Forum: Air Power

The Royal Air Force is dropping 7,000 jobs; and in the crap economic climate this world's got itself into I was curious as to whether anyone can comment on the economic health of other air forces around the world? (Especially the USAF as it appears to be terribly overstaffed...)

David

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overstaffed is probably a good way to put it... we are getting a little "top heavy" in my opinion...

Cylon

Top heavy doesnt even start to describe it Cylon. Hell in my AMU alone we have 3 SMsgt's plus a group of Msgt's.

Rigo

The Force Shaping with second term airman could be a problem. Sounds like a lot of experience is being taken away not to include the original 14,000 positions. It appears to me that the Air Force is digressing again with taking away experience of a specific airframe and making (at least on the crew chief side) crew chief's all knowledgeable on all fighters. Very difficult for individual's to keep their knowledge and experience jumping from aircraft to aircraft. Retraining to gain skill level takes time. Just read an article that discussed the suicide rate in the Air Force hit 59 for the last FY. In the document it stated that more hours are needed to get the job done along with the fact that Air Force personnel on average have deployed six times in the last ten years. From what I read, getting rid of the folks performing the work (especially the one's that deploy) is not being properly addressed. Let me claim ignorance but if we're getting rid of 14,000 maintainers.......... What were they all doing? I've not seen one base closure. Help explain it to me so I can understand.
Respectfully..........Chickenlegs

Last edited by elp on Nov 01, 2004 - 06:20 PM; edited 1 time in total

Be nice if we first just used the money given to us in a wise manner. If this was done we could do people issue stuff with a lot less stress.

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This last approved budget has..... $1 Bil dedicated to C-130J ( something never asked for.

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Congress forced USAF to buy (2) F-15E's ( yet we don't spend enough on spares for what we already have )

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JSF claims to be important

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Time was wasted forcing through a tanker lease that crashed and burned on take off.

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We do many deployments that don't contribute directly to the war effort. ( did we do massive amounts of peacetime training deployments during WWII to non-involved countries? Rolling Eyes

)

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Yet one more restructuring of USAF wings. ( didn't we just do this? ( I want the contract that does stationary for the USAF... Confused

)

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Putting B-1s into the bone yard ( OK move ) yet spending more money to bring some back out,... all while not funding in a speedy manner.... upgrade refirbs to remove and replace, flight controls, avionics and other things ( which effectively gives you more B-1s because of higher mission up times Rolling Eyes

x2 )

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( many other things here )

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Oh yeah.... the clown suit fiasco.

We have a great air force, but something has to be done to reduce the number of large blunders made at a higher pay grade. Money pushed on wasteful things above IMHO takes away from other people/equipment issues that need help NOW.

As for deploying. The other services are truely envious of the AEF concept even with some of its faults. A lot of the deployments could be reduced if we only deployed to war effort stuff. Hint...hint... we are fighting a war. Deploying to Cambodia and Laos to do some stupid exercise or Africa or fill in the blank here is truely stupid in the highest sense of the word while we are involved in a fight to the finish style of war. Our biggest enemy seems to be the State Department which does all this stupid non-war support excercise invites.

Couldn't agree with you more ELP! I didn't think this thread would go long before your input. Very Happy

Have a great day!
Chickenlegs

Forum: Air Power

Military downsizing - Economic health of air forces