Telegraph - RAF bare bones article

[tucumseh]

It disgusts me the way the BBC continue to pander to Graydon. After his LIES on Mull of Kintyre, he should have the decency to crawl under a rock. Anything he utters is forever tainted.

[LowObservable]

Just as well the MoD's already sunk a billion into new FJ...

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft: 2 Jul 2014: Hansard Written Answers - TheyWorkForYou

[Valiantone]

Perhaps the government might actually wake up and smell the coffee?

Then again, I doubt it

V1

[5 Forward 6 Back]

I'd take £1Bn sunk into F35. If you want to see real waste, see how close the MOD is to spending the same amount on Watchkeeper....!

[Just This Once...]

Originally Posted by 5 Forward 6 Back

I'd take £1Bn sunk into F35. If you want to see real waste, see how close the MOD is to spending the same amount on Watchkeeper....!

Is it really that close to that milestone?

Perhaps this is one stretch target Wastekeeper can reach.

[Out Of Trim]

Six Tornados, Six? Is that it?

My God, things must be even worse than I thought!

I was expecting at least 12..

Words Fail me, how embarrassing!


.

[Whenurhappy]

Belgium and Denmark are contributing 6 'planes' (BBC-speak for aircraft) each, as well.

[Fonsini]

When has the RAF ever said "we simply have too many assets to complete that mission".

Until the Chief of the Air Staff turns round and actually says "no, we can't do it" as opposed to "we can do it, but we'll be stretched" it all means nothing.

At the end of the day if the RAF was down to just one squadron of tired old Tornados it could still launch "attacks", judging how effective they will be on ISIS/ISIL is entirely subjective.

[air pig]

Sometimes it makes you yearn for the days of GSFG and their friends. The world was a more 'peaceful' place with the superpowers kicking the a**e of their proxies when they got too big for their boots.

The Peace Dividend, don't you just love it.

[Courtney Mil]

Originally Posted by Ronald

Terrifying to think we have gone from 18x RAF combat squadrons plus 2x Fleet Arm Combat squadrons in year 2000 to just 7x RAF combat squadrons now.

Smaller threat to your USSR, Ronald. Don't forget to report it.

[Hangarshuffle]

How it all quickly dissappears.

Yes Ronald R. year 2000, you are quite right- how quickly it all went, and now there is nothing left at all. Whilst I disagree with the present Govts. thinking on having a never ending war with people in Iraq, in year 2000 I well remember having a drive around Yeovilton's south side and having a last look around the hangars before I departed. I counted 25 x FA2 Sea Harriers either whole and ready to go, or with a few in fairly big bits that could have been reassembled in a routine manner by our excellent sets of highly trained and experienced engineers. A reasonable if smallish number of aircrew knocking about, some RNR admittedly but many combat proven, experienced carrier-trained airmen.
And its all gone in a few short years. Sorry, I've nothing positive to add to this thread at all.

[Saintsman]

What a poorly written article. I almost lost count the number of times "Quite a stretch" and " Bare bones" were mentioned.

Even if it is somewhat true.

[Wander00]

I thought they said Denmark is providing 7 aircraft - I noticed particularly as we are off to one of the younger Ws and his family in Copenhagen tomorrow

[Typhoon93]

What's wrong with sending the Army Air Corps in to contribute as well?

It would relieve some of the pressure off of the RAF and the Apache's can also do things that jets can't and vice versa. The US Army are already over there flying their AH-64's. It's doable.

I remember reading somewhere that it's only going to get worse for the RAF for the foreseeable future - by the end of this year there will only apparently be six flying combat sqns. That's not a lot.

[Selatar]

Apache

There is no doubt the AH-64 is an impressive platform. However, probably a step too far for HMG at this time given the need for a deployment into Iraq and increased threat given exposure to small arms and MANPADS. Range and endurance will increasingly be an issue as this turns into an ISTAR soak op in the weeks ahead..

[Typhoon93]

Good point regarding the Apache's.

Does anybody think the government (or a future government next year) will invest in 'cheaper' aircraft to form or reform more squadrons?

Such as the F/A-18 or even the new F-15SE?

How many squadrons are the new F-35's supposed to create?

Not just FJ's, but the other disciplines too.

[glad rag]

Any reprieve for Sentinel?

[ShotOne]

With a hundred or so Tornados, does deploying six justify this outburst? The only thing stretched to breaking point seems to be this guys credibility.

[MAINJAFAD]

Six here, Six there, six hangar queens, Six on exercise, 12 on the OCU (min), 4 on the OEU plus god knowns how many on depth servicing makes quite a hole in of that one hundred.

Typhoon93, read something about the US Army's attempt to do a deep penetration AH-64 raid in Iraq during 2003. They did take a bit of a shoeing. One Apache shot down and most of the others damaged.

[salad-dodger]

Six here, Six there, six hangar queens, Six on exercise, 12 on the OCU (min), 4 on the OEU plus god knowns how many on depth servicing makes quite a hole in of that one hundred.

Typhoon93, read something about the US Army's attempt to do a deep penetration AH-64 raid in Iraq during 2003. They did take a bit of a shoeing. One Apache shot down and most of the others damaged.

You've gotta love these threads. The naive musings of a wannabe spotter mixed with those with of a B&T retired radar bod.

In the words of the great (well, well known) Ronan Keating: "you say it best when you say nothing at all"

Sometimes it's best to just observe unless you have something to add........whoops!

S-D