Thin Pinstriped Line

There have been several media reports featuring commentators recently who are suggesting that construction of the Type 26 Frigate should be accelerated . The theory is that to help bolster RN capability and modernise the fleet against growing threats, the Type 26 should enter service sooner than its currently planned initial date of 2027. There is no doubt that the Type 26 has had a very long gestation period. Humphrey was first told about the project, known then as the Future Surface Combatant in 1993. By the time HMS GLASGOW enters service, it will be almost 35 years later. The design and build life of the class is almost as long as the entire service life of many classes of RN warships. But, for all the suggestions that the ship be brought forward, there are several good reasons why this is neither feasible, nor necessarily sensible. Type 26 will replace the older Type 23 - Image by Ministry of Defence; © Crown copyright There is a common perception that the M...

According to media reporting of an FOI release about Typhoon availability, the RAF is apparently an air force unable to ‘keep it up’, as their glorious fighter pilot jocks and the boffins below prove seemingly unable to keep these aircraft in the skies. What would Lord Flasheart say? In other words, the MOD has recently responded to an FOI request confirming that of the 156 Typhoons currently in service, at least 55 of them are in what is known as the ‘sustainment fleet’ and not available for immediate duty. This has been the cause of angry articles in the papers, suggesting that the RAF has apparently ‘failed’. Lets stop, pause and reflect on what this news actually means. Firstly, it is important to realise that no air force anywhere in the world, at any point in history, has managed to achieve anything like 100% availability of aircraft. All of them work to a similar rhythm of maintenance regimes to ensure a constant flow of available aircraft, which can be surged in a cri...

The Sun has published a story today about a report into retention in the Submarine Service, focusing on a survey of Submarine personnel and what they feel is needed to improve morale and retention. The headline focuses on the permitting people to wear their ‘submarine jumpers’ ashore, and the MOD has tried to deflect attention away entirely by claiming that the report was unauthorised, but the reality is that this is a good insight into the challenges facing retention in one of the most critical parts of the Royal Navy. The context of the report is not entirely clear – it was, according to the FOI request written for a Rear Admiral Submarines (the effective ‘head’ of the Submarine Service), and was clearly formally written and staffed up through the chain. It is not clear if it is referring to one specific submarine, or the entire force as a whole though. Either way, although according to the MOD this was an “unofficial and unauthorised study conducted into life in the subm...

The Mail on Sunday has published a story claiming that a near mutiny occurred after a female soldier was allegedly not removed from a course after failing a key test. The report suggests that this soldier, along with 14 others, failed the test but that it took more than 24 hours to remove them, prompting suggestions of push back by the course that double standards were being applied. This story was roundly rejected by the Army, which made clear that no standards had been reduced and inferring that was reported was less than accurate. Humphrey’s view is simple – the people involved that need to take a long hard look in the mirror right now are the individuals (all of whom were reportedly Non-Commissioned Officers) who felt it was appropriate to contact the media and let them conduct what was effectively a very public career assassination on a fellow serving soldier. For all the talk of ‘duty’, ‘honour’, ‘loyalty’ and other strong words used regularly by soldiers, these attribu...

If there is one constant about the military experience, it is the perception that the next generation are nowhere near as good as your generation. They’re unfit, slow, useless and have no chance of being anywhere near as good as your people were. In fact, standards will have to be reduced, political correctness will definitely go mad and all in all the future of the nation is bleak. The fact that when you joined up there were a bunch of people saying the same thing, and that you proved them wrong is irrelevant. Its clear that tomorrows soldiers are nowhere near as good as the ones when ‘you were a lad’ (and walked 25 miles to school barefoot uphill in both directions, and you were grateful for it mind you…). Image by Ministry of Defence; © Crown copyright Thinking that the next generation won’t meet your owns standards goes back to Roman times if not earlier. It is the one constant in military history – the assumption that what follows is worse. This is probably drive...