Royal Air Force Uniform
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Official numbering
The RAF currently numbers the various uniforms which may be worn. The following table summarizes the numbering:
| Number | Name | Notes on use |
|---|---|---|
| No 1 | Service Dress | In temperate regions. |
| No 2 | Service Working Dress | In temperate regions. |
| No 3 | Operational Clothing | Different patterns for different climates. |
| No 4 | Interim Mess Dress | For personnel without No 5 dress. |
| No 5 | Mess Dress | In temperate regions. |
| No 6 | Service Dress | In warm weather regions. In stone colour, except for 6A (full ceremonial) which is white. |
| No 7 | Service Working Dress | In warm weather regions. In stone colour. |
| No 8 | Mess Dress | In warm weather regions. Jacket in white. |
| No 9 | RAF Music Services uniform | For Directors of Music, bandmasters and musicians |
| No 10 | RAF Music Services uniform | For Directors of Music, bandmasters and musicians |
| No 11 | RAF Music Services uniform | For Directors of Music, bandmasters and musicians |
| No 12 | Physical Training Instructor Dress | Various patterns |
| No 13 | Physical Training Instructor Dress - Parachute Jump Instructor Duties | With helmet or beret |
| No 14 | Flying Clothing | Various patterns. Consists of a flight suit and optional jacket |
Royal Air Force Uniform: Service dress
The RAF's service dress is worn on formal and ceremonial occasions. In temperate regions, it is the most formal uniform in use at present. It remains essentially unchanged from the service dress uniform adopted in the early 1920s. It consists of a blue-grey jacket and trousers (or skirt for female personnel). A great coat may be worn at ceremonial events when the weather is cold.
In 1947, the temperate officers' services dress jacket was altered. The lower side pockets were removed and the single slit was replaced by two hacking jacket style slits. The lower button was moved up to a position behind the belt and silk embroidery flying badges were replaced with ones in bullion embroidery. These changes were unpopular and in 1951, with the exception of the lower button move, the former uniform style was re-adopted.
Service dress takes the following forms:
- No. 1 Service Dress, for temperate regions. Blue-grey colour.
- No. 1A Service Dress (Ceremonial Day Dress), for temperate regions and for air officers only. As per No. 1 Service Dress. Air vice-marshals and above wear a ceremonial sash and shoulder boards. Entitled air commodores only add the ceremonial sash.
- No. 6 Service Dress, for tropical regions. Stone colour.
Royal Air Force Uniform: Service working dress
Service working dress, officially designated Number 2 Dress, is the routine uniform worn by most RAF personnel not on operations. It is analogous to the Army's barrack dress. RAF service working dress comes in a number of variations:
- No 2: Long sleeve shirt with jumper, tie optional
- No 2a: Long sleeve shirt with tie, jumper not worn
- No 2b: Short sleeve shirt without tie, jumper optional
- No 2c: Long sleeve dark blue shirt without tie, jumper optional (certain trades only)
The RAF stable belt may be worn with all forms of service working dress.
Royal Air Force Uniform: Flying duties
Aircrew-specific uniforms are officially designated as Number 14 Dress by the RAF. Aircrew on flying duties wear an olive drab flying suit in temperate regions or a khaki flying suit in desert regions. A leather flying jacket, purchased at individual expense, may be worn with the flying suit but only while the wearer is on the ground.
Royal Air Force Uniform: Ground duties
RAF personnel either on operations, on exercise or in certain formed units wear a disruptive pattern material uniform which is essentially the same as the British Army's operational uniform. In temperate regions Combat Soldier 95 uniform is worn and in desert regions, Desert Combat Clothing is worn.
In order to distinguish RAF personnel from Army personnel, in 2006 an operational clothing identity patch was introduced with the text "ROYAL AIR FORCE" in black capitals on a green background. The patch is worn over the right chest pocket, the Desert Combat DPM dress also features this "ROYAL AIR FORCE" text but it is not mandatory to have this patch whilst operationally deployed.
Also in 2006 a 45mm squared tactical recognition flash was introduced for all personnel to wear on their operation clothing.
Royal Air Force Uniform: Mess dress
In the RAF mess dress, officially designated Number 5 dress, is worn at formal evening functions. All regular officers possess mess dress whereas warrant officers and senior non-commissioned officers wear mess dress if they choose to purchase it. The current mess dress for men consists of a high waisted blue-grey single-breasted jacket fastened at the front by a single link of two RAF buttons connected by a link clip, white marcella shirt, bow tie, waistcoat or cummerbund and blue-grey trousers. Rank, for officers, is indicated in gold braid on the lower sleeve.
The first RAF mess dress was introduced in 1920 and it featured a high waisted single-breasted blue-grey jacket which tapered to a point at the front below the waist. A blue-grey waistcoat, trousers and black shoes were also worn. Rank was indicated on shoulder boards in gold lace. This uniform was modified in 1928 when the shoes were replaced by boots and overalls with gold lace and bright blue stripes were introduced. This modified form of the uniform lasted until 1934 when it was replaced by a version similar to the current men's mess dress. The wearing of mess dress was suspended during World War II.
For women, mess dress currently consists of the same style high waisted blue-grey single-breasted jacket and white marcella shirt as men, a small bow tie and cummerbund and a straight ankle length blue-gray skirt, worn with patent-leather court shoes and barely-black tights or stockings. From the 1970s and prior to the introduction of current women's mess dress in 1996, female officers wore a royal blue "Empire line" dress made of crimplene material with a loose mandarin neck, long sleeves and an ankle length hem. Rank was indicated on a small enamelled brooch worn near the neck.
Officers serving at Scottish stations may wear the RAF tartan with their mess dress. The tartan was designed in 1988 and it was officially recognised by the Ministry of Defence in 2001. The tartan is also worn by the RAF's voluntary pipes bands, although not as part of an official RAF uniform.
RAF personnel without No 5 dress, such as airmen, junior officer cadets and some non-regular officers, wear No 1 dress with the blue shirt and tie replaced with a white marcella shirt and black bow tie should the need to wear mess dress arise. This dress pattern is officially designated Number 4 Dress and was previously known as (Interim) Mess Dress.
