Charlie L
Foreign Aid I would agree with, and even the Central band, but closing Scampton and canning the Reds - you should know better. It is a fact that the UK as a whole 'make' more out of the Red Arrows that they cost. It is probably the only part of the RAF that actually 'makes money' in any form for the country, so I can't agree with you there my friend.
As for the rest of your comments, Yes, 100% behind you.
Apart from the obvioous heartache and anger this has caused, I cannot help but think that the airships have failed miserably (yet again) to get the point over to the government on this matter. There has clearly been a big Bun-Fight going on between the RN and ourselves, and at the end of the day, we lost frankly. Who is to blame? IMHO the blame lies on the shoulders of CAS, ACAS, AOC and the rest of the VSO's within the RAF.
You and I both know that what matters most to CAS and his bunch of spineless followers, is having enough of the very fast, very noisey and very pointy things to go whizzing around in (with the odd 'Wirley thing' available in case it all goes wrong and they need a lift home!) It is a fact that the RAF is run by fighter pilots for fighter pilots. But in todays modern Wars, they are simply not needed. What good will/is Typhoon be in Afghanistan? Lets face it, they are only at MPA because the F3's (another BWOS lash up) were sha$$ed beyond belief.
The real workhorses of the RAF, the truckie fleet, the SH fleet and of course the maritime fleet are very much the unsung heroes, and as such continually suck hind tit to most other things. Which is why I still feel that someone at KSS needs to put together a strong factual dosier on what Nimrod has, does and would continue to do and achieve. List individual incidents:
Fasnet race, Air India Jumbo, Piper A, counless fishing boat SAROPS. List the expertise levels in ASW, ASUW, the current ops blah that are the envy of the world.
It is clear that the airships are going to sit on their fat ar$es and do nothing, therefore it is up to the boys and girls at the coalface to get out there and spread the word. And the word is that this country is a lot less safer on all fronts without the capability of Nimrod.
Since flying long haul in civvie street (some very long haul!) it has always given me a nice warm feeling when I am coming back towards UK airspace to have been within 'reaching distance' of our UK SAR assets (which are the best in the world btw) To know that if we ever had a major incident, there would be a Nimrod there available and ready to help out. We now have to get a lot closer before we get that same warm feeling today.
CAS, ACAS, AOC, ALL RAF VSO's -
Your lack of public condemnation at the cuts to the RAF but in particular the loss of Nimrod and the Maritime fleet as a whole, has shown you all in a light that I never ever believed I would witness. Your spineless and gutless lack of comment displays a lack of honour and respect to the very service you command. You should hang your heads in shame because yoou are (IMHO of course!) an utter disgrace to this country.
Winco