Royal Air Force

• Type: Muggle military organisation
• Location: United Kingdom
• Owner/Residents: The British Muggle government
• Key Features: Aerial warfare branch, utilisation of aeroplanes

The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the aerial warfare force of the United Kingdom's armed forces. It is a non-magical, or Muggle, entity responsible for the country's air defence. Established in the early 20th century, it operates a variety of advanced aircraft for combat and surveillance missions. Within the context of the wizarding world, it represents one of the pinnacle instruments of Muggle military power, though its capabilities are entirely technological and non-magical.

The Royal Air Force is mentioned once in the series, by Vernon Dursley in his attempt to intimidate Harry Potter. In 1991, while trying to evade the flood of Hogwarts acceptance letters, an enraged Vernon tells Harry that if matters escalated, Muggles would not hesitate to use the “army or the Royal Air Force” to deal with people from the wizarding world. This statement serves to illustrate the profound ignorance and arrogance of Muggles like Vernon regarding the true nature and power of the magical community. He believes that conventional military force would be effective against wizards, unaware of the magical defences and offensive capabilities that would render such an intervention futile. The mention contrasts the technological power of the Muggle world with the inherent power of the wizarding world, a recurring theme in the series.

As the Royal Air Force is a large-scale military organisation and not a specific, self-contained location visited in the narrative, no specific areas or bases are mentioned or are relevant within the context of the wizarding world.

The Royal Air Force is the real-world aerial branch of the British Armed Forces, founded in 1918. Its inclusion in the novel provides a touchstone of reality for readers and effectively grounds Vernon Dursley's worldview in the tangible, non-magical reality he understands and trusts.