It was formed on 31 August 1973 by the renaming of
RAF Maintenance Command, with
No. 90 (Signals) Group being added to it. Its responsibilities included all logistical and maintenance support requirements of the RAF. Among its first stations assigned may have been
RAF Gan, transferred from
Far East Air Force. It was renamed as RAF Support Command, and its role further increased, on 13 June 1977 when it absorbed
Training Command, making it additionally responsible for all RAF ground and aircrew training. In 1982, Support Command had an inventory of 500 aircraft and 49,000 personnel, which included 14,000 civilians and 8,000 trainees. Support Command undertook training for all officers and other ranks, which was delivered at
Biggin Hill,
Cosford,
Cranwell,
Digby,
Finningley,
Halton,
Henlow,
Hereford,
Leeming,
Linton-on-Ouse,
Locking,
Newton,
North Luffenham,
St Athan,
Sealand,
Shawbury,
Swinderby, and
Valley. One major function of Support Command was facilitating medical training and delivery of medical services. This involved the control of the RAF Hospitals at Ely, Halton,
Nocton Hall and
Wroughton. Support Command was also responsible for the rehabilitation centres at Chessington and
Headley Court. In the 1980s the bunker at
RAF Holmpton was converted to form a new Emergency War Headquarters for RAF Support Command. In the year before it was disbanded (1993), Support Command had 18,144 uniformed personnel under its structure, spread across 40 locations. In October 1985, the HQ building of Support Command at RAF Brampton was destroyed by fire. Staff had to move into temporary accommodation until a new HQ building was built, with the final cost coming in at around £44 million. The new HQ was opened on 7 June 1988 by the Duke of Gloucester. In 1994 the Command was split up, with many of its functions merging with those of the RAF Personnel Management Centre to form
RAF Personnel and Training Command, and others being hived off into
RAF Logistics Command. ==Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief==