RAF planes: where are they all?
 

When I was a youngster (late '70s to '80s), I used to regularly see military aircraft flying overhead in Northants/S Leics. We used to get A10's, Jaguars, Tornados, Harriers, Hawks, Hercules and the occasional rarity like a Corsair, F4, F5, F15 & F16 or even a visiting Luftwaffe Starfighter. I would probably estimate about 15 - 25 sorties per day close to where we lived (not particularly close to any airbases).

Nowadays I can spend all day driving the length or breadth of the country and see practically no military aircraft whatsoever, unless I am close to an airbase or target range. I know that the Americans have a smaller contingent over here these days and really only operate their F15s regularly out of Lakenheath (compared to bases at Bentwaters, Woodbridge, Alconbury, Upper Heyford in the past etc.), but where are all the RAF planes? Are they really all in Afghanistan? Do we just practice flying in simulators now? Have they been ordered to keep clear of the more populated areas of the country?

Its a very good question, We get a small amount but we are in the flight path of RAF Odiham, But apart from when the Farnborough air show is on we see nothing of note.

Hopefully sitting in hangars saving fuel!

I think you find the cold war ended and plane cost to much money these days. Soon we will only have 8 operational F3's on QRA to cover the whole of the UK.

Try North Wales, The Lake District and the Scottish Highlands :thumb:

Even then you might only get to see a GR4/F3, Harrier, Hawk, Eurofighter and if you are very luckly an F15 or a visiting european F16.

Committed to operations in the Middle East/Afghanistan/Falkland Islands etc. As the technology of the aircraft improves there is a lesser need to have as many aircraft as there are now more multi-role aircraft.

RAF Operational Update - Op Update 12 Apr 2009

Additionally, as commercial air traffic increases, the amount of airspace available for military flying is reducing. There are still areas over the UK that are used for flying training, but more training happens on simulators as it is more cost effective, and increasingly over more remote areas of the UK to minimise disturbance to the general populus.

The RAF can't afford the petrol to fly em! When I was in the army the crab chopper pilots were complaining they didn't have enough troop carrying flying time due to the cost of fuel and that was in the early 90s. So if they can't afford to fly choppers I am sure they can't afford the petrol for a jet fighter jaunt.

yes it was dead exciting when one went over, they have gone the way of white dog poo

When an Apache costs £20,000 per hour of flying, I can see why hardly any flights are being flown in the UK.

Also, most aircrew are going to spend some time in either Iraq or Afghanistan at some point where they will get plenty of flying hours in.

Plenty of Apache flying around Middle Wallop (Hants). The Apache CTR (conversion to role) training takes place in Arizona.

Plenty flying over shropshire too :D

The RAF is mostly in ---- Lincolnshire ! Waddington/Cranwell/Conningsby etc -- but would agree - much less activity

I live on the exit to the Spadeadam range

RAF Spadeadam - RAF Spadeadam

The RAF give the local papers times when they are flying but for the last few years it's been pretty quiet.

The biggest activity is when they take over Carlisle Airport with about 10 choppers every 2 years (apache) and the local TA turn out in force to protect the airfield. We all know about it as again it's in the local papers and lots of new roadsigns appear to direct the TA to the airfield.

Whatever happened to the Cold War LOL

Shaun

only flying I see there are use lot at the Long Mynd in gliders

It's ironic really: all those decades of Cold War and the RAF never actually needed to shoot anyone down. Sure they would intercept the odd Soviet "Badger" or "Bear" over some North Sea oil rig for a propaganda photo-shoot or two, but they never actually had to loose off any Sidewinders at them.

However, in the 20 years since the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, the RAF have been on combat missions for nearly all of that time. Gulf War I in the early 1990's, Kosovo in the late 1990's, Afghanistan since 2001 and Gulf War II in 2003. Despite this, the number of attack aircraft in the RAF seems to have diminished markedly. Let's hope we don't have any more wars at least until the Joint Strike Fighter arrives in 20XX! Blimey, if it wasn't for our Trident deterrent, I bet the Germans would be seriously considering another pop at old Blighty by now! :lol1:

They are all in Cornwall waking up our baby son every day for no reason.

Seem that they love flying up the river valley we overlook and actually fly "below" our house sometimes. Gits.

Probably checking to see if there's a way in under those brambles ;)

I've heard ASM and vulcan cannon equipped planes and helicoptors aren't too bothered about a few brambles...

Don't believe everything you hear ;)


:Suspiciou



Although this time it may be correct :D

You've got nothing to worry about then if it's a Typhoon with no missiles on view. They're about as deadly as a Housefly thanks to the penny pinchers in Whitehall.

NB: Are the Cornish separatists getting militant then???

I think they must be. If Cornwall did gain independence, it would last about 4 seconds before plunging back into the dark ages.

The 27mm Mauser would still make your eyes water.....

Not as much as a 30mm GAU8...

Or a 31mm 1MAD31TUP...

Try living next door to Shawbury :D

From Wiki:

"In 2001, it was announced that the Royal Air Force (RAF) would not use the aircraft's internal 27 mm Mauser cannon. This was due to a desire to save money by removing gun support costs, ammunition stocks, training costs, etc. The gun was also deemed unnecessary since the missile armament was believed to be adequate in the Typhoon's fighter role. However, because removal of the cannon would affect the aircraft's flight characteristics, requiring modification of the aircraft's flight software the RAF decided that all of its Typhoons would be fitted with the cannon but that it would not be used or supported. The service argued that this would save money by reducing the requirement for ground equipment, removing training costs and avoiding the fatigue effects of firing the cannon. The RAF maintained the option to activate the cannons at very short notice were operational requirements to change. However in a third change of policy, the Daily Telegraph reported on 3 October 2006 that the RAF will fully utilise the cannon."

So do they or don't they have a fully functioning cannon in RAF spec?

Trust me they do ;)

When we were flying at low level, which was most of the time in the job I did, we would deliberately avoid populated areas and also farms etc. so that we caused the very minimum of any disturbance. Spadeadam was a great place for a bit of hooliganism though! :)

I imagine that their flying is highly restricted now comparatively speaking from the point of view of cost as much as anything.

Les

We still get a fair amount here, though i am on the run in to Leeming. Tends to go in phases which i guess is to do with their training, we get the small props for a while then hawks, hawks and tornados and then tornados on their own, and a LOT of low stuff, i guess our village doesn't count as a population area.

Interestingly they've been doing it a lot more at night too, last night at about 10ish which they supposedly don't do anymore because of complaints

Had a few eurofighters, get harriers now and then and some kind of wargame a few weeks ago involving lots of low flying hercs and helicopters.

Still less then we did tho, haven't seen american stuff for ages, f'15's were always the loudest