RAFG Phantom AD Sqns
The strength of the 2 x RAFG Phantom AD units (19 Sqn & 92 Sqn) from formation to at least 1980 was 10 x Aircraft Established (AE) + 1 x In-Use Reserve (IUR). AE were funded - IUR were issued if available but not funded, were often "Christmas Trees" robbed for spares, but could be generated as additional aircraft for alerts and NATO TACEVALs. In those days, all aircraft assigned to a unit were counted in % Combat Available figures during evaluations and this enabled a higher than 100% figure to be achieved. When an aircraft was due to be swapped out for a Major servicing at St Athan, it was a good trick to have the replacement flown out to RAFG first just before the TACEVAL and then if the aircraft due out went U/S it was retained then generated for TACEVAL. The crew ratio on RAFG Phantom units was 2:1 for AE.
Some NATO air forces which relied on TACEVAL results to support requests for funding exploited this (at the time) loophole to an extreme extent. For example, Luftwaffe F-104G wings had 52 aircraft assigned for 2 x 18-aircraft sqns.
Last edited by RAFEngO74to09; 19th Sep 2013 at 18:25.