Originally Posted by
Madbob
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.
Good point. However in 1964, under Plan Addington, Coastal, Transport, Bomber and Fighter Coommands, together with Canberras from RAF G, all flowed through NEAF and MEAF to reinforce FEAF in Confrontation with Indonesia. A fair chunk of inventory was already in theatre as FEAF and included Javelin, Canberra, transport and helicopter sqns.
We also didn't have all our eggs in one basket. [in 1970 - 1976] 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.
But by then we were already placing all the baskets in UK and Europe.
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
Actually having studied the Confrontation, similar arguments applied then too with MOD requesting and the cabinet finally approving deployment. Even after the 'off' we were held back in Aden as they belatedly realised the FEAF bases were becoming overloaded and vulnerable to attack.
So for out and out power projection the 1960s was one pinacle. In terms of modern jets the 1970s was clearly a contender wit aircraft still ordered in significant numbers.