Royal Canadian Air Force

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is Canada's military air service, founded on April 1, 1924, when the Canadian Air Force was granted royal status by King George V. As a government military organization, the RCAF evolved from a primarily civilian air service into a major military force, playing a vital role in World War II with over 200,000 personnel and performing diverse missions including bombing and anti-submarine operations. The RCAF operated as an independent service until 1968, when it was amalgamated with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Army to form the unified Canadian Armed Forces. Today, air operations continue under the Canadian Armed Forces' Air Force component.