View Full Version : RAF safe (.. probably).
Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con): Given the highly specialised tasks involved in defending our airspace for the indefinite future, does the Secretary of State agree that it would not, in any way, compromise the integrity of the strategic defence and security review if he were to state today, in the week in which we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the climax of the battle of Britain, that he will give no time to the strategically illiterate suggestion that the Royal Air Force should be abolished and absorbed into the other two services?
Dr Fox: In general it would be wrong of me to pre-empt the SDSR, but I can give my hon. Friend an absolute assurance that the Royal Air Force will continue.
Hansard - Commons | Houses of Parliament (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmtoday/cmdebate/02.htm)
Monday 13 September 2010
althenick
14th Sep 2010, 03:58
Yes, but in what form?
... The Royal Air force of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force of the British Army :E
A2QFI
14th Sep 2010, 06:02
Typical political weasel words IMO!
Wyler
14th Sep 2010, 06:49
The RAF will shrink to it's smallest size in history but it will remain. It is not about capability or anything even remotely Military. It is about Politics. This shower have enough on their plate without being the first Government to abolish it's Air Force.
The public will not give two hoots if we lose 4 or 5 RAF Stations, several Squadrons etc because they are far more concerned about their local Hospital, their kids school and collecting what the State 'owes' them. Cut the whole RAF however, and that is a different kettle of fish. As well as the domestic impact it will send all the wrong messages Internationally as well. No Politician is going to risk that now, or for the forseeable future.
The RAF will shrink to it's smallest size in history
.....The immediate post-war years saw a scaling down of the RAF, from 188 operational squadrons and 291,000 officers and men in 1918 to 12 squadrons and 31,500 officers and men in 1920.....
I think the Air Staff should read up on how Trenchard handled the situation (http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/F21C6257_ABD1_7132_E8716B8C2DA98948.pdf).
.....The fight for survival as an independent air arm was a real one and was waged largely in government committee rooms, in Parliament and in the press. Fortunately for the future of British air power and the RAF, the time brought forth the man - or more precisely, 2 men: Winston Churchill, as Minister for War and Air, and Trenchard, as Chief of the Air Staff.....
Whenurhappy
14th Sep 2010, 13:35
ORAC - a particularly timely peice and should be read by all of those engaged in the curretn debate - including our Lords and Masters.
Two's in
14th Sep 2010, 17:53
Isn't that just another classic example of a self-licking lollipop?
"Hey Julian, the proles are getting a bit uppity about chopping the RAF about during the SDSR, do be a good chap and ask me the following question in the House for the record"
"Asolutely old bean, should calm the more excitable one's down for a while."