Originally Posted by
Lima Juliet
MPN11
i think the RAF lost the plot when they kept the Field Sqns of the RAF Regt but gave the Rapier SHORAD to the Royal Artillery. It should have been the other way around with the Infantry charged with ground-based defence of our airfield and the RAF doing SHORAD. Quite how we have kept the Regt is quite shocking really and we really the UK needs to go back to basics on its military:
1. If it floats on or in the sea then it is Royal Navy - I would include the Royal Marines in that, but no FAA.
2. If it lives in ditches then it is the Army - no Watchkeeper, Wildcat or Apache but get the RAF Regt.
3. If it flies it is Royal Air Force - no Regt.
Nice and simple. Seeing the Army fixed wing assets coming to the RAF and losing the BD to the Army is a step in the right direction in my humble opinion.
The RA already had Rapier. It was introduced to the RA and RAF at the same time. I think the RAF Regt beat the RA by a month or two to be the first unit to field it, but essentially in 1972, both RA and RAF Regt had Rapier in service. Their roles however were different; RAF Regt defending airfields, RA defending Armd Divs.
So the RAF Regt didn't "give" the system to the RA, it was just withdrawn from the RAF Regt.
Can't say I agree the Infantry should defend airfields either; much better to have a limited-role force to do that, than try and re-focus an infantry battalion on airfield defence when they may have been Armd Inf in Warrior on the last tour, or even Public Duties. It'd be like saying the RAF should use its SH aircrew for Apaches. Or Apache crew on SH, for that matter.
In some cases, operating in other environments (Land/Sea/Air) is advantageous for a force. I don't think the USMC would give up their "organic air" very easily.
One just needs to find the funding
