Originally Posted by
BEagle
Peak numerical strength of the V-force was probably Dec 62 - Mar 63
Thank you. I have turned the rest of your post around reply.
Even in 1984 when I started on the VC10K, we didn't have any mission requirements involving offensive operations - although one did raise its head later and we were somewhat surprised at being involved in something other than purely defensive activity
Though we did walk a tight rope at Suez which was arguably a war of choice. Later, in the mid-late 60s we planned an offensive operation against a 3rd party country. Ostensibly it would have been a self-defence operation with 'clear' military and political objectives and justification, though I could not see it at the time.
This 'agile' or 'expeditionary' bolleaux is a more recent phenomenon whose morality many people are beginning to question.
I suspect that it is smoke and mirrors and a necessary replacement for the pre-70s permanent bases between UK and the Far East. As always, active operations are more expensive that effective deterence.