It is blatantly obvious that all 3 forces operate in the air, numerically quite interesting ironic there, but, it seems there is a little less Joinery in the specific roles.

One force is air and ground
One force is air and sea
One force is air and, umm air and, well anyway.... we are specialists in umm, well anyway........

I can see why some might get a little defencive when they have a lot less flexibility, must be quite worrying?:hmm:

Gnd,

You could also re spin that to state

One force is a teeny weeny bit of air and ground
One force is a teeny weeny but oh so slightly bigger bit of air and water
One force is air and slowly but surely and quite successfully taking the air from the other two and a bit of ground and water

"I can see why some might get a little defencive when they have a lot less flexibility, must be quite worrying?:hmm:"

Correct, if you're green or dark blue of course :p

That is quite true but I don't think a bit of clever spin will get anyone too convinced their not in trouble? Me - I am not affected, so knock yourselves out.:8
Just to confirm -
One force covers 75 % of the worlds surface area and the air
One force covers 25% of the worlds Surface area and the air

How is this 'teeny-weeny' again??????

And confirm you are measuring success by the PVR rates as I can see nothing else the RAF is excelling at?

Baffled?
 

'As an ex-Rifleman myself I too am baffled by the continuing exsistance of the RAF Regt.'

Mike, sorry, HS.

How many aircraft do we need to lose on the ground to enemy action, when non-specialists are defending them, before your bafflement goes away? Surely, even you appreciate that as our aircraft fleet becomes smaller and the platforms become more effective, the loss of a single aircraft has an increased effect on the ability to prosecute campaigns from the air.

Couldn't the current role that the RAF Regiment under-take be performed by a similar unit within the Army?

Oh and just how specialist do you have to be to guard an airbase when the British Army in Iraq often has 'blunt' trades going out on the ground on infantry tasks?

Steady - numerically their a bonus. If they are there use them, we need all the help we can.:eek:

Then perhaps rather than eyeing up aircraft that the Army would like to get their mitts on they should stick with what they do best and subsume the RAF Regt into the British Army.

No loss of bodies on the ground and the Army will have control of something it understands.

Good idea HS but I think you added the word 'Regt' by mistake?

Gnd,

I think you forgot to add,

One force fly's the other two forces over 100% of the earths surface, which neither of the other two could could manage without, and operates on the ground

As regards "teeny weeny" surely you can work that one out :rolleyes:

This could go on and on so lets quit while I'm ahead :E

Soz, mate I thought virgin were going to do that?
I think you can have the AT fleet as they are always getting in trouble, a good venture capitalist would strip that very quickly!!! You have it and enjoy them.
PS - I am not sure the Navy want all the fast noisy things but I hear they have to put people in the new one to cover the short fall?

Do you mean Excel Air or Omni Air. Or was it the Ukranian heavy lift force you were refering to? ;)

The Fleet Air Arm invented the tank, so we should get some.

Were not talking about fish tanks!!!!

Not sure if the Excel or Omni etc contract includes dropping 16 tons of much needed kit/food/ammo etc onto a front line DZ, to mention but one thing the light blue do but hey if it does I know plenty of guys that would be happy to leave them to it :rolleyes:

Oh FFS,

This has to be the most utterly purile inter service willy waving I've ever seen on PPRUNE.

We need an independant RAF, and I hope the other 2 services maintain their own airborne capabilities as well. Perhaps if we focused on fighting the real enemy (ie the Treasury) rather than each other, we'd be in a lot better state.

In the meantime, you lot need to grow up.:rolleyes:

MM

... No they didn't - they invented the armoured car - its different :bored:
Magic Mushroom - Save wear on your keyboard mate, it's really not worth it:ok:
AL

Why the RAF Regt?
 

Kandahar (in an area nominally protected by the army):

Before RAF Regt arrival: multiple daily rocket attacks, 1 GR7 destroyed.

After RAF Regt arrival: weekly or monthly rocket attacks.

Perhaps that is the reason?

On aeroplanes again........... I like the big, obvious winding key at the back of the 350. Just right for pongo techies, then.

Point of order Mr Chairman,

One force is a lot of water, quite a bit of air and a lot of ground as well.

Up until March 07, 50% ofthe UK force in Afghanistan was Dark Blue!

50% (supposed to be) of UK GR7/A/9 forces are Dark Blue.
TLAM is Dark Blue
Mk7 ASACS which did so well in Iraq is Dark Blue
The Royal Marines are Dark Blue with a green lid
Most of the Tanks and heavy equipment is transported by Ships, dark blue or red duster.
A huge amount of Light Blue Merlin is flown by Dark Blue Pilots.
All the Green Seakings in the Middle East are Dark Blue.
4.5 inch gun which delivers highly accurate fire support for ground troops and bombarded the Argentine positions in 1982 on a daily basis is Dark Blue.


and a lot of other items that cannot be mentioned here.

A truly versatile force with worldwide capability, operating regularly without host nation support.

With CVF that reach will be even further. With CVF, the UK would be able to support operations within Afghanistan from the sea.

Not discounting the contribution of our light blue brethren. They provide a huge amount of CAS, large SH and transport, but they are not as fluid (scuse the pun) a force as the dark blue.

Oh, and they have possibly the best air display team in the world!!

The only real difference between us Army and you Air Force chaps doing anything is that we can generally support an aircraft with a handful of staff whereas it takes half of bloody Lincolnshire to support an Air Force frame.

As a footnote to all those budding RAF Kingair types whom may find themselves in an auto-piloted racetrack pattern somewhere less tolerant than Cranwell whilst having your downtime in a grubby room with no air con your welcome to it.