Tigs - while I agree that, from the outside the view may be that Admirals look after Ships and Generals look after Tanks, it actually misses the integrated nature of both the FAA and the AAC in the two respective Services. If you look at the tasks carried out by the Navy (including the Royal Marines) and the Army you will see just how much the air assets of those two Services feature in day to day operations.
Certainly, in the Navy, be it a Squadron on a CVS or a Ships' Flight on a Frigate, the Air element is a major asset/Weapon System available to the Command. Also, numerically, it is worth a look at how many airframes the FAA and AAC have. Not an insignificant number! Given the diverse nature of the operations of the three Services, each has it's own problems/dangers which are best represented by people who are involved at the sharp end of the respective Services. Finally, you must remember that FS includes the education RN General Service staff and similarly for the Army. For example, much time is spent educating cooks on ships not to ditch Gash (rubbish) over the side as Gas Turbines do not take kindly to potato peelings etc! While perhaps the FAA and AAC are used to dealing with the RAF (indeed, even have friends wearing Light Blue) your average Matelot/Squaddie would have difficulty relating to the RAF, particularly being told what to do/not to do by people who may not have been near a ship/tank. Sounds a minor point but just think about it for a second and you'll get my drift. All "hearts and minds" stuff!
"Jointery" is clearly useful when representing things to the Treasury but you should be careful you don't lose that grass-roots experience which reflects the peculiarities of the respective Services. The trick is to combine to win the finacial battles, but not to the extent that the FS aspects associated with a particular Service are lost. Just my view!
Cheers, H 'n' H
P.S. Just a thought - most ships in the RN are actually "airfields" so even the Marine Engineers are directly responsible for providing the propulsion to get the "airfield" to where it is required and then suppling the "airfield hardstanding/hanger" with fuel, hydraulics, electricity, heating, lighting ..... for the FAA to use. Fairly major input me thinks!!!!!!!!!!
[ 17 February 2002: Message edited by: Hot 'n' High ]</p>