Admit it chaps, the modern RAF isn't really a part of the MoD. Merely a self licking lollipop that attempts to portray itself as the most important justification as to why it still requires a huge budget to ensure Britain remains free and the other two services should be subsumed to create an uber-Air Force
For someone who claims to have been around Air Power for so long, you have a wonderfully biased and blinkered view of the whole thing. The RAF has been defending it's position as something other than a sub-set of the RN / Army for aeons. It defends that position against those ignorant of Air Power and it's role(s). The RAF has long done itself no favours in this regard, yet it remains where it should be.
I worked very much Tri-Service for most of my career. Whilst the Army has some excellent people, it suffers from self-justification, not invented here syndrome and too many thrusting Colonels (or Cap Badge Mentality) for it's own good. Too many people also thinking that tough conditions breed better results. They don't. They just wear people out far quicker and degrade their performance. Any fool can be uncomfortable.