Originally Posted by pr00ne
BillHicksRules,
Sorry BHR, but the Fleet Air Arm is just a nickname, it does NOT exist. It started out as the Royal Naval Air Service, it was then merged with the RFC to form the RAF, who deigned to call the tiny rump of embarked airpower they retained the “Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force.” This is where the nickname originates.
Show me an “Officer Commanding FAA” or a “Senior Flag Officer FAA”, or indeed ANY RN command slot with the letters FAA in it. What is the title of the professional head of this mythical Fleet Air Arm? Isn’t it something like Commodore Maritime Aviation? There isn’t even a Naval Air Command anymore for a Flag Officer Naval Air Command to lord it over.
Your fixed wing airpower is an integral part of No.1 Group, which is an integral part of ROYAL AIR FORCE Strike Command, stationed at ROYAL AIR FORCE Cottesmore, flying ex-RAF aircraft in Squadrons containing RAF air and ground crew, it’s called Joint Force Harrier.
4 of your helicopter squadrons are part of the JOINT Helicopter Command, which is an integral part of the British Army Land Command, with a tri-service HQ stationed at an Army barracks in Wiltshire.
The training organisation is joint and about to become the largely civilian operated MFTS, the training of technicians is about to become joint at either RAF St.Athan or RAF Cosford,
You have two airfields, one of which is about to be invaded by a large part of either the RAF SH force or the AAC to fill the vacuum created by the departure of the Sea Harrier units.
So, IF there is such a mythical thing as the FAA, it must consist of a couple of Merlin squadrons with 4 whirly things each, a small deployable Merlin outfit, the Lynx Squadron, and a Sqn flying some inflatable bags, some Fleet Air Arm!
Navaleye,
Of those 200+ “flying machines” the RN controls only those elements in the last para above. ALL of the rest are under either RAF or Army command.
Nurse,
You are living in the past, just where is the airborne threat to the Royal Navy today or in the foreseeable future? Look at the sort of campaigns we are fighting today, not one of them sees the need for a self defending aircraft carrier. Not one of them sees any kind of airborne threat whatsoever. What ALL of them need is the ability to mount precision attacks in support of land forces, hence the GR9/9A.
brickhistory,
The F-35 is for “days ahead” but in the foreseeable future there is NO conceivable scenario where we would be faced with a need for the SHAR, not one.
Pr00ne I seam to remember a certain defence secretary making similar claims about 1982 he was very quickly out of a job unfortunatley so where alot of sailors and soldiers because they were DEAD. Killed by an airforce that was not identified as a real threat. A navy denied proper air defence because our Conventional carriers were withdrawn and their airships had claimed they could protect the fleet across the world. Well the RAF couldn't then and can't now. The Harrier GR9 is a superb ground attack platform but it lacks the capability to provide anything bu close air Defence. with the Radar and missile systems from the F/A2 at least there would have been some BVR capability and Pilots wouldn't have to put themselves at greater risk or allow a potential enemey closer to a Task group.
And Yes The UK may have to send a Task Group to some god forsaken corner of the world to look after our citizens or our national interest. Relying on others has been shown in the past and the present to be a very dangerous thing to do. Where was the international support for the Royal Navy and the Army in Sierra Leone. The Next area we may have to intervene in an area by our selves may they have a credible air force and if it don't suit Uncle Sam he won't be there and the same can be said for our EU allies. And if we can't get dip clearences to base the RAF close by our sailors and soldiers and now airmen will be left vulnerable ( yes i know there were air force personel with the task force in 82)
And This may all happen before F35 and the CVF's are in service (If they ever get into service).
And Yes Naval Air and Army air assets now fall into the RAF because it make Finical sense some of the comments on this forum show that both serving and retired of the RAF don't appear to understand what the Other services need certain equipments for or how they use them in the battlespace. The sooner that thease orginisations are either made properly Joint or the RAF looses descision making control over them the better. I was at a mess function where I heard an RAF officer lamenting the ground attack abilities of sea harrier pilots when pushed on the point he failed to remember their primary role was airdefence. And in my workings with the RAF I have tended to find this Light Blue First mentality.