RAF to scrap Harriers
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Many have stated on here we should seriously look at our senior officers as a potential saving. When you look at the bare bones we can embarrassingly boast 126 Air Officers which comes to a grand total of 177 stars! Coupled with 330 Groupies that makes one scrambled egg per 32 SAC's. Seems to be a little room for leaning there.
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Would you want the job?
I would not want to be at the very top of the armed forces at the moment.
The fact is thay UK PLC is bankrupt, very little money is avalable for anything and the forces are a very easy target when the DHSS bill is going skywards very fast, the health sevice can't be cut for party political reasons and we have some games to pay for.
All the goverment departments will be fighting for a slice of a shrinking pie and guess who cant go on strike and talk directly to the press to sway public opinion.
Time to face it guys, you are in for a kicking.................. I very much regret to say.
The fact is thay UK PLC is bankrupt, very little money is avalable for anything and the forces are a very easy target when the DHSS bill is going skywards very fast, the health sevice can't be cut for party political reasons and we have some games to pay for.
All the goverment departments will be fighting for a slice of a shrinking pie and guess who cant go on strike and talk directly to the press to sway public opinion.
Time to face it guys, you are in for a kicking.................. I very much regret to say.
Why do you need a Gp Capt to run a stn ( army units seem to get by with a Lt Col running a barracks )
Wing by a Wg Cdr...Next you'll be saying that 1Gp and 2Gp should be run by a Gp Capt...
Personally I think the Rank levels are commensurate with the amount of responsibility level - however, I do agree that we are too top heavy.
LJ
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Originally Posted by c130jbloke
I know, maybe the 3 new heads of service will collectively walk into the Marxist's office and collectively tell him to go ram it.
We have 5 serving officers of 4 * rank. None of them got to those appointments by being spineless idiots. Is it so beyond their capabilities to draw a diagram for the feckless self-servers in Parliament that Defence capability has been reduced to the point where it is no longer balanced and viable? Cows getting bigger. Yes, we have heard it all before and a "can do" attitude has kept the Government away from embarassment. They must now be made to understand that we are at crush depth.
Last edited by GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU; 22nd Jun 2009 at 21:13. Reason: Lost Count of 4*s
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Many have stated on here we should seriously look at our senior officers as a potential saving. When you look at the bare bones we can embarrassingly boast 126 Air Officers which comes to a grand total of 177 stars! Coupled with 330 Groupies that makes one scrambled egg per 32 SAC's. Seems to be a little room for leaning there.
SAC's can be recruited any time but you need senior officers on tap.
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you need 3 service chiefs because we have 3 services and a referee/manager which is why you need a CDS. If the RAF want to delegate their CAS role to one of the other 2 services as a cost cutting measure I'm sure the treasury would be more than happy to help them 
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We have 5 serving officers of 4 * rank. None of them got to those appointments by being spineless idiots. Is it so beyond their capabilities to draw a diagram for the feckless self-servers in Parliament that Defence capability has been reduced to the point where it is no longer balanced and viable? Cows getting bigger. Yes, we have heard it all before and a "can do" attitude has kept the Government away from embarassment. They must now be made to understand that we are at crush depth.
Last edited by GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU : Yesterday at 22:13. Reason: Lost Count of 4*s
Last edited by GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU : Yesterday at 22:13. Reason: Lost Count of 4*s
DASA makes it 3 within the RAF and 10 within the whole of the MOD.
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But with the restructuring of TLBs (aka STC and PTC into Air - and similar with Land and Sea) what role for the Service Chiefs? Why not make CinC Air Command CAS with the 2 x 3*s allocated responsibility for Ops and Training/Pers?
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Sospan, bore da. You are, of course, right. I meant to say Heads of Service but my 1st para did start “Why the 3 service Chiefs“. From that point, I did mean the 3 Services (3 Heads) and the top Dusty/Stacker (CDM); with CDS being ringmaster of the circus. Sorry if that caused confusion and trust that it didn’t detract from my argument.
Seems rather strange that there is talk of axing the fleet after this was announce in April - surely they can't be that short sighted... can they?
Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Equipment and Logistics | New contract provides support to Harriers
Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Equipment and Logistics | New contract provides support to Harriers
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Diolch yn fawr GBZ.
So what's the answer ? Another defence review seems to be the stock answer to many difficult questions recently asked to Air Officers during various briefs. Its clear to all the uncertainty of the next 5 years is having a detrimental effect within the RAF. Each service might well suffer with cancellation of a major procurement program, its just a shame we have to wait for a general election to unmuddy the waters.
Luckily fighting our corner across 3 services we have 502 Officers at one star or above so I am sure things will turn out just fine.
So what's the answer ? Another defence review seems to be the stock answer to many difficult questions recently asked to Air Officers during various briefs. Its clear to all the uncertainty of the next 5 years is having a detrimental effect within the RAF. Each service might well suffer with cancellation of a major procurement program, its just a shame we have to wait for a general election to unmuddy the waters.
Luckily fighting our corner across 3 services we have 502 Officers at one star or above so I am sure things will turn out just fine.
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Sospan, â chroeso.
Not directly related to the Harriers being chopped as an economy but, in the office, a couple of the tennis nuts were discussing Wimbledon. The point was that a few £M has been spent on the sun-roof that must require expensive routine maintenance. If there was no significant rain this year, would the MoD have it removed if they were the owners and operators? They might need that saving to fund additional fridges and metered water for the Courts.
Not directly related to the Harriers being chopped as an economy but, in the office, a couple of the tennis nuts were discussing Wimbledon. The point was that a few £M has been spent on the sun-roof that must require expensive routine maintenance. If there was no significant rain this year, would the MoD have it removed if they were the owners and operators? They might need that saving to fund additional fridges and metered water for the Courts.
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Just noticed this in today's press too:
Royal Navy destroyer put to sea without missiles a 'disgrace'
So let's get this straight; the RN not only need the RAF to keep Harriers in service for longer than they are needed so that it can support and preserve the FAA, but they also need the keep Type 42s going for a few years longer?
Royal Navy destroyer put to sea without missiles a 'disgrace'
The new Type 45s will not have their full capability "until well into the next decade" which will result in the veteran Type 42 destroyers being "patched up and kept in service for longer" at a cost of almost £200 million despite having limited capabilities, it found.
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LFFC, once I stopped laughing at the quite ludicrous in-service dates, one has to wonder where this very public tri-service spat will lead.
Imagine the scene. SDR10. Bunch of politicians and retired policy wonks decide in a fit of money-saving stupidity to scrap the three services and have one defence force. Shared assets, joint command structure, joint admin and everyone dresses in purple.
Yes it's hot and we've had a few beers in the wardroom tonight already....
Imagine the scene. SDR10. Bunch of politicians and retired policy wonks decide in a fit of money-saving stupidity to scrap the three services and have one defence force. Shared assets, joint command structure, joint admin and everyone dresses in purple.
Yes it's hot and we've had a few beers in the wardroom tonight already....
SOSPan you beat me to it - why do we have a CAS and a CinC AIR. There was an obvious requirement when we had Learning Command, Bombe(sorry) Strike Command, RAFG etc, but now???? Before anyone else does, how about drawing some comparisons with other air forces that are NOW about the same size, but with smaller "overheads." Israelis for instance?
The new Type 45s will not have their full capability "until well into the next decade"
Better dig out the sharpened mangos, Baldrick...
LJ
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The new Type 45s will not have their full capability "until well into the next decade"
Typhoon
Tornado
Nimrod
ASTOR
Lynx
Merlin
Chinook Mk 3 (oops sorry)
Type 42
Type 22 (Batch 1 & 3)
Subs
...V Force.....Sopwith...Mayfly1...Montgolfier.
We need to get real on T45 comments - it was a political point being made. If Daring gets her missiles by 2011 then by my calendar that is in time for the olympics.
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Déjà Vu All Over Again
As things go to hell across the globe…
http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/3421
And the natives grow restless…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/2271140/Argentinas-military-threat-raises-fears-over-Falklands.html
The fearless whistle past the graveyard…
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5991995.ece
http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/3421
And the natives grow restless…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/2271140/Argentinas-military-threat-raises-fears-over-Falklands.html
The fearless whistle past the graveyard…
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5991995.ece