A better statement would be 'he is the first rotary CAS'. Back in the day it was bomber pilots who had a stranglehold on the top job, and in no way can you equate a Lancaster with a FJ! The last non-FJ CAS was Sir Michael Beetham (1977-82), who was a Lancaster and Valiant pilot. Admittedly that's quite a while ago, so a change was definitely due.
Got to agree with earlier comments about the SH force; if we're out of Afghanistan before SDSR-2, as expected, then it will be interesting to see how much effort Pulford puts into defending his old patch. SH will look ripe for culling, and there will be knives out for FJ as usual. Who knows where he will focus?
Well said Easy Street, indeed, there were former Fighter Pilots who commanded the R.A.F. Sir Andrew Humphrey, Sir Neil Cameron and Sir John Grandy, all who flew in the Battle of Britain. What I did find obvious about the Telegraph article was the sweeping assumption that Fast Jets are already yesterday's weaponry and that the remote-piloted "high performance" air system is already with us. But I suspect the reason Helicopter pilots are being selected to head both the R.A.F. and the Navy, apart from the possible positive aspect of service harmony for a change, is for a more negative rationale. This has the thumb print of the Political mind set all over it. Increasingly, politicians and media alike have become very tunnel visioned about fighting insurgents in sand blown landscapes with a tiny Land arm, Sea arm and Air arm all tacked onto a Strategic Missile Force, just in case. What this will mean for retaining or pursuing a greater degree of balance I'm not optimistic about. As much of a good man as Air Chief Marshal Pulford may be, his appointment, at least in Government circles, I suspect is based to some degree on wishful thinking that he may be all the less resistant to further attempts to cut the FJ Section. I would ordinarily say Force, but I feel that's a little grand these days.
FB
