"The Air Force has very expensive aeroplanes and it has highly trained support staff"
Err, same can be said for the Army and Navy these days actually.
I think some are missing the point here.
1. Mid and lower command has failed if it cant sort out the basic admin for a unit deployed on operations.
2. The guile and ingenuity of ensuring the chaps are sorted by whatever means available seems to have been lost. Maybe that flexibility has been lost due to fighting an enduring operation in established locations expecting it all to be laid on. First port of call seems to be to write to the press. I understand it was a SNCO.
3. How come Akrotiri wasn't supporting the Op fully? Thats one of their roles surely? (Aircraft carrier in the Med captures that perfectly).
4. Early days on a new op aren't going to be easy.
5. 'Roughing it' for a small amount of time is why we train recruits and turn them in to servicemen surely? Sets us apart from Joe-Shmo in civvy street and has enabled us to do the ****ty jobs politicians expect us to do with little resources and funding.