LJ,
True, but who answers (assuming they do!) your emails - a blue suiter or an E1 clerk pretending to be equivalent to a WO and yet who displays all the forethought and initiative of a sloth on strike?
Now I know not all CS are created equally, and there are some who do are cracking job; indeed I was fortunate in my last 2 posts to have a D-band at each location who really did stack up to the Flt Lt equivalent many like to portray. Alas, they are the minority in my experience. I get where you're coming from, but it really does fall into the bracket of be careful what you wish for.
Anyway, if it's rumours we're after, a couple of wholly unsubstantiated but potentially credible rumours:
F-35 buy limited to the absolute minimum to generate and sustain 2 sqns, so 25-30 taking into account OCU, servicing, the odd spare. USMC goes apoplectic as its buy is then put at risk and we come up with some sort of merger agreement to create a joint-combined RAF/RN/USMC operational fleet.
To make up the numbers, cash thrown at Typhoon to give a true swing role capability. T1 Tiffies given an upgrade to generate 2-3 sqns of pure AD ac with little to no attack/interdiction capability. GR4 retired on time and NLT 1 Apr 1918 to coincide with a victory over ISIL parade.
Sentinel and E3 to go to make way for new MPA, potentially Poseidon, but sold by as a MMA platform capable of plugging the gap created by retiring 2 completely unrelated capabilities. Originator of that plan 'retires' and gets a cushy job at Boeing.
2-3 further sqns of Reaper, taking us to 4-5 sqns total, with Sentinel's GMTI role picked up by Reaper and whatever passes for ASaC going forward.
RAF Regt to lose more Field Sqns. Gyms either closed down or opened up as local community facilities to generate revenue for Stations who will be required to produce a surplus each year to return to Centre.
Last edited by Melchett01; 8th Nov 2015 at 16:32.