Catalogue description Air Ministry, Department of the Scientific Adviser, and Ministry of Defence, Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force): Reports

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Details of AIR 77
Reference: AIR 77
Title: Air Ministry, Department of the Scientific Adviser, and Ministry of Defence, Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force): Reports
Description:

Contains reports and memoranda of the Department of the Scientific Adviser, Air Ministry (SAAM), later Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force) CS(RAF) relating to research and development work including operational research for the Air Ministry, later Ministry of Defence, Air Force Department.
Date: 1944-1992
Arrangement:

Organised by report number within headquarters branch.
Related material:

Records of the Operations Research Branches which studied problems specific to their parent commands and formed part of the respective command organisations can be found in Division within AIR
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Air Ministry, 1918-1964

Air Ministry, Department of the Scientific Adviser, 1945-1964

Ministry of Defence, 1947-

Ministry of Defence, Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force), 1964-1984
Physical description: 779 files and volumes
Access conditions: Open unless otherwise stated
Immediate source of acquisition:

From 1998 Ministry of Defence
Custodial history: The initial transfer into this series was as a result of the closure of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force) library at St Giles Court.
Accruals: Series is accruing.
Administrative / biographical background:

During the Second World War, the Department of the Scientific Adviser, Air Ministry (SAAM) was formed to co-ordinate research and development work including operational research for the Air Ministry and Royal Air Force and advise the Air Council. In 1964, following the reorganisation of the Ministry of Defence, SAAM was retitled the Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force) CS(RAF). A proportion of staff were allocated to joint service studies and known as Defence Operational Staff.

CS(RAF) and its predecessor were organised into a number of headquarters branches known as Science 1-5. Their responsibilities included future RAF policy and plans, tactics and weapons requirements and effectiveness. The department also had professional responsibility for the work of Operation Research Branches at the main RAF commands. In the early 1980s CS(RAF) was reorganised with all research and development responsibilities being taken over by the Procurement Executive. The Air Force Department was left with a much reduced operational studies organisation called the Directorate of Operational Analysis (Royal Air Force) DOA(RAF); corresponding directorates were set up in the Navy and Army departments.

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