I started this thread but would question the RAF's ability to project and sustain the air power it once had. 1970 - 1976 is my best guess as when the RAF could really spread its wings across the world. Not only were there "teeth" but also air transport assets to support deployed ops and an MU infrastructure to make repairs and mods to ac in service. (We could have done with that kind of capability to return a certain E3 to service sooner recently.)
We also didn't have all our eggs in one basket. Harriers, Jags and Buccs had the attack roles, Phantoms and Lightnings had air defence (backed up by Hunters for point defence) and Canberras had recce and ECM duties. The V force was still pretty potent and the Nimrod fleet (46 airframes) was supreme in ASW. The Herc and VC10 fleets were still pretty youthful and not totally past their sell by dates as now. We even still had Belfasts, Argosys, Andovers and Britannias not to mention Devons, Pembrokes and HS125s for light communications. There might still have been the odd Twin Pioneer which was pretty useful in certain sandy places....
Pumas were in the inventory from 1971 and the Wessex was also doing excellent work on the SH side. Granted, medium/heavy lift assets were missing.
Nowadays, one gets the impression that a commander before deciding to launch a mission against Terry has to determine what the mission will cost, and get the Treasury to agree to paybefore take off!
Can't begin to imagine how we can win a war like that, or imagine Churchill telling to Montgomery to use fewer shells in the barrage that preceded the battle of el Alamein.....
MB