Andrewn,
I was intending not to get into any debate on the detail of any future SDSR, but I will certainly agree with you that although DE&S/EP and DIO/Infra may be the panacea for what appears to be inevitable deep cuts, it is as you rightly point out the PEOPLE that require the greatest strategic review and rapid tactical implementation over the next 5 years.
If not you can have all the equipment in the world, but as both history and doctrine records that equipment alone does not make a war fighting force.
How an SDSR does put people as it's number two priority, second to saving money, is a question too great for this small brain.
Back into my comfort zone of RW, I would like to explore your rationale behind your comments below:
I'd call in ASCENT/MFTS for "review" - of course we need a high quality training system that maximises efficiencies but I'm not convinced this creeping civilianisation is the way forward
I'd remove a good handful of Chinooks from service (12-15), and look to rationalise basing of the RW fleet - look at all options including closing Odiham/Benson and centralising on Boscombe Down!
Agreed about MFTS, with as seen on previous threads all of the money already spent on the FJ system, and the DHFS contract being extended to compensate for the current MFTS RW programme delays.
So what is your strategic MFTS solution, that will either appeal (I.e. Gain agreement) to our Service chiefs, politicians, or financially - sadly as already established anything that has adding value or operational capability as its main tenet will not make first screening I fear.
As to your suggestion of removing a handful of wokkas, without appearing partisan.....why? Will our requirement for future tactical lift and air mobility reduce in the coming 5 years, or are we expecting our newly recruited Reservists to walk?
As to rationalisation, brilliant idea and there are 2 factors where I personally believe this has failed in previous studies (BELVEDERE and others), namely single Service protectionism (all those potential career pathways stopped in an instant) and the real costs of actually building new stuff (is there anywhere out there where 3 of our bases can merge and all our RW just walk on in cost neutral basis or with savings (and do not forget it is not purely aircraft space, but sims, MQs, accommodation, office space - even if economy of scale was achieved with Medical, MT, etc).
I look forward to your thoughts.
Last edited by MaroonMan4; 3rd Jan 2015 at 17:38.