Apache Will Be Ready - But At What Price?
As yet another divorce in the AH programme occurs and the requests for Pre-Voluntary Release hit previously unknown high levels, does the hierarchy recognise that yes they will have an amazing capability in the UK's Defence arsenal in the near future, but it is coming at a professional and personal price that far exceeds any materiel costs envisaged in the impending Defence cuts?
Unfortunately, this is where I really hope that the future Defence cuts actually do 'cut' and I hope that we will stop trying to bluff our case with 3 under resourced Regiments (that always end up 'raping' each other for operations) and do a proper job with 2 fully manned/resourced ones.
It may mean that a few less officers get to be COs and OCs, but it means that a few more marriages and families stand a chance of surviving the high tempo of AH operations and that professionally the job will get done properly.
To the officer's, those that are in a bid to ensure that you are seen favourably by your reporting chain, just remember that every 'glossing over of the truth' or every 'yes we will make it work' decision may only be a sentence for you, but will inevitably have a considerable effect on those under your command.