The cuts

[TJD]

Just announced

 A reduction in requirement for Tornado F3 deployable Air Defence capability will result in the disbandment of one F3 Sqn (XI(F) Sqn) by 31 October 2005. With the transition to Typhoon, all Tornado F3s are expected to withdraw from Leeming in 2008. Subject to the findings of a review of the future requirements for Defence airfields (see below), other units could then be based at Leeming. The migration plan of squadron numberplates to Typhoon squadrons will be the subject of a later briefing note.
 The Jaguar out-of-service date will be bought forward to 31 October 2007. The first sqn (54 Sqn) will draw down by 1 April 2005 together with the Operational Evaluation Unit and Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). The second sqn (41(F) Sqn) will close by 1 April 2006 whereupon the third sqn (6 Sqn) will re-deploy to Coningsby. The closure of Coltishall airfield will take effect by December 2006.
 The Nimrod MR2 fleet will reduce from its current strength of 21 aircraft and 31 crews, to 16 aircraft and 22 crews by 1 April 2005. It is planned that the replacement and more capable MRA4 fleet will now be around 12 aircraft strong, although there is still much work to be done with industry before we reach a final decision.
 Changes will also be introduced in the RAF Search and Rescue (SAR) force where it is planned that the military engineering support will be contractorised. At the same time, to maximise training benefits, we plan to move the RAF St Mawgan SAR OCU and Force HQ to RAF Valley alongside the operational SAR Flight. The long-term requirement for RAF St Mawgan will be considered as part of the review of the future requirements for Defence airfields.
 Within Joint Helicopter Command, a number of changes will impact on RAF personnel. There will be an adjustment in the size of the Puma force to reflect the improving security situation in Northern Ireland - 6 aircraft and 9 crews will be withdrawn from 230 Sqn. Other changes may emerge from the review of the future requirements for Defence airfields and the helicopter procurement programmes, details of which will be reported in due course.
 The four in-service C17 aircraft will be purchased when their current lease expires and an additional C17 aircraft will be purchased.
 With a 50% reduction in ground-based air defence across the Services, the RAF Regiment will give-up its Rapier short range air defence role. Residual ground-based air defence capabilities will in future be provided by the Royal Artillery and the 4 RAF Regiment Rapier squadrons will disband over the next few years. A new ground-based air defence HQ will be formed within HQSTC. The 2 smaller RAF Regiment Field Sqns (3 Sqn and 63 Sqn) will be brought up to full strength enabling them to contribute more fully to the RAF Regiment’s expeditionary force structure.
 The service life of the VC10 and TriStar will be extended by 2 years to ensure continuing air refuelling support, pending delivery of a new tanker capability.

 Following the various PTC/STC studies over the last 2 years, work will be taken forward with a view to collocate HQSTC and HQPTC staffs at a single site to deliver the RAF Command HQ staff functions more efficiently.

 With the changes in force structures outlined above, and the other MOD efficiencies already in hand, the trained strength of the RAF will reduce to 41,000 by 1 April 2008 from its current level of around 48,500. This reduction will be managed through a combination of natural wastage, recruiting adjustments and a redundancy programme. This will enable the Service to maintain a satisfactory balance between skills, capability, experience, seniority in rank and promotion prospects. The details of how the redundancy programme will be administered will be announced towards the end of the year.

 The review of the future requirements for Defence airfields, mentioned above, will be looking for opportunities to deliver military aviation requirements across all 3 Services with fewer, larger and better supported bases. The findings will be announced in 2005.
The Army, Royal Navy and civilian areas of the Ministry of Defence are also affected by the Secretary of State’s announcement. The main points are:
 The frigate and destroyer fleet will be drawn down from 31 to 25, through the removal of 3 Type 42 destroyers (CARDIFF, NEWCASTLE and GLASGOW) and 3 Type 23 frigates (NORFOLK, MARLBOROUGH and GRAFTON) by March 2006.
 The nuclear attack submarine force will reduce from 10 to 8 by paying off SUPERB and TRAFALGAR by December 2008.
 Mine Counter Measure vessels will reduce from 19 to 16 through paying off INVERNESS, BRIDPORT and SANDOWN by April 2005.
 RN manpower will fall from 37,500 to around 36,000 by April 2008.
 The Army will migrate towards a new structure rebalanced to better equip them to conduct the full range of military tasks on concurrent small and medium scale operations. The new emphasis will be on medium weight forces. Key reductions in capability over the next four years will be:
 7 Challenger 2 armoured squadrons.
 6 AS90 gun batteries.
 72 High Velocity Missile fire units from the Territorial Army.
 4 Infantry Battalions.
 Army manpower will reduce to around 102,000 commencing immediately and completed by the time NI normalisation is achieved.
 More than 10,000 civilian posts are being removed across the Department and further work is in hand to determine the breakdown of this.
 There will be a number of rationalisations of the MOD HQ infrastructure in London. The number of MOD Head Office locations in London will reduce to 2 and staff numbers have already reduced to 4900

[Stu-]

What source was that from mate?

[Stu-]

Nevermind, just read it on bbc

[harry hackedoff]

Cheers ears
Now give us the bad news

On a lighter note, which is sure to please the Crabs, I cannot believe that UK front line strategic air defence capability will be dependant upon/ enhanced by Jags untill 2007 Haw Haw Haw Stunned

618 Sopwith Camel PRU are to receive further improvement of their night fighting/all weather capability, as soon as the pilots can fit the new Duracells to their torches. Discount rates at Boots The Chemist One Hour Photos should offset the cost enhancement, visa vee Ever Ready Extras

Ref the Andrew, what a state to be in. Kin stunned. Why don`t we go the whole hog, and " Contractorise" the Sea Fighting capability and projection of Sea Power Ashore
Makes sense from a bean counting perspective, I s`pose

"I see no ships" That`s `cause weem payed `em all orf, moi luvver.
Don`t need`em smuch, now we`s all European an all
See you drekly

This`d be effing hillarious if it wasn`t true


Horatio, increase revolutions to two thousand per cent
Aye,

[AdamR]

Any idea which infantry battalions are being scrapped?

[Ploggers]

We are heading towards being a country with a part-time defence force. I was talking to a guy at work who is joining the TA and looked upon it as a part time hobby - wrong!!! I have told him that he is likely to be mobilised within 6 months, he doesn't believe me.

I can see the day when the FIDF have to bail us out!

[lew]

Pongo tell him he WILL be, they have already started to sniff around my regiment (70 royal sigs) for op telic 5.

Do you know who he is joining, as allot of the medics I did recruits with are now out in the gulf.


lew

[martin1001]

If the FIDF have to help us - god help us 1st...

[Ploggers]

Pongo tell him he WILL be, they have already started to sniff around my regiment (70 royal sigs) for op telic 5.

Do you know who he is joining, as allot of the medics I did recruits with are now out in the gulf.


lew

He's joined the Nottinghamshire Regt, formerly the Sherwood Foresters. I'm not up to speed on what they've done pissing about with all the old regiments and calling them by some vague title which ignores proud traditions.

[Tab]

There will be an increase in the budget and strength for the SBS & SAS.

[Cobalt]

We complain that we're understrength and overstretched. So Whitehall cut numbers. I'll never understand their logic.

[MFC]

I feel sorry for poor sods who will get these though their in-tray about 6000 over a period of 4 years

http://pages.123-reg.co.uk/eve3-37327/e ... id118.html



Soldiers kicked out to 'soften up regiments'

BRIAN BRADY
WESTMINSTER EDITOR


THE military has been accused of using its own disciplinary code to expel soldiers from Scottish regiments so they can be ‘softened up’ for the axe.

Scotland on Sunday revealed last week that at least two historic regiments will be disbanded as a result of swingeing defence cuts, with the most likely targets those units with the biggest recruitment problems.

It has now emerged that the number of Scottish soldiers dismissed for indiscipline under archaic ‘Queen’s Regulations’ has soared over the past five years.

The toll of servicemen and women being kicked out of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers alone has soared by 300% in the past five years, from 10 in 1999/2000, to 40 in 2003/04.

Government critics suggest the MoD is deliberately increasing the number of troops dismissed to bolster its argument for axing regiments.

The number of Scots soldiers dismissed under Queen’s Regulations paragraph 9.414, which covers offences including indiscipline, failing drugs tests and engaging in "sexual aberration" has more than doubled to 245 since 2000.

"The number of people being kicked out under this code should be fairly consistent over the years," said John Thurso, the Lib Dems’ Scottish affairs spokesman.

"I find it hard to believe that there has been such a dramatic rise of cases of indiscipline in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. The only plausible answer is they are using exit codes such as 9.414 to push people out.

"It is unacceptable that when Scottish regiments are suffering such overstretch that experienced soldiers are being forced out.

"It worries me that this practise is being used to run down the regiment ahead of defence spending cuts."

But an MoD spokeswoman last night claimed it was "absolutely ridiculous" to attribute the rise in dismissals to any requirement to keep a lid on recruiting.

She added: "It is in the best interests of the commanding officer to keep infantry battalions at full strength.

"He doesn’t want to lose soldiers, so to link this rise with penny-pinching civil servants just does not make sense."

[minimac]

Can somebody explain this to me:

If we have a part time defense force - we will have even less influence and 'intimidation' value than now. I dont understand the benefit of this.

If we stick all our 'super duper' new and shiny planes on one effing big airfield what happens if we go to war!!! Along comes the enemy... BOOM! One nuke or if you dont want to go that far one big bomber attack and thats it fellas its curtains as our air force is now smouldering!
I was under the impression that one of the advantages of having many smaller airfields as in WW2 meant that while the Germans were bombing hell out of one airfield the other could be operating / recuperating from the last attack. The Germans couldnt bomb everything at once.

I wonder how many of these dickheads in Whitehall who are busy counting beans have ever seen the effects of their cuts! Decreased morale etc. Not to mention shite equipment.

Demoralising thought of the day : Your equipment is made by the lowest bidder .

Someone PLEASE explain this to me as I am completely flummoxed (sp?)

Cheers

MM[/quote]

[rabby]

It's the first time since the 6th century that FRANCE have had a bigger navy than us!! I hate polititians. At least the tories understood the armed forces, Thatcher gave them the cash to do what they had to do, not tie both hands behind the force's back and blindfold them.

[El Prez]

Beast will open a new Forum asap, it will be called the 'Royal Air Planes'. Dropping the word Force is commensurate with the remaining capabilities.