Engines,
Firstly, I agree totally ref your comments regarding the FAA and I didn't mean to intimate that you guys wouldn't pull your weight. I know they are, I know they will, and I know person for person they're bloody good operators. My frustration was aimed at Navaleye's particular comments.
Anyway, back to the main subject matter! I think you've hit the nail on the head in terms of the RN career progression issue. The RN Harrier guys I've met seem not to see any worthwhile career progression beyond cdr rank, and very little past let cdr. The RM aircrew are even worse off. Although you guys are far better than the Army in this respect, I think you have to start moving aviation careers up a rung or two of the ladder so that they are on a par with AWO/PWOs etc. I may be wrong but it seems that right now, unless an officer steps out of aviation and back into 'mainstream' ship driving, he will not challenge for a satisfying career.
The future of the RN depends upon CVF. Yet the programme seems ship centric with less emphasis upon F-35, and almost zero on MASC etc. Likewise you need to develop the associated N2/N6 aspects of supporting a CVF airwing. Right now, the RN has almost no N2 capability despite acknowledging that they need it for the future air wing, and there are no plans to create such a branch in any useful sense. If you develop such factors, hopefully a more attractive career option would develop for aviators when they are required to have true responsibility as an 'Air Boss' type role.
Similarly, does the RN have an equivalent of PAS? There are many who would not want to be promoted out of the cockpit. Is there the potential for experienced pilots to remain flying as a lt or lt cdr and forego promotion? Spec aircrew/PAS has always been one of the strengths of the RAF I believe and is a major retention factor.
In short, I don't think the RN is focussing sufficiently upon aviation yet it's the key to its future. High quality aviators need to see a realistic and attractive future career route, or one which enables your service to take advantage of their experience and keep them in the cockpit.
Thoughts?
Regards,
MM