Climbear,
Agree with you entirely there. In fact, I would go so far as to say that in terms of ISTAR, air power is absolutely fundamental to targeting insurgent networks, and the F3EA targeting cycle makes excellent use of it, ney, relies on it for much of its success.
I just wish that some of the less enlightened 'Brown jobs' could see the same thing, and get past the whole mindset of RAF = utterly useless, delayed AT and 'that white elephant Typhoon'.
That said, if you look at the forces we have deployed on HERRICK, and take out all the support elements - inc ISTAR, SH, AT, eng, admin, cooks, bottlewashers etc (all vital I know, but hear me out) - and look at the numbers in terms of actual prosecuting enemy targets by land or air, then it becomes very sobering and rather depressing when you realise that the entire MOD can now only effectively support a Bde+ and a couple of sqns (FJ / AH) theatre at any one time. And to do that, we have had to more or less mortgage defence for the next generation and get rid of any notion of maintaining a contingent capability. Yes, a rather simplistic view I know, and very rough numbers, but you get the general idea of just how bad a way Defence is actually in these days.