This will help you to adjust to military life. Along with fitness and military training, you’ll learn about the RAF lifestyle.

This course is held at at the Air Intelligence Wing, MOD Chicksands, in Bedfordshire. You will be trained in the basics of Operational Intelligence (OPINT). It will give you a good understanding of the sources of information, and the techniques for processing them. You will also develop the skills to disseminate it effectively through written or graphical means, including the delivery of a detailed but concise intelligence briefing. The course also covers the roles of UK intelligence organisations such as Defence Intelligence (DI) and the RAF intelligence structure.

You will learn about IT applications, research techniques and military mapping which concludes with a final exercise. This will be the culmination of all your training where you will put all your new skills into practice in a real time environment. On successful completion of the course you will graduate as an Air Specialist (Class 2), AS(2) and will proceed to Phase 3 Language Training immediately, or as soon as practicable.

Here you will learn a modern language, such as Arabic, Farsi or Russian to a high level. Following this you will complete a three month Applied Course to prepare you for beginning your new role.

Due to the high-quality training, Intelligence Analyst (Linguists) (Int An (L)s) are eligible to become a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL); the leading UK-based membership body for language professionals. As part of continuous professional development, you will be able to apply for membership of the CIOL at different grades throughout your career.

Alternatively, you could be employed in a more strategic role at 54 Signals Unit or Joint Service Signals Unit Digby, Lincolnshire. Depending on future operational requirements, you may spend your first tour with the Defence Human Intelligence Unit (DHU) where you will get the opportunity to work in both mobile and static roles.

This includes being deployed as part of their unit in support of the UK’s exercises and operations. As the Int An (L) specialisation can be viewed as being one of those at the forefront of the Joint Services environment, you may find yourself working alongside members of the other Armed Services, civilian analysts or coalition partners. At some of these locations you may be required to work shifts which include unsociable hours and weekends but with subsequent stand down periods.

Most of an Int An (L)’s employment is likely to be spent within the Joint Services environment working with similarly trained Royal Navy and Army specialists in both the static and mobile roles. You should also expect to be deployed on an operational tour of up to six months at various stages in your career, which could be onboard Royal Navy vessels as well as with a deployed Army unit working under field conditions. In preparation for these duties, personnel will be required to carry out the appropriate military training.

Further promotion to the rank of Corporal and beyond is on merit by competitive selection and based upon your performance as reflected by your annual report. For junior specialists, some duties will entail shift working. However, as personnel progress through JNCO and SNCO ranks, there will be an increasing number of opportunities to fill day working posts.

Int An (L) will be employed in language roles as a through career priority. There will be opportunities for employment in Int An Operational Intelligence roles, though these will be on a Service Need basis and are likely to be limited. Operational Intelligence roles include working at an Intelligence Cell (Int Cell) at an RAF Station or operational Squadron working in direct support to platforms such as F-35, RIVET JOINT or Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS). Personnel may also be deployed to overseas locations to carry out similar roles for a period of up to 6-months. More strategic OPINT roles are based at RAF Wyton, within the Air & Space Intelligence Centre (ASIC).

Commanders cannot make decisions without reliable intelligence, and as an Intelligence Analyst in the RAF you will play a key role in this process.

As well as management and leadership training, there are opportunities to learn additional languages or to reach a higher level of proficiency in your core foreign language.

Some courses are recognised by universities and may be counted towards a degree. During your career, you will have the opportunity to gain technical or managerial NVQs to Level 4.

This means that whenever you decide to leave the RAF, you’ll be well placed to find a job in a number of fields. You could take on a role in telecommunications, interpreting, analytics, research, media, information technology or the Civil Service.