SDR recommends more E-7s when funding allows, may be expedited by cost-sharing with NATO allies

SDR states that future F-35 buys may include A models

SDR recommends alleviating pressure on A400 fleet with potential of more Atlas’, civilian charters and sponsored service options

SDR: investment in Brize in the light of its importance to Defence and lack of alternative. Events in Russia may make this already out of date

SDR: Protector drone to potentially have a maritime surveillance capability. Useful off ramp for the RAF who recognises the lack of utility of the aircraft in non-permissive environments

SDR mostly anti-climactic from an Air perspective. Potential extra A400 buy was mentioned last time, maritime role for Protector was already in train (costs little and gets RAF out of a hole), and buying some A model F-35s has been a poorly kept secret for months

Potential new E-7 buy is interesting as we have five radars for three aircraft. Will they form part of an approach to NATO for their fleet?

No surprise, a popular CAS, very down to earth who had a tricky job post Wigston restoring faith in the service by the rank and file. But who next? There are some outstanding candidates but equally some with big egos I really hope don’t get selected (and no, am not naming names)

And the RAF wonders why it has a retention problem

If the message the operators of the drones which flew repeatedly over RAF Lakenheath this year wasn’t clear before, I suggest it is now

I still can’t see a Labour government committing to Tac nukes, this is about A model F-35s being cheaper to use in training to free up Bs for the carriers

Another #RAF post about AAR from A400s. HQ Air Cmd applying pressure to gain the capability itself? Makes sense, it would free up Voyagers including withdrawal of the 1 in the Falklands but contract with Air Tanker means too difficult/expensive

Always nice to see but that’s a lot of fuel being burned for a King who champions green causes. And the expense. I once got audited for £5, and yet the cost of this in fuel etc is probably close to seven figures. Just use the Reds with large flypasts for the big events only

Influx of US tankers eastward (Crete, Germany, Spain, UK). Some host nations won’t approve op sorties from their territory so likely passing through further East.

RAF Typhoon headed south from Lossiemouth, potentially first move of additional fighters to Akrotiri. Voyager RRR9401 also up.

Speculation that USAF may base tankers at RAF Akrotiri not without precedent, in 2003 they had 36 KC-135s there plus E-3 AWACS and E-8 JSTARS. Also had numerous Navy fast jet diverts from Carriers but that’s a different thread!

Have always been struck at the overt security you see at US bases compared to RAF. At one, for weeks the only thing stopping entry was a traffic cone and an unarmed MPGS guy in a little plastic hut.

Am sure security at Brize has been tightened immediately by ensuring images of the damage aren't taken and released to prevent compounding the bad publicity. Oh….

Temporary loss of 2 Voyagers will hurt. Fleet today is in Akrotiri (2), Falklands (1), US (1) and Brize (6 but 2 now u/s). Plot is always tight & planned weeks in advance but chartering for trooping flights can ease the pain.

Re the Brize debacle, RAF can count itself lucky the intruders didn’t target every aircraft present, or do more than use paint. And bizarre of course that Brize based A400s dropped humanitarian aid over Gaza.