OP 'TIL WE DROP
Just This Once wrote:
Facing a similar cycle for the foreseeable, it doesn't surprise me that those with A330 / A350XWB Type Ratings on their licences will be studying the ba websites pretty closely over the next few months......
Nice cycle of Q, support to NATO, FI then AFG then Q....
A mere 16 out of 102 aircraft are fitted with complete suite of operational equipment; the so called Diamond Fleet!
No?
P
From the Sunday Times article:-
Deep joy - a return to Camp Bastion. That will really raise morale... 
BRITAIN is considering sending warplanes back to Afghanistan, six weeks after it officially ended its war in the country, after two direct pleas from the country’s president to David Cameron. A British general told The Sunday Times that he expected more troops and fast jets to be sent next year in what would be seen as an admission that Britain had withdrawn too quickly.
A senior RAF officer also revealed that plans and costings have been drawn up to send back the squadron of Tornados that recently returned from Afghanistan or a squadron of Typhoons to help Afghan troops.
That sort of deployment would require support from about 70 troops. Unmanned Reaper drones are another option to provide air support for Afghan troops, amid reports that the security situation is deteriorating so fast that it is making the levels of casualties unsustainable.
The Afghans have lost more than 4,500 men in the past year — more than Nato forces lost in the whole 13 years of the war. This year is on course to be the deadliest of the conflict so far.
“We always knew that air support was a problem,” said the general, who described the Afghan army as still “three years away from having their own air force”.
“What’s happened in Iraq combined with the spike in attacks in Afghanistan — and a wish to help the new government — has made everyone rethink.”
Abdullah Abdullah, the No 2 in the Afghan government, told The Sunday Times during a visit to London last week that international forces were leaving too early, particularly as a lot of time was lost this year because of hostility between Hamid Karzai, the former president, and western leaders.
“It is too abrupt,” Abdullah said. “Two years ago we had 150,000 international troops and lots of jets and helicopters. Within two months there will be just 12,000. We need air support for the medical evacuation of casualties, intelligence and fast jets.”
Downing Street last night denied that any decision had been made to send equipment and men to Afghanistan, saying the prime minister’s preference is that allies such as the United States, Germany and Turkey should help out instead.
A senior RAF officer also revealed that plans and costings have been drawn up to send back the squadron of Tornados that recently returned from Afghanistan or a squadron of Typhoons to help Afghan troops.
That sort of deployment would require support from about 70 troops. Unmanned Reaper drones are another option to provide air support for Afghan troops, amid reports that the security situation is deteriorating so fast that it is making the levels of casualties unsustainable.
The Afghans have lost more than 4,500 men in the past year — more than Nato forces lost in the whole 13 years of the war. This year is on course to be the deadliest of the conflict so far.
“We always knew that air support was a problem,” said the general, who described the Afghan army as still “three years away from having their own air force”.
“What’s happened in Iraq combined with the spike in attacks in Afghanistan — and a wish to help the new government — has made everyone rethink.”
Abdullah Abdullah, the No 2 in the Afghan government, told The Sunday Times during a visit to London last week that international forces were leaving too early, particularly as a lot of time was lost this year because of hostility between Hamid Karzai, the former president, and western leaders.
“It is too abrupt,” Abdullah said. “Two years ago we had 150,000 international troops and lots of jets and helicopters. Within two months there will be just 12,000. We need air support for the medical evacuation of casualties, intelligence and fast jets.”
Downing Street last night denied that any decision had been made to send equipment and men to Afghanistan, saying the prime minister’s preference is that allies such as the United States, Germany and Turkey should help out instead.
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How come the military leaders never speak out? Whether it's poor equipment, illegal BS wars, lack of goal, poor funding etc
I bet they're worried about the pensions and their next jobs.
W@nker$
I bet they're worried about the pensions and their next jobs.
W@nker$
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As a very old ex resident of Akrotiri, after the Turkish invasion and most squadrons had gone home, Akrotiri was a great posting! Nobody seemed to know how long we were staying, messing was excellent, and It was one of the better postings even then. I'm horrified at the descriptions of the present day Akrotiri I've read here, it sounds very run down! Slipping standards are one thing but this sounds like a waterfall!
When PAYD was first mooted I was all for it as our then shift patterns meant we were paying for meals we weren't having. It seemed a good idea then, but I'm sure if wed known what it would have led to I'm sure we wouldn't have been that eager!
The first PAYD civilian run Airmens Mess that I met was at Northolt and it wasn't all that clever after being used to having a fully staffed catering squadron, I do remember the small portions and slow service! I can well believe that there was no hot food for shift workers at a privatised Akrotiri, they didn't have any either when we were working a night shift at Northolt. Its all contracts and profit margins instead of the service we were used to.
That's it Geriatric grump over.
When PAYD was first mooted I was all for it as our then shift patterns meant we were paying for meals we weren't having. It seemed a good idea then, but I'm sure if wed known what it would have led to I'm sure we wouldn't have been that eager!
The first PAYD civilian run Airmens Mess that I met was at Northolt and it wasn't all that clever after being used to having a fully staffed catering squadron, I do remember the small portions and slow service! I can well believe that there was no hot food for shift workers at a privatised Akrotiri, they didn't have any either when we were working a night shift at Northolt. Its all contracts and profit margins instead of the service we were used to.
That's it Geriatric grump over.
Last edited by Bill4a; 7th Dec 2014 at 12:37. Reason: too many commas
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Admit it chaps, the modern RAF isn't really a part of the MoD. Merely a self licking lollipop that attempts to portray itself as the most important justification as to why it still requires a huge budget to ensure Britain remains free and the other two services should be subsumed to create an uber-Air Force
I worked very much Tri-Service for most of my career. Whilst the Army has some excellent people, it suffers from self-justification, not invented here syndrome and too many thrusting Colonels (or Cap Badge Mentality) for it's own good. Too many people also thinking that tough conditions breed better results. They don't. They just wear people out far quicker and degrade their performance. Any fool can be uncomfortable.
The sarnies saga takes me back to an exercise in Germany in the mid seventies.
After over a week of appalling weather and living on compo the squadron morale wasn't great.
The cook was getting sick and tired of the whining and headed of to complain to the CO or so we thought.
Nothing was said but the following day the CO appears with the cook in tow. All the pax seats were removed from an aircraft and the CO and cook launched off.
On their return we off loaded a stack of hay box's (alloy food containers) full of steaks, pork chops and other goodies.
For one day only but nevertheless a major boost to morale. Maybe we just had a better class of officer in those days and also a fine cook.
After over a week of appalling weather and living on compo the squadron morale wasn't great.
The cook was getting sick and tired of the whining and headed of to complain to the CO or so we thought.
Nothing was said but the following day the CO appears with the cook in tow. All the pax seats were removed from an aircraft and the CO and cook launched off.
On their return we off loaded a stack of hay box's (alloy food containers) full of steaks, pork chops and other goodies.
For one day only but nevertheless a major boost to morale. Maybe we just had a better class of officer in those days and also a fine cook.
My terms and conditions that I signed up to have been altered beyond all recognition, I wasn't told that my entire career would be ops in the Middle East...
If you joined up before 11/09/2001 then who knew to inform you? If you joined up after, then it wouldn't have taken a rocket scientist to have guessed where you'd be spending most of your time.
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Well, Arrse have over forty pages of comical piss takes and abuse.....
Well done lads, the RAF now look even closer to what was it?
Ah, yes.
The militant wing of EasyJet.
Command screw ups aside, how low have we sunk that the NCO's can't organise hot food themselves present a sarcastic invoice to the MoD.....
Improvise gents, ship out a BBQ, do something.......
Any fool can be uncomfortable.
Well done lads, the RAF now look even closer to what was it?
Ah, yes.
The militant wing of EasyJet.
Command screw ups aside, how low have we sunk that the NCO's can't organise hot food themselves present a sarcastic invoice to the MoD.....
Improvise gents, ship out a BBQ, do something.......
Any fool can be uncomfortable.
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RAF Fayid in the Suez Canal Zone, 1950's, such poor catering in the Airmen's Mess that there was a 'Boycott-Meals Strike'. Staff from the Woes 'n Joes Mess transferred, meals at W&J's suffered. Two enterprising mess members organised an evening catering establishment (a hut) which sold freshly-cooked egg sarnies at competitive prices. Problem solved!
Well, Arrse have over forty pages of comical piss takes and abuse.....
They need to be very careful when casting aspersions over future relevance - there's only so many times you can 'deploy' to Salisbury Plain or BATUS in the absence of anything else to do
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So, nearly 50 pages of discussion after one letter from one serviceman - and reading between the lines in the BBC article it was possibly a note home shared with the BBC by the recipient. I just hope that anyone piling in to the "bunch of whingers" camp has never dripped themselves in a letter or call home. 