Parkinson's Law plus a spot of rank inflation???
I'm all in favour of culling unnecessary civilian "fat" but isn’t it time to have a detailed look at the apparent rank inflation that now appears endemic across all services. As our capability has decreased the rank required to undertake a particular role has often increased, as has the bureaucracy needed to provide support. For example, now just a maximum of nine Nimrod MRA4 airframes, so taking into account trials and deep maintenance probably no more than seven available at any time? So are two (120 & 201) operational squadrons plus one (42[R]) training unit all really necessary? Each squadron presumably commanded by a Wing Commander, together with a dedicated fully operational airbase (commanded by a Group Captain?) and all that entails. As to rank/role if an ACC Major is able to command an operational Apache squadron why does the RAF need a Wing Commander and the RN a Commander? Particularly as until very recently FAA squadrons were always commanded by Lt. Commanders. All over the UK military there are examples of rank inflation. In the US army a Captain will command a large company in the British army there are many examples of Captains commanding under strength platoons. I’ve no particular desire to reduce opportunities for those at the bottom of the pile, but without a realistic rank/role structure at the base of the pyramid it makes it even more difficult to remove sections higher up!