Group (air force unit)

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For some other uses of the word "group" please see Group

Group is a term used by different air forces for a unit of command. The size of this unit varies considerably between different countries. The terms group and wing are used differently in different air forces, and this can cause confusion.

In the French Armée de l'Air, a groupe equates a squadron. This is also the usage in the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps. In the U.S. forces, several groups form a wing.

In the Royal Air Force and most other Commonwealth air forces, a group is a larger unit, made up of several wings, and directly subordinate to a command (or, historically, to a tactical air force). When the RAF was formed, an officer with the rank of Group Captain (equivalent to Colonel) commanded such a unit, although they have been commanded by Air Vice-Marshals since before the Second World War.

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