Within the British Royal Air Force (RAF), armourers are considered the most specialized of any trade. After spending an initial phase of generic training at RAF Halton with the majority other non commissioned trainees they transfer to DCAE Cosford for their trade specific training. Once qualified they can find themselves employed on a wide variety of tasks including non trade specific jobs such as the flight line servicing of aircraft. As well as sweeping bomb dumps, painting boxes,various other shit jobs, prepping, maintaining and loading aircraft bombs, missiles and aircraft assisted escape systems they are also responsible for the maintenance of explosive release systems and small arms within station armouries like the L85A2 (SA80), 9mm Browning pistol and the GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun). Armourers can also volunteer to specialize in Explosive Ordnance Disposal and are often employed on the front line of conflicts clearing airfields form any unexploded ordnance (UXO). They can also work alongside their army equivalents the Ammunition Technician or ATO helping to deal with Improvised explosive devices . The founder of the RAF Lord Trenchard held the armourer in high esteem and was quoted saying "The armourer, without him there is no need for an airforce".

Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving RAF Armourers

"i am looking for any raf armourers who served at raf hockering between 1954 &1956 who was at the christmas 1955 dinner and dance i have a photo with a few of the lads, there is only a couple of names i recall"

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