Originally Posted by Ken Scott
The 'system' also made 120 pilots, some already with their wings, across the whole of FT redundant then a few years later invited them to come back in as the RAF needed them. Rather amazingly after such a lesson in loyalty a few accepted. I would suggest that the 'system' is even less able to predict its needs than you suggest!
You may recall that the training system was already struggling with asset availability and some very difficult "pipeline" issues at that time. More importantly, this followed SDSR. Just from the fast jet perspective, the entire Harrier Force had recently been axed, the Tornado Force was reduced and the Typhoon buy stalled. The backlog would have been unsustainable.
Happy to explain further if it would help.