Firstly my condolences to the baby pilots..
A few thoughts:
Had a relly who was chief poster for a tour. Apparently the numbers game hasn't worked since the RAF was born, one way or the other, mainly due to training systems working on longer timescales than politics, and of course those pesky wars.
'Wars begin when you you will, but do not end when you please' Machiavelli.
It's happened before - a good friend of mine got laid off after Tac Weapons in the early '70s, spent a few years as an Estates Manager, then went on to a very successful career in commercial flying. I'm sure the 'get up and go' that got the current generation recruited won't desert them.
I expect some ruckus if the number of Air Officers doesn't drop though...One hat with scrambled egg per aeroplane?