That's correct, engineers are currently a closer wolf at the door, but pilots are not far behind. It's impossible to give hard statistics without compromising protected information, but let's just say both engineer manning and pilot manning, particularly experienced instructors, is having operational effect. The people who are staying are being pushed further than they ever have before and will eventually burn out or give up. The equipment programme in the RAF front line is indeed expanding greatly, but the personnel element of that growth has been completely overlooked in resourcing. Extra typhoon squadron? Great, where's the pilots? Where's the engineers? Extra life extension for C130J, ditto. I'm sure there are parallels in rotary land too, but they are probably being masked by the offloading of Merlin and SAR. The cynic in me could suggest that adding these un-resourced squadrons does seem to allow SO1 and SO2 appointments to continue to grow, whilst not doing anything to increase overall capability, in fact I could say its reducing it. I don't know if you've ever tried to make an inverse pyramid stand up, but it's pretty difficult and very easy to push over. It is somewhat worrying that that is the shape our force is starting to resemble. And who will carry the can for these woeful decisions? Air Vice Marshall (Ret'd) Sir Doing-very-nicely-thank-you on his protected pension? Lord Self-Serving Narcissist, former Defence Secretary? Don't think so... It will be all too late anyhow when they find themselves with a garage full of new toys and no-one left to maintain or operate them. There'll still be plenty of people to run Equality and Inclusivity seminars and Fire Safety Briefs though, as long as it isn't on a Friday of course. Oh, and good job we made all those flying training students redundant a couple of years back...