Time to bin the Red Arrows

[Herc-u-lease]

Herc-U-Lease: If you think a tight diamond 9 formation has the likes of say, Jong Il or Mugabe quaking in their boots, with nothing offensive to back it up, then you live on a different planet mate. The only formation they'd be afraid of is a wing of armed bombers overflying their capital, and we lost that capability a long time ago. Even then, these nutcases don't necessarily respect what you have. Nutcase is nutcase. Look at what North Korea are up to despite what the US are deploying in the region. You cannot face up to despots with a red painted flying circus.

I agree to some extent with what you said, especially regarding the likes of Kim Jong Il. You cannot just have the Reds and no real air force to back it up - that would be all mouth and no trousers. A display only team would be akin to the royal Jordanian Falcons - great display but not exactly known as a military power. But as a counter to the argument of the Reds as a flying circus, you can have the best hardware in the world but if you are unable to demonstrate your ability to use it effectively, then what is the point? (think Saudi Arabia; great kit, questionable pilot abilities).

I maintain my opinion the Reds are the single biggest peacetime air deterrent we have. I can think of few other peacetime efforts which show the capabilities of our crews. What other methods do we have to very publicly demonstrate the aviation capabilities of the RAF's finest FJ pilots on the world stage? Kim Jong Il may not think twice about the Reds, but if we came to blows with NK I'd be willing to bet his CAS at least recognizes the quality of our pilots.