T2

Training, Current

Tutor T1

Training, Current

Phenom T1

Training, Current

Juno HT1

Training, Training helicopter,Current

Jupiter HT1

Training, Training helicopter,Current

Juno HT1 (CY)

Training, Training helicopter,Current

Jupiter HT1 (CY)

Training, Training helicopter,Current

Texan T1

Training, Current

Key dates

1918 - 1919

Due to be formed on 1 April 1918, the same day as the RAF was established, the Group was not activated until 1 July that year. It controlled No. 78 Wing RAF and its airfields in Scotland. The Group was disbanded on 30 May 1919

1926 - 1940

The second incarnation began 12 April 1926 when the Group was re-formed from No 7 Group within Inland Area. The Group, responsible for controlling all Army Co-operation work, became part of Fighter Command and was disbanded on 1 December 1940 with the creation of Army Co-operation Command.

1943 - 1972

3 years later, Numbers 72 and 20 Groups were combined and renamed Number 22 Group on 1 August 1943 as Technical Training Command. For 30 years, the group was responsible for similar functions to that for which it is responsible today, before its disbandment on 31 January 1972.

2006 - Present

The current iteration of 22 Group began was established on 30 October 2006, encompassing the Training Group which it was replacing.