Joint Forces Command

[Pheasant]

Did I hear correctly on the radio (R4) this morning that Sir Stuart Peach is to be the chief of the new Joint Forces Command? Or is it in his hat as CJO that he gets it?

Just noticed:

BBC News - Sir Stuart Peach expected to head joint forces command (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14926288)

noting:

The unit's creation comes as the US has shut down its own Joint Forces Command as part of defence cuts.!

[Corporal Clott]

That will be the second Navigator 4-star then! :eek:

Well done Peachy, you ARE the right man for the job...:ok:

CPL Clott

[Birdbath]

Announced by CDS here last week. One of the few at the top I still admire, looks down as well as up. Best of luck to him, he'll need it.

[jindabyne]

Hear what you say chaps; tell me why he's the right man. As an old fart, I ask out of genuine interest.

[Lima Juliet]

Stu Peach

He is incredibly bright, unpretentious, understands the needs of many, doesn't suffer fools but is able to let them know gently and is a highly respected aviator - not bad for a bomber puke! :ok:

I am incredibly pleased that he will get to top-out at 4-star - and that is from someone who sits considerably lower down the ranks. The only thing that saddens me is that he may have been one of the best CASs we never had...

LJ

[MG]

As a 22 year old first tourist many years ago, he was truly intimidating as my flt cdr. It's what I needed though! As has been said, great news for Defence but tinged with regret that he'll not make CAS now. Then again, we're a long way from a navigator being CAS, especially now that we're collecting our Big Issues!

[Pheasant]

but tinged with regret that he'll not make CAS now

Why not? There is no reason why he could not replace Dalton is there? Believe me, the RAF need to rebuild trust at the top, Stu may be the man to do it.

[MG]

The timing's out. He'll be in-post when CAS changes over.

Let's also be realistic: he's a navigator. The top job in the Service will always go to a pilot, it's a fact of life, especially as navigators are approaching dodo status soon. This new job is the best any non-pilot can hope for and, depending on how it shapes up, could actually be better than a CAS post in terms of clout.

[Pheasant]

The timing's out. He'll be in-post when CAS changes over.

Since when has timing ever affected jobs at the top? The RAF are past masters at managing who they have and where.....don't forget Project Trenchard is up and running!

Of course, Stu may end up running more of the RAF than the RAF...ISTAR, FSTA, NBCD, UAV, Helos(?), MFTS(?)

This could prove a real threat to its future!

[Wrathmonk]

he may have been one of the best CASs we never had...

Timing may not be great for CAS but how about CDS. Now that would put the cat amongst the pigeons!:E

Or can you only be CDS if you have been a single service chief first? Personally, it's not something I've ever needed to look into or worry about;)

[Chugalug2]

Pheasant:
.don't forget Project Trenchard is up and running!
Well that's good to know as I was posted to it (in 1971 I think), only to sit around at Old Sarum twiddling my thumbs with all the others (as HM Treasury had turned off the funds) until posted back to flying duties within months (hooray!). Presumably it has moved in the meantime away from Old Sarum, or have they merely recycled the project name?

[Pheasant]

Chug,

I suspect it is a recycling of the name...this is more about assuring survival of the RAF through to its centenary.

[MG]

Timing may not be great for CAS but how about CDS. Now that would put the cat amongst the pigeons!

Now that could be an interesting solution. He's not a pilot, so, by dint of habit, he's ruled out of running his service, but his Defence credentials couldn't be better. I'd love to see that!

[Red Line Entry]

Cat amongst the pigeons with whom? I couldn't give a stuff what branch he is. I want a CAS who can both lead and manage a 35,000 strong, £4Bn annual spend, fighting organisation properly and that goes triple for a CDS - why the hell should hand-eye co-ordination skills be relevant????

[andrewn]

So exactly what "Joint Forces" will be under his command?

Really difficult, from public domain information, to work out what this is all about. Could be really significant, on the other hand could be a shortlived waste of time, resources, paper?

Sounds like even chose in charge don't really have a clue at this time.

[LFFC]

Personally, I think that he could well be destined to become the next CDS.

With all of the parochial in-fighting that’s gone on over the last few years, only somebody that has proven themselves as being truly tri-service in outlook might be trusted as CDS in the future. It’s possible that being head of a single Service might preclude people from now on.

Well done Stu and good luck in your new appointment.

[MaroonMan4]

I agree, I do not care which branch or brevet, just give me a CAS that has the cahooners to stop this rapid cutting of our numbers and capabilities. CAS may have managed a temporary reprieve for the Tonkas in out staffing the Fisheads on Harrier, but he certainly ain't doing very well at the moment; with not only the loss of Merlin (and we would be really silly now to try and push VCDS any further on this I think?), rumours on this site of Puma and Dr Fox's direction for all ISTAR into JFCOM.

With JFCOM being a rotational Joint command we have lost even more control over our capabilities, so I personally believe that CAS is not really doing much for us at the moment.

My money is on AM Anderson when he leaves MAA.

[Pheasant]

My money is on AM Anderson when he leaves MAA.

The trouble with Timo is that he is tarred with the "get the RN out of FW" debacle (the RN are now training and operating their people with the USN and Fr Navy in their CVs). H is also completely distrusted by the politicians and the Army (as is Dixon and others).

I fear for the future leadership of the RAF, their options are very limited and may require a jump of generation to get some credibility back.

[MaroonMan4]

I didn't know that the demise of RN fixed wing could be put down to one man, I would say that his leadership and staff work during a very difficult time ensured the continuation of RAF fast jet fleet. Whether I agree with his (and his staff) tactics, and whether removing Harrier/Carriers instead of Tonkas is a good move for Defence I will reserve judgement (being flogged to death in other sites).

But politically within the senior echelons he played a master stroke. We need the same kind of leadership now, not a 'yes man' that is just going to let the RAF become some sort of fuzzy purple disparate organisation that has rotational commands. How on earth the rumours of the Army viewing Strategic Air Transport as a potential Joint enabler within JFCOM beggars belief!

[Pheasant]

MM,

But politically within the senior echelons he played a master stroke. We need the same kind of leadership now

If that is what you want from your senior leaders then I fear for the future for the RAF as it will almost certainly lead to its early demise - and your comment perhaps sums up the perceived arrogance of the senior RAF (if it flies it must be ours).

Matey, if the politicians "hate" you and the other 2 Services "hate" you then you have little hope for the next round of cuts. The capabilities wont go but the independent air force just might.

If the RAF had fully embraced "Carrier Strike" 5 or so years ago instead of trying to destroy it, I am certain the FAA would be back under RAF control by now.

[Chicken Leg]

just give me a CAS that has the cahooners to stop this rapid cutting of our numbers and capabilities

No CAS (or any other military man for that matter), no matter how big his cahooners, has the ability to stop cuts. it's a political decision and quite right too.

[Chicken Leg]

Of course! They are there to advise, but do not have the power to stop or block a politically made decision. If they did, there'd be no cuts at all right now.

when we need another Battle of Britain style defence of the Nation

You guys need to stop relying on the Battle of Britain to aid your arguments. If not, we should also argue that perhaps we should maintain a stronger Navy to counter the threat from the Spanish Armada! Or maybe strengthen the Army because we never know if those Normans might come back!

[Biggus]

...the Normans never left!

[alfred_the_great]

....Strategic Air Transport as a potential Joint enabler within JFCOM beggars belief!

Well it doesn't exist solely to provide pilots with flying hours does it? It is a Joint enabler, one that doesn't exist in isolation. Perhaps this attitude demonstrates why it should be taken out of Single Service operation?

[MaroonMan4]

Alfred,

No you are right, thank you.

MM

[alfred_the_great]

MM4 - so what do you think the point of Strat Air is if not to get pax/bits for all 3 services into the right place, at the right time, where-ever in the world they are required? Honestly interested....

[MaroonMan4]

And Alfred.....honestly, you are right

I am not one of those PPruners that has to have the last word or end in a slag fest.

And like you I too wonder what will be the final look of JFCOM, as ISTAR being included I can kind of understand, all helicopters remaining outside in environmental Commands I also kind kind of understand, but when we start talking about Strat AT and other Joint enablers I begin to get worried as I personally just see the RAF being reduced as a service and salami sliced into a Joint rotational command.

If this is the 'new order' that our politicians, lords and masters want then so be it (and I do agree that we do what our country wants, and the country has elected our politicians), but it doesn't sit easy with me.

I am all for Jointery but just wonder how far we go under the pretense of efficiency, when in reality it is purely cost saving not capability that is the true requirement.

[FODPlod]

I am hoping to meet Sir Stuart at a naval function later this year and trust his latest appointment won't jeopardise his appearance. He wouldn't have been invited if he wasn't already held in certain esteem.

[BATCO]

MM and Fred

I thought we already had a JStrat AT 'Command'. It's called DSCOM. The RAF's part is to operate the MOD owned/PFI'd element for that stuff going through the JFLogC pipeline allocated to MOD Air to move.

Batco

[MaroonMan4]

So you believe that DSCOM is going under JFCOM?

[BATCO]

MM
DSCOM under JFC? I don't know. But I thought that RAF operated its equipment on behalf of all of 'Defence' (I hate that expression, but accept the shorthand).

A thought on JFC/JFCOM is that it tidies up the mess/rivalry caused by placing airman and sailors who operate some of the nation's battlefield helicopters into Land Command, and soldiers who operate some of the nation's GBAD systems into Air Command etc. JFC/JFCOM could be viewed as 'neutral' (that is until an Army general is appointed ComJFC:E).

Batco