Don't Mention the War

I enjoyed a convivial lunch in the West End with over 130 former RAF colleagues and a senior guest.  It was gratifying to hear how my former Service had coped with the dramatic manpower and equipment reductions imposed by SDSR (Strategic Defence and Security Review) 2010.  We heard with pride how RAF personnel, additional to their normal duties, had driven ambulances, fire engines and fuel tankers, assisted with the distribution of humanitarian and medical aid world-wide and even bailing out distressed farmers and residents in Somerset.  The public perception of the value of the Armed Forces, it seems, could not be higher so it is an extreme paradox that the word "defence" is a non-word in the political vocabulary.

As forecast, it looks as if the Royal Air Force will become a 7-Squadron offensive unit on current plans (even the Norwegians are buying more F-35 Lightning Fighters than the UK).  Morale were told, was good (remarkably) but fragile.  I bet it is!

Despite the upbeat messages, there was an overwhelming sense of foreboding about the impact of SDSR 2015.  One wise head urged our Chiefs to stick together and to do the best thing, collectively, for defence.  Indeed, but without clear direction on what is our foreign and defence policy in the first place, it will be very difficult to make these overall judgements.  The danger is that, lacking a coherent strategy, the Treasury will be able to pick off single service programmes to achieve the savings it requires.  Russian air activity, right up to the borders of UK territorial waters is on the increase so why are we not concerned?