PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - UK Maritime Patrol Aircraft - An Urgent Requirement
Old 13th Jul 2015, 21:19
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The Helpful Stacker
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Surely the best option for any future MPA force would be a RAF/RN organisation a'la 360 Sqn?

Given the likely size of such a future force how would the RN alone effectively man just the pointy end of such a/c? How many pilots would be required for, say, a 12 a/c Sqn (including OCU)? 40 or so? Where would their career progression be with no alternative multi-engine force to move to?

Wouldn't it make sense to man the pointy bit with RAF crews and man the back end with a mix of RAF and RN systems operators? Front end have some degree of career progression within a wider multi-engine world and back end benefit from cross-pollination of experience between airborne, surface and sub-surface specialists.

Of course this could be just a pipedream, in which case I'll batten down the hatches and await "shut up ex-stacker/Auggie nurse, what would you know?"
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