Royal Air Force and Military News.

A new report has criticised MoD spending and has labelled the procurement process as "broken". https://www.forces.net/news/mod-wastes-billions-and-continually-fails-learn-mistakes-spending-watchdog-says

Seems we are going to try and be a carbon neutral fighting force by 2040. Well according to a speech given by the head honch The Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston. "We are aiming for our first NetZero airbase by 2025, a NetZero estate by 2030, and a Carbon Net Balanced Service by 2040." https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/cas-raf-netzero-ambition

(I searched for an existing thread, couldn't find one, feel free to merge, move as needed if it's been raised before) Article refers to the tragic Reds crash during a training exercise at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales, on March 20, 2018. Once again during the current inquest the system doesn't come up smelling of roses. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10158917/Ministry-Defence-failed-protect-life-engineer-killed-training-exercise.html

Loads of snaps judged by a panel of experts and nearly 1,500 images were submitted across seven categories in the 2021 RAF Photographic Competition. Judges seemed to be most enamored by Chinooks. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10181109/Hercules-plane-climbing-vertically-RAFs-spectacular-images-year.html

Story is HERE More investment in ISTAR plus more opportunities for people to get experience flying and fixing basically a civvy frame and for the sqn to claim some more resource!

Shocking pictures of the state of some of the quarters issued to our brown job colleagues. Seems the contractors, Amey, are more interested in their profits than their occupants. "An army wife, who lived in married quarters for just under two years in Greater London, said the issues stem from the contractor, Amey, who she claims 'do as little as possible to maximise profit'. Amey, an infrastructure and engineering company, is the provider of Service Family Accommodation for army families across the UK." https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10075141/Britains-army-families-forced-live-houses-riddled-mould-urine.html

For the first in 20 years the new armed forces head honcho is from the rum, bum and baccy boys. "The head of the navy has been selected as the next chief of Britain's armed forces - the first in 20 years...........Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, 55, will take over the position from General Sir Nick Carter." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58833342 So new boss not like old boss. I hope he can speak his mind and not wait, like most do, until the day after he takes the uniform off to voice his views on topics of the day.

Latest rumour on Bookface: Chief of the Air Staff announces a significant change to RAF Branches and Trades; to be reduced from 68 to 11. The Global Air Chiefs Conference 2021 was attended by leaders and key-speakers in air and space power, who gave presentations on how threats are fast-evolving and how the Armed Forces is prepared and able to respond. During his opening speech, the Chief of the Air Staff explained how Air and space power, "gives our Government the choice and ability to act and signal strategically on a global stage, at range, at speed, precisely, with minimal political risk and maximum political choice,” before several large topics of interest were discussed. Topics discussed included the investment into the RAF's...

OK it's the Mail and they are journo's but. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9982581/British-firm-NEW-Red-Arrows.html "A British firm is set to strike a deal that will see it design and develop a replacement for the Red Arrows' aircraft. Suffolk-based Aeralis was given £200,000 by the RAF to develop a new aircraft that could be converted from basic trainer to aggressive fighter by swapping engines and wings earlier this year. " Aeralis is company I have never heard off before this and £200K is mere peanuts in the world of aviation but could it be?? Company website https://aeralis.com/

Seems the rocks aren't best pleased with their lack of utilisation in the Kabul airport pull out. (All allegedly of course) https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9958461/Top-RAF-commander-blasted-63-officers-telling-no-clue-use-regiment.html "Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, the head of the RAF, has been accused of damaging morale and showing a lack of moral courage by members of the RAF Regiment. The attack came in a letter signed by 63 senior and junior non-commissioned officers serving in the regiment's No 1 Squadron based at RAF Honington in Suffolk.......It describes the failure to use the RAF Regiment in Afghanistan as an 'embarrassment' and proof that Air Chief Marshal Wigston had 'no clue' how to use the RAF Regiment, "...

So the yanks and ourselves are, in the main, moving out of Afghanistan was it worth the 20 years we spent there? Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter said "All those who fought in Afghanistan can hold their heads up very high," .........."The British military was not defeated on the battlefield. They showed remarkable adaptability against a very cunning and nefarious opponent, and they showed phenomenal courage under great pressure." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57774012

Lame, war dodging and subsistence claiming. It has been put forward via my MP that we let the troops go back to worthwhile employment and let civilians do the job for 1/2 of the salary cost. The blessed naysayers will cry about blue suit jobs, respite and career opportunities. My MP was fully onside, the RAF Chief Clerks still do the ‘don’t turn up and you’re out’ bit, the RAF Police do their bit and CAS gets to star in a new Xmas vid… but salary wise the RAF saves a significant amount, and more importantly gets to recruit more engineers. The RN are about to bit tackled by the same reasoning and a different MP. The ar5ehole team member that lived near Waddington obviously ticked off enough people. Did you know Waddington was hit 36...

The article suggests the RAF has dropped it's standards to get enough bodies through the door as it's undermanned these days. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9914981/RAF-dropping-standards-recruits-rejection-rate-falls-20-five-years.html "what you have to appreciate is that at the RAF, there are very few people flying planes now, so they don’t have to make it so rigorous if you are going to be flying drones from a room." "The House of Commons library, shows that in 2015/16, there were 22,107 applications at the RAF, with 13,830 being rejected – a rejection rate of 62.6 per cent. But in 2019/20, there were 32,634 applications, of which 13,387 were turned away – a rejection rate of 41 per cent. The RAF is facing a personnel...

Shock, horror, the REDS are going for GREEN smoke. Well, a green alternative to their current diesel/dye mix... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-58173637

As it says in the title, common sense change for female staff..... https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/revision-to-raf-appearance-policies-for-women/

With over 30 years of service behind her, the venerable E3-D Sentry has performed her final mission. Got any stories?

Even the RAF have started talking gobbledegook. Taken from a recently read computer magazine...

Simon Weston has turned sixty. https://mol.im/a/9872495

Thursday 31st March 2022. Hawk T1 (black fleet) and 100 Sqn come to an end. The only aggressor sqn in the RAF. Will be interesting to know who provides the enemy for Typhoon and F-35 from then on...

All allegedly of course (for now) "An Army doctor fraudulently booked thousands of pounds worth of flights to visit his family, a court heard today. Lieutenant Colonel Chris Baird-Clarke was moved from his job in Scotland to a new role in England assisting new recruits, but was unhappy with the posting. A court martial heard that even after he was told he could not claim an allowance for the flights, he continued to book the travel..........The prosecutor said Lt Col Baird-Clarke, 'just wanted to fly home at public expense so came up with a ploy to achieve his aim.'" As a Lt Col surely his salary would be sufficient to pay for the odd internal UK flights extra to his permitted travel order allowance and he isn't the first amongst us...