Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many RAF weapons systems operators have (a) joined and (b) left the RAF in each of the last five years.
Following the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) 2010 the requirement for Weapons Systems Operators was removed due to the reduction of several aircraft types.
However, as announced in SDSR 2015, the future procurement and extension in service of a number of aircraft means that there is now an increased requirement for Weapons Systems Operators.
The number of RAF Weapons Systems Operators who have joined the RAF, and those who have left the RAF in each of the last five Financial Years is given below:
Financial Year | Intake to Training | Outflow from Trained Regular Strength |
2012-13 | 2 | 113 |
2013-14 | 0 | 84 |
2014-15 | 11 | 67 |
2015-16 | 24 | 77 |
2016-17 | 30 | 44 |