Our Stories in RAF News - Isolated Overseas

Periodically in RAF News the Federation uses the evidence someone has provided to illustrate a topic of concern. The cases illustrate where policy is deemed as not quite fair or is outdated, or where there is disadvantage purely because that someone is a member of an RAF family. This time we feature a lady who has accompanied her husband on an overseas posting but now feels isolated and abandoned by the RAF. She says they were ill-prepared for the challenges that faced them and didn't realise how difficult it all would be...More information »

ITV Commission Drama about Service Wives

ITV has commissioned a new six part drama about the battles fought by wives and girlfriends of those serving in Afghanistan. Executive Producer Kieran Roberts said: “SWAGS is an emotional and heart-wrenching drama about the women who fight their own battles while their loved ones are risking their lives. Seeing how these remarkable women cope with survival, triumph, love and loss will make compelling viewing...More information »

Falklands Commander Defiant

In yesterday's Sunday Telegraph former Chief of the General Staff, warned that military cuts would render Britain unable to retake the Falklands should Argentina mount a new invasion. Brig Bill Aldridge said: "I am fully confident I have the capability to defend the Islands. I am not expecting to hand the Islands over to anybody and therefore put us in a position where we would have to retake them...More information »

Technical issues

We apologise for problems that occurred on our site over the weekend. We became aware of them this morning. Problems were rectified on the long email address: www.raf-families-federation.org.uk but persisted on the short address: www.raf-ff.org.uk Hopefully now the service is fully resumed to normal...

Training for the Olympics...

RAF aircraft are in operation over the skies of Yorkshire as part of a major training exercise to prepare for the Olympic Games. Wg Cdr Paul Godfrey said: "Policing the UK skies is something the Typhoon Force does 24-hours a day, every day of the year, so this week's exercise is business as normal for us. That said, we take great pride in the fact that we have a key role to play in providing airspace security for the Olympics...More information »

The MoD is 'Committed to the Joint Strike Fighter'

The Times is reporting today that the MoD is questioning whether it should go ahead with plans to procure a fleet of new Joint Strike Fighter because of speculated delays in the programme. In response the MoD said: "The MoD is taking delivery of the first JSF for test and evaluation this year. Our plans remain on track to have a new Carrier Strike capability from around 2020...More information »

Making 40% Compulsorily Redundant is 'Grotesque'

A row has broken out amongst MPs over the number of Service personnel being made compulsorily redundant. James Arbuthnot, Chairman of the Commons Defence Committee said: "The MoD should consider whether the terms of redundancy offered are fair and appropriate. For military redundancies to be compulsory in 40% of cases, yet for civilian redundancies to be compulsory in none is so grotesque that it requires...More information »