Are the RAF really utterly utterly useless? I always enjoy the Red Arrows and think they are great?

Answer 1

I must have missed something in the news about the RAF as I don't know what you are talking about . The red Arrows are a fantastic display team and if those boys were in a dog fight they would win hands down by confusing the enemy completely . Hope that answers your question

Answer 2

What I think people have overlooked is that the Major who made these comments (Major James Loden of 3 PARA, according to the TV) was clearly expressing his own personal view of RAF support to his unit's specific operations. The e-mails he wrote were probably done 'in hot blood', and once the guy's calmed down he'd almost certainly be the first to acknowledge that the RAF generally does its stuff extremely well, in trying circumstances, against a background of frequent shortages of personnel, resources, funding and political backing. Just the same as the Army, in fact!

In Afghanistan, the British land and air forces were deployed piecemeal, with additions of capability as the situation worsened and political pressure mounted for reinforcements. The fact is, the RAF and the Army are both trying to do too much with limited resources, both generally and specifically in Afghanistan. An instance of RAF aircraft targetting a UK position is EXTREMELY regrettable, but anyone who's looked at the issue of fratricide will tell you that this is neither unusual, nor always avoidable. There are many factors which contribute to what's usually called 'friendly fire', but its worth noting that the RAF have been involved in relatively few such incidents: the last major one was, I believe, at Suez in November 1956, where the RAF caused some 20+ casualties to a Royal Marine unit (45 Commando). More recent fratricide incidents in the Gulf in 1991 and in Iraq in 2003, have involved US aircraft hitting UK forces (and, in Afghanistan, Canadian forces). The recent incident involving the RAF is notable as it's the first properly validated example of such an incident in 50 years!

Answer 3

The RAF moved a Continent a couple of hundred miles.......

You see, A few years ago,when defence moneys were being allocated, the Royal Navy wanted several Aircraft Carriers,

The RAF said that they did`nt need them, cause they could protect the fleet, any where in the world, 24/7,

When the RAF found there were parts of the South Pacific, they could not reach, they conveniently, moved Australia on there maps, until they could.......

True story.

Answer 4

The Red Arrows and The Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight are the greatest P.R. things that the R.A.F. have going for them.Unfortunately like the rest of our armed forces the have suffered cut after cut under the present government.The british forces at the moment are stretched to the limit in deployments that they should not be involved in,it all falls on the people out there to overcome shortages and poor equipment!!!!!!!

Answer 5

From the perspective of the army officer who made this leaked statement it appears so. Army outposts in Southern Afghanistan have been under pretty well continuous and prolonged attack from the Taliban for some months now. It appears that one RAF attempt to help involved bombing and strafing a British position. The top brass are sticking to the line that British forces are stretched but not overstretched (I hope they are right) and are trying to mend fences between the army and air force.

Answer 6

Well, my Dad was in the RAF - so yes, I'd say so.

But the Red Arrows are fantastic. They flew over my house not long ago - and everyone went on the street to have a look.

Answer 7

Oh, wow! Sounds like you're on to a winning strategy here. The Taliban are distracted by the Red Arrows while the infantry creeps up behind them. Fantastic - why has no-one thought of that before?

Answer 8

I find the Red Barrows better , you don't end up with a neck ache after watching them .
As for the RAF , they did rather well in the 2nd world war I seem to remember .

Answer 9

no we are not!!

who does the major who made those comments think takes him and his troops around the world? the raf

who backs up the ground troops in various theatres around the world? the raf

who distributes supplies and transports casualties around? the raf

who performs aeiral reconnaisance for the ground troops? the raf

all three services do a difficult job out in theatre, and we DON'T need an orifice of an officer badmouthing our efforts

- angry RAF lad -

Answer 10

as l see it any soldier follows orders, he does not question the orders..if the orders are bad then that is not a fault of the soldier, but a fault in the decision making process.
Denial of this would be counterproductive if this is indeed the case....since we are talking of decisions of life and death.
If true... awsome weapons being badly directed has to be worrying....bad direction being denied without investigation ..even more worrying.