Leonardo, Airbus to bid for UK 'Top Gun' training deal
 

Apropos of other threads showing defence cuts or filling the ranks, here appears another article, repeated in Janes and the Telegraph, highlighting in my opinion, over-contracterisation. I feel, that though this would be a costly project, it would certainly be one of those capabilities best kept in house. I can understand the cost perspective of abdicating command to contractors, but the skills gained, taught and understood by RAF personnel would more than outweigh the funds saved by contracterisation. On top of the flying side, there would be plenty of support jobs involved, including intelligence, engineering, armaments, EWO and many other trade inputs. Additionally, there would lots of prestige of being posted to such a squadron, attracting the best aircrew and support staff providing an overall major advantage to the RAF to control fully such a capability. Contracting out would greatly reduce our capability of developing tactics while increasing possibilities of foreign agencies getting access to our thoughts and activities. Looking forward to others’ views.

Leonardo, Airbus to bid for UK 'Top Gun' training deal - sources | Reuters

Agreed. Let us not forget that the company's previous name was (unofficially at least) known in the AAC as Wastelands!

Outsourcing combat training for the next generation to the French or Italians..... what a fantastic concept!

This looks like a fantastic opportunity.

It's all going to be great.... for the people getting the money.

Close 100 squadron and buy in "Red Air" like the USAF do. That's a better idea than carrying on doing it in house. The MOD lay down rules on how much you get paid to run a squadron, but when the business is privately owned, you can pay your guys, and your shareholders, so much more.

The loss of capability and seedcorn will only impact the RAF/RN and not the people in charge. Provided that you end up with the pie, who cares if you burn the kitchen to the ground?

As it is a private company the wages are unlikely to be higher.

Like every other MoD contracted company, they are acutely aware that the vast majority of personnel with the required experience have retired with a pension. Normally the wage AND pension equal the wage of those still serving.

That only applies to the workforce. The people at the top will be making a lot more.

airpolice,

many of whom will be recently retired VSO's...

pr00ne, indeed they will, having run down the capacity for doing it in-house and preparing the groundwork for making a contract look like a great way to save money.

But hey, once we have jailed all the benefit fraudsters getting an extra 40 quid a week from bar work, we can move on to the other stuff.