CAS: RAF Remains Absolutely Vital

UK Ministry of Defence, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, has been talking today, 17 January 2008, about the history and current issues facing the Service as it enters its 90th year since formation. 
 
Air Chief Marshal Torpy joined the RAF in 1974, flying Jaguars and then Tornados. He saw active service with No 13 Squadron during the first Gulf War and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the Gulf Honours List, subsequently rising through the ranks to become the head of the RAF in 2006. 
 
Speaking to a number of radio stations across the UK today he talked about the restructuring of the RAF and the effects on local bases as well as the RAF's 90th birthday: 
 
“90 years is a very significant event in the history of the Royal Air Force. If you just look back at those early aircraft, the bi-planes, over the trenches of Flanders in 1917 and 1918 and you see where we've come in just 90 years, with the battle of Britain, the Berlin Airlift, the Cold War and now obviously what we're doing in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the technology has just changed so amazingly. 
 
“You can see Typhoons, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, space flight, and if you see what we've done in 90 years, what is the next 90 years going to hold?” 
 
“Throughout those 90 years and over the last 25 years with the Falklands, the First Gulf War, Bosnia, Kosovo and now Iraq and Afghanistan, what has clearly been emphasised is the importance of air power. 
 
“Today, in Afghanistan and Iraq we have the fast jets like Harriers and Tornados providing essential close air support for the troops on the ground, we are gathering intelligence, providing the air bridge to both theatres and obviously tactical mobility with the Hercules and helicopters, we are moving troops around the battlefield, and it's the totality of that capability that's absolutely essential for the whole joint force that we've deployed. 
 
“I think that there's an even bigger role for the RAF today than there ever has been in the past.” 
 
When asked about the restructuring of the RAF, he added: 
 
“We've come down from 48,000 people to 41,000 people and I think we're as lean as possible as we can be at the moment. We're getting a number of new capabilities, more Chinooks and more Merlin helicopters, we're getting the unmanned aircraft and new strategic transport aircraft the C17. 
 
“We're going to need more people to be able to man these aircraft, and there are some areas where we lack resilience, so we may need more people to help us out in those areas. 
 
“We are fully committed at the moment. The two major theatres we're in have the whole force working very hard. We mustn't forget that we still have people in the Falkland Islands and we're obviously doing the air defence of the UK. We have four aircraft on quick reaction alert every day of the year.” 
 
Air Chief Marshal Torpy said that he is planning to learn to fly a C130 Hercules very soon: 
 
“I think in some ways it's easier to be at the sharp end than trying to grapple with all the other problems that you have to do when you get to the top of any big organisation. 
 
“I try and keep as close as I can in contact with the front line, because at the end of the day, that's what it's all about and I go and fly on the Squadrons wherever I can to see what the youngsters are really doing. 
 
“I was in Iraq and Afghanistan just before Christmas and I never cease to be impressed by the sense of commitment, the sense of responsibility and the bravery of everyone I see in very demanding and very dangerous conditions.”