Vernon 99,
The news isn't all,
"army this, army that, what air documentaries there have been have shown either SH or casevac".
SH and casevac functions are being done predominantly by RAF crews and aircraft. The RAF are losing the propaganda war because they are still fast jet centric with little love for the 'ginger bastard sons of the RAF', the SH crews. If you think i'm being over the top have a look at the RAF website's Operational Update sometime, you will find no mention of the RAF SH assets working their arses off. Even though the 32 Sqn get mentions!
Fast jet mates are going to have to accept that the days of large fleets of role specific aircraft: Recce,interceptor,ground attack, etc, are over. We as a country cannot afford it. The airforce needs to adopt the use of 1 type of jet to fit the vast majority of their needs, just like the USN use the F-18 E/F for theirs.
I believe that fast jets are essential for the UK military but they need to be jack of all trades aircraft, with the associated reuction in capability associated with that. The airforce also needs to publicise what it does better, especially its role in Afghanistan because if we don't we're going to miss out in a big way compared with the army and navy.
ww