If you had to cut several hundred pilots from across the entire RAF, how would you do it?
The military is a young man's job. Therefore, I would not be looking to axe at the bottom. Rather, chop the old and bold. Create some promotion headroom and retain the enthusiastic youth, rather than the bitter and cynical on their FRI.
Offer an attractive pay-off and I'm sure they would not have to resort compulsary redundancies. Aur contraire; with an 18-month redundancy package as per the last round, the problem would be how to select from the sheer volume of numbers electing to go.
That we we have young and enthusiastic ab initios, a flow of promotion and a happy group of older bold guys and gals jumping for joy as they leave the disgusting employer that is the military.
Simples.