*Sighs*
Where do you want to start with this one? The grey fleet do very little at all, almost none of it on ops, but because it's painted grey the Navy thinks it's the best thing since sliced bread. They're only now panicking as their budget gets slashed as they're so far from the main effort they need the hubble telescope to see it.
They procured the wrong product, for the wrong era. They're trying to play catch up by putting grey pilots/ observers through a mk3 course, and trying to justify dumping that 'incredibly sophisticated' (read expensive and currently little use) sonar to adapt to a trooping/ ISTAR role.
The Navy conveniently forgot about the Junglies (as they've been handed over to JHC pretty much wholesale) so no one wants to shell out for us. It's only now they've belatedly realised that we're all they have in the cupboard that's of any use to them at all that any help is coming our way at all. Even though it's in the form of quick fixes for a temporary solution.
Don't get me started on the grey fleet, you could burn Culdrose to the ground (excluding 771, the only ones who do anything useful) and it would have zero impact on operations. Yet all the focus, funding and support heads their way.
Sound bitter and angry?
That's because I am. Sick of seeing one of the most operationally current, experienced and professional units heamorrage highly qualified people because they're spending up to 9 months a year in war zones or desperately trying to keep current in arctic or jungle theatres. These are committed blokes who stil, despite everything, love their jobs and role, but are simply not prepared to put up with almost bugger all time with the wife and kids.
*Takes deep breath*
Rant over.