2 new RAF Regiment field sqns?

[Al R]

I hear that No's 16 and 37 Sqns RAF Regiment are to reform in the field role. Can anyone confirm that? Whilst its great news for the lads already creaking under the pressure, where is the manning to come from, and where are they to be stationed? I hope to god we don't go down the army infantry route and cut the training. Either way, it seems like only yesterday that the Regt was in danger of being canned completely, or its role replaced by the army.

Lucky isn't it, that 'we' are lead by people with such long term insight and vision?

[Green Flash]

Will they be Regulars or Oggies??

[Guzlin Adnams]

You've got to ask how they will man the new units.
Maybe there's a little room left at Honington.

[Al R]

Regulars I think, and stn GDT sections are being plundered (or so I heard). I thought Honington was full, and St Mawgan was being closed. Wittering maybe?

[Biggus]

If you read the latest AFPRB report it talks about the current undermanning of Regiment units (I think it might have been as low as 70% manning for junior ranks - but I'm working from memory), which was the justification for why an FRI for the trade was introduced.

Given that fact, as everyone else has already said, where is the manpower for any new Sqns to come from????

[Green Flash]

If they do strip out the Station FP sections and maybe offer the Aux boys some FTRS terms they might get the nucleus of a sqn but it's going to be very tight to get it fully complemented. Hope they have a Cunning Plan.

[The Helpful Stacker]

Hmmm, maybe they'll repeat the process which led to the formation of the RAF Regiment and stitch a few 'guins with a non-trade specific duties tour or two?

[claude liardet]

This is a little bit premature chaps: to get back to the original question at the top of the thread, all of this is still just options in the planning round, and therefore very very far from being a done deal. What is the case is that the last 2 Rapier squadrons (15 and 26) are due to disband on 31 March. If an extra field squadron was to be formed, that's an obvious bulk of the manpower requirement, plus space to put them. So THS, I don't think you need to worry!

If more than 1 squadron is formed the second would not be able to stand up immediately. Newly created posts are not funded for at least the first year (could be longer, I'm not an expert) under the "Lawrence protocol". It obviously isn't recruited overnight either.

[Al R]

Helpful,

It'd be the making of 'em. ;)

Lots of Guardsmen too, as I recall (not personally of course).

Claude,

Cheers - I wasn't sure if it had been confirmed or not. It'd be nice to see 15 shed the Rarely Automatic Perpetually Inefficient Electronic Rubbish blemish on its glorious history mind, and possibly rerole as a proper sqn.

Green Flash,

Is that what they're called now.. FP Flt/Section? I suppose some type of rebranding was long overdue by now anyway.

Whatever happens, by the sounds of it, something needs to be done. Sandy tours seem to be followed up with a spot of leave and then pre deployment training and deployment again, and again.. and again. I find the army tag of Short Range Desert Group unusually (for them) highly amusing and refreshing in its originality, but casting that aside it seems that for the moment, the boys are working as advertised.

[Green Flash]

Al

Station Regt flight, GDT section, Force Protection - whatever the 'branding/management' want to call them this week. In the end, they are the RAF Regiment and one way or another they've stopped me doing something stupid for many years in many places! Thanks chaps. Sage advice allways worth listening to. :ok:

And I know the pongos call them the SRDG but, as I'm sure they would acknowledge, when you are climbing out of a Sandy Place and look down it's good to know that rock is a Rock.:ok: And not Terry ...... :ooh:

[The Helpful Stacker]

So THS, I don't think you need to worry!


Cladue - I can't say I am particularly worried being as I am now no longer in the RAF.:ok:

[EODFelix]

Paper re this has been on circulation within 2 Group for a while now. Essentially involves re-structuring following the loss of the GBAD role and tinkering with the RAuxAF RAF Regt Sqdns to release manpower totals.

[airborne_artist]

Short Range Desert Group

another of those tea/coffee, screen/keyboard moments :ok:

[Sgt Bilko]

Word from the recruiting side, this year the intake for Rocks is doubling and the year after is same plus 150

[Grimweasel]

Into Trg Tgt(ITT) has been increased from 400 to 600 over the short term to cope. Lack of real-estate at HQ Rocks for the move so Barnham will start being used extensivley for the short term as well!

Good news for 15 Sqn as they are OOA at the moment and were going to come back to disbandment! Now I suppose they are secure!

[Al R]

How the mighty fall. Once. we dominated the main arterial route from the Picts, AND were able to have tea and toast in The Angel while we did it. Now.. Barnham. :{

Glad that 15 might be saved though, what a sqn - without a doubt my favourite, bestest everest sqn of the late 1980s. This though, possibly isn't the place to disclose how Ratboy in particular and C Flight in general once snuffed out Olive Harvest capability for 36 hours. :suspect:

Hark. Is that the crunch of tyres on gravel that I hear?

http://www.desperateseller.co.uk/DespSellPhotos/879827383011.jpg

[mike_alpha_papa]

27 Sqn also working up to Field Sqn from July.

Yes, HQ Rockery is getting crowded and trying to find room to put them all!

[Guzlin Adnams]

There's room at Scampton.......:O

[dkh51250]

Make room at Catterick