Defence Cuts And An Uncertain Future. Have Your Say.

[Talk Wrench]

As 2017 nears to an end, it is about time that we had an open and honest debate on E-Goat about the future of UK defence and in particular, the impact that further cuts will have upon the Royal Air Force, the Army and the Navy during the forthcoming years.

Anyone with open eyes and minds know this will be a reality facing those who are serving in the military of today. Without exception, everyone who is serving in the Royal Air Force at this juncture in time, are absolutely ENTITLED to have their say upon their futures.

It's well known that this site is "watched" by the powers that be read these pages so go on. Do not hold back. Base your opinions upon fact and tell them exactly what you think about the way constant budgetary cutbacks means to YOU.

 

[Witty_Banter]

To be honest I don't think anyone on this site has ever held back - concerns have been voiced continuously.

The issues surrounding the MOD are footed in poor financial management (eg Carillion Amey and the rest of the subcontracting) poor equipment choices (eg F35 and Acft Carriers) and which are compounded by the manpower issues - which in turn are compounded by poor financial management (eg pay freezes / Pay2000, NEM, pension changes), poor man-management (erosion of 'the offer', lack of promotions, continually doing more with less) and a lack of recognition for service (financial / medallic). All of these issues compound and reinforce each other.

To be honest, what the MOD realistically needs to do is offer every single man and woman below the rank of Wg Cdr (or equivalent in the other services) a minimum £5,000 tax-free payout to not PVR in the next 5 years (even if that means extending contracts [on current terms]). That would give them 5 years of guaranteed zero loss of manpower, and a little bit of wiggle-room to fix the ever spiralling disaster before it hits the point of no return (at which point, the MOD will likely have no choice but to amalgamate the services in order to keep them going).

To be clear - a token effort, minimal cash offering would not work - offering people a month's pay or less probably won't wash for the majority, particularly if they're already hovering over the PVR button. It needs to be substantial. And a significant sum £5,000, maybe even £10,000) would give every single person the knowledge that they are WANTED and NEEDED, and that the MOD is DESPARATE for them to stay for the sake of the survival of the Services.

I know, I know, that would cost a ridiculous amount of money (£500 Million?), but that's a drop in the ocean from the £45 Billion budget. It would also guarantee a minimum manpower level for 5 whole years which, if the sS leaders were sensible, could be used as the stepping stone to fixing all the issues above (note - that means not taking on any more workload for a while!!!!)

 

[metimmee]

The RAF today is about platforms with little regard for people, this needs to change. As WB has already said, the offer has been eroded significantly. There needs to better protection from over-runs between large capital projects and the rest of the organisation. The treasury response is always that money must be found from within when projects go awry, or so we're told. It seems crazy that cost-overruns in DE&S should result in the reduction of headcount on FLCs. The surprising thing is, DE&S are pretty good at projects, contrary to popular belief better than most private companies. The big difference is, when businesses do big projects, they are literally betting the company on the outcome.

There is a smell of decay around the RAF which I believe accelerates those heading for the door. The estate is chronically poor. We really just play at it now...everything on the cheap except for the gleaming big-ticket kit. 1940s hangars housing 21st century kit. No money for anything else and no expectation that money will appear.

The govt wants a premier league military for a league one budget.

 

[vim_fuego]

I've said this before that the people who join today won't know any different but those that have 20 years in will soon re-educate them!

As I visit various military establishments through the course of my work every visit pretty much stinks of one thing...lack of investment. Facilities are crumbling all around the defence estate and whilst people talk of investment its not happening...and the need to upgrade is starting to experience a snowball effect in terms of work building up.

We are talking billions not millions to get things back up to scratch...and its similar story for resource in terms in conditions, training and remuneration.

 

[Stevienics]

I would pretty much concur with the main themes of this thread. because we are in drawdown to 2020 manning levels, the direction seems to be to remunerate the individual what is necessary to hit that mark with nothing to spare and not what is deserved in comparison to industry - retention is strictly on a trade by trade basis and geared to any requirement to sustain operations with a given equipment. The traditional service leaning sticks of lifestyle, diversion and enjoyment are eroded now (ironically, IMHO because we have run out of conflicts to excite people), with the net result that the smart money really is up sticks and leaving. I cannot see this changing any time soon.

Thinking about the infra, it's really not going to get any better. I live in a room with the same structure, utilities decor and furnishings as I first occupied in 1992. The rent, whilst meagre, just doubled with it's re-classification to a higher standard, yet nothing whatsoever has materially changed. I just wish they'd be honest and state they need more money rather than indulge in duplicity. Working and domestic accommodation sees no investment, WS budgets are really quite laughable and periodically I watch people hide in their rooms because there is no heating or hot water whilst multi-million pound assets orbit overhead - and no-one dare state it through accusations of over-simplifying defence spending. Eventually, such closet parsimony will seep into the air safety sphere and I am afraid something major will go wrong when it does. The very vehicle that was designed to prevent this seem to have birthed only layers and layers of bureaucracy, between which things may be more effectively hidden.

What is needed is courage.