Reply With QuoteThere are people cuts coming but not in DE&S and the cost savings they're looking at are in the region of £300m.Originally Posted by Tooks
One link wouldn't really cover it.
The collapse of the pound has already had impacts on programmes, we might be committed to spending the same, but our pound will buy less. We can't do everything in house unfortunately.
I know that there are also big people changes coming in MOD out to 2020, and as I've found before, nothing is ever fixed or protected with regard to government department spending. There are only plans.
Here's hoping they achieve it somehow, RAFAT have some good friends in high places and lots of public support!
There are people cuts coming but not in DE&S and the cost savings they're looking at are in the region of £300m.
RAF Red Arrows sponsors; link: "The team would like to thank the following organisations for their support".
Yeah, the Red Arrows do tend to be walking advertisement boards, as tooks says, i can't see it being anything but the Hawk T2, new costs a fortune to bring into service and by the through life support. It'll also be interesting to see how they continue when the cuts start hitting, and they're budget is supporting an aircraft fleet with a higher cost per flying hour when the Lightning II replaces the Tornado.
I don't know how they'll justify having RAFAT and BBMF in the near future if cuts continue the way they are.
Don't worry, there'll be a non-elective war along soon which will solve the budget problem.
According to the Daily Mail, the Red Arrows replacement aircraft will likely be foreign-made. Do not pass go, do not collect £200, go straight to the Bear Pit.
Did someone say Gnat, this clip can never be posted too many times:
Did the OP mean to link to this article? Link, Red Arrows jets could have to be built abroad:
In a letter to the prime minister, 142 MPs have called for the renewal of RAF Red Arrows' fleet of Hawk Tm1 jets.
The group warned that unless new contracts were signed soon, there would be "virtually no possibility to build any future Hawk aircraft in the UK".
The MoD said there was "no requirement" to replace the jets before 2030.
I was under the impression that they were already rather tired. Another 13 years service seems a bit much.
It does (well, did) seem odd not to update them at the same time as the general RAF training fleet. Oh well, even if BAE Systems' own production line is closed again by the time the aircraft are needed, no doubt HAL in India will be able to supply.
Last edited by markrlondon; 16th October 2017 at 15:31.
Well, I was going to reference the beeb but decided I would be open to accusations of having brought l*bt*rd politics into the G&D and so opted for something more middle-of-the-road.
Apparently the "best before date" has been extended, it's bound to end well.
Indeed.
Here's a prediction: There will be an incident that could be put down to poor reliability of over-tired aircraft and skimped maintenance (skimped due to budget cuts, of course) but the government will semi-plausibly deny it. Very soon after, a large some of money will be spent on emergency replacement aircraft and/or significant upgrades and improved maintenance.
Last edited by markrlondon; 16th October 2017 at 16:33.
Building 13 more Hawk aircraft isn't going to make much difference IMO. It might push the rudundancies to the right a bit but that's it. I suspect there are enough spares knocking around to keep the T1's in the sky for a fair bit longer with out any issue...the T2 is a superior aircraft though, but then the Reds don't need the T2 capability.
One thing that isn't skimped on nowadays in the RAF is maintenance. If anything, it has improved dramatically ever since the Haddon-Cave inquiry.
Really? I was at Duxford last weekend and was talking to one of the staff. It appears that a private company has just refurbished the Battle of Britain (City of Lincoln) Lancaster at Duxford. It had to be completely stripped down and completely rebuilt as the RAF maintenance had been so poor.
Not quite the same thing! The company at Duxford is world renowned for its expertise in vintage aircraft, the RAF are not set up to provide the same level of specialist skills. Very different to keeping front line aircraft in service.
I guess it's a bit like taking your 1969 Ford GT40 to your local Ford dealer to be serviced alongside all the Focus's and Fiesta's.
The army have just lost the White Helmets that have been going 90 yrs and they cost pence to what these cost in pounds. I wouldn't be too surprised if eventually they will just be another cost saving and go.
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