[Typhoon]

Proxy servers at the ready its another thought provoking program on the BBC covering the state of the armed forces of the UK. It looks at the history, current application and possible future of the RAF, which in this time of financial restraint many people are asking what is the point of the RAF. With many Army and Navy staff openly trying to damage the organisation in an independant service.

Should be up for about a week...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... 3_The_RAF/

[Cartertonian]

Cheers, Typhoon - will have a butcher's....

Before I do, though, in a nutshell the opposition to ideas of subsuming the RAF back into its 'parent' branches rests with the constant examples of LAND-centric commanders failing to understand the tactical and strategic utility and application of AIR.

I think the RN would be pretty pissed off if the Khaki Knobs started telling them how to conduct Maritime Ops, so why should we have a bunch of unwashed Pongoes telling us how to conduct Air Ops?

And, don't forget...

Stars: The Navy navigate by 'em, the Army sleep under 'em...

...and the Airforce book hotels by 'em!

[killim]

I think thats not the real question behind it. The real question is: How many money can the UK afford to pay to its military branch. After that can ask which missions they have to fulfill and which they are not able to fulfill. After that decision has been made the forces can be streamlined, but not earlier.

[Zerogouki]

Whats the point of ... the RAF?

To fend off the Luftwaffe when Germany starts WW3, of course.

[Otebo]

The next programme in the series ought to be What's the point of...Quentin Letts?

From what I've read the RAF are to suffer the most in the forthcoming defence cuts. It seems the Army have managed to convince too many of our leaders that future wars will be replicas of Afghanistan and Iraq. I fear the RAF will be decimated because once again we are planning on fighting yesterdays wars rather than tomorrows.