The Royal Air Force is making steady progress toward its goal of expanding its reserve strength by 50 percent, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Responding to a written question from Ben Obese-Jecty MP, Defence Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said the RAF is advancing efforts through “recruitment activity, structural reform and strategic alignment.” The expansion forms part of commitments set out in the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published in July.
Sandher-Jones explained that the RAF is “prioritising the growth of the Part Time Volunteer Reserves, who are the reserve of first choice for operational support, while also enhancing the management and training of the Strategic Reserve to maximise the skills and experience of ex-Regular personnel.”
The Part Time Volunteer Reserve, which includes personnel attached to operational flying units, air mobility, and intelligence squadrons, is hoped to play a key role in reinforcing the regular force during surge periods and overseas deployments. The Strategic Reserve, meanwhile, retains trained ex-Regular personnel who can be reactivated for service when required.
The Strategic Defence Review 2025 called for a rebalanced RAF structure capable of supporting expeditionary operations and contributing to emerging joint-force priorities such as uncrewed systems, digital integration, and homeland resilience.
All well and good but we need more combat aircraft
How about ordering at least 100 more combat aircraft? The current number is ridiculous. Well, like everything else in the armed forces.
Every review highlights the importance of the Reserves
And they are important.
So this is nothing new, and the Cold War is back with a vengeance.
And in some areas it never left
So….window dressing, is it not?
As what should be happening is ramping up across the board.
But, no.
We’ll increase an already small reserve force, with no aircraft of its own, a bit more.
Splendid.
Grow the rserves by scraping 20 aircraft. Thats MOD/RAF sense for you. Talking rubbish while doing nothing but moving numbers and figures about to make it look like some thing is getting better. How about the MOD/CDS and all the other deluded wind bags ORDER SOME KIT.
One thing the RAF is failing to address is the use of reserves in aircraft engineering roles. The problem is how do you make sure reserve engineers remain current on type?