RAF Air Command Renamed Air & Space Command

The Royal Air Force has renamed its headquarters from Air Command to Air & Space Command, effective September 1, 2026. The change reflects the growing importance of the space domain to national security and the RAF's role beyond Earth's atmosphere.

Air Command was formed in 2007 from the merger of Strike Command and Personnel & Training Command. It is the office of the Chief of the Air Staff and the overall headquarters for the RAF. Strike Command itself was an amalgamation of Fighter Command and Bomber Command, while Personnel & Training Command succeeded Support Command.

The redesignation follows similar moves by other European air arms. The French Air & Space Force was renamed in 2020, the Spanish Air and Space Force in 2022, and the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force in 2025. The RAF's official title remains unchanged for now.

The RAF has long held responsibility over the space domain. It has managed the ballistic missile early warning facility at RAF Fylingdales since the early 1960s and overseen the UK's SKYNET communications satellite network since 1969. The integration of space-based capabilities into military operations and daily civilian life has made their security a priority.