Ascent will be operating the ac on the MAR under MAA regs and so will be governed in the same way as any other Defence organisation or contractor engaged on a Defence contract.
European Law lays down the requirements for civilians flying EASA aircraft; neither the CAA nor MAA have any overriding influence.
Equally, on that basis, why should wearing a uniform exempt an individual from gaining a type rating?
Historically, ANO Art.145 and its antecessor provided such alleviation. For example, for military TPs assessing a civil aeroplane. For a fully-licensed civil pilot, adding an HP-SPA TR to their licence is fairly simple - but who should pay? The employer or the pilot? Wasn't that made clear when employment was advertised?
Nowadays, the RAF is a very much a minority airspace user. Much that I hate that, it's the truth. So in the 21st century, why shouldn't the MFTS snake oil salesmen be required to licence their civil pilots in exactly the same way as any another ATO / TRTO?
LJ, these days EFT provides absolutely pitiful levels of PIC solo consolidation for prospective ME pilots. A recent case with which I dealt involved a QMP(H) whose FW experience was around 70 hrs, of which less than 5 was as PIC.... Now I hear that 'they' want to reduce that even further.
Whatever happened to the high standards once provided by proper RAF flying training?