This is clearly an emotive issue. Suffice to say that the RAF has a long tradition of SNCO Aircrew, whether employed in the front or in the back. The point (and let's get back to something approaching the thread), however, is that the Top Neddies could very well see what is going on at Shawditz as evidence that crewmen do not need to be SNCOs if the training they get is exactly the same as their RM JNCO counterparts... And surely this cannot go towards helping them achieve parity with the Engs and AEOps?
Unless of course all RM Aircrewmen are to be SNCOs in the future like their RAF counterparts as the course they do at Shawditz is exactly the same...
Just a thought.