Unlikely to happen as they use A1 parts which can’t be made anymore, the ACF are scrapping a load due to cam stud wear and they can’t replace them.
For the ACF it appears to be going that way, I’ve seen some units upskilling their instructors to it.
The AER is getting a lot lot tighter these days. Things are monitored at a HQ level and some stations are very strict on their account usage. Others are a bit more lax and will move things around to make sure that Cadet units still shoot, I’ve also seen similar done with blank and pyro being moved from FP flights if needed.
That was a stat that used to be used, it’s not used any more. Budgets are done at a Wing then Region level and fine tuned before being submitted to HQ TG who put the orders in. Annual AER should be known by your wing shooting officer as they should have a place in demanding what they require based on expected training output.
although i can happily accept that the RAF are happy to commit to (even if they can’t deliver) one flight to a Cadet each year - 20 rounds per Cadet is effectively one shooting experience a year…
given its a perishable skill it is disappointing to think that 20 rounds is all that is expected
but returning to the previous argument - we’ve never been told “sorry you’ve used your allocation, come back on 1st April” so it is moot
I’ve done it myself. We were going to Germany for camp and they couldn’t be bothered with the paperwork for taking all the weapons abroad so we just nicked the regular units A3’s and ammo for the fortnight.
All it took was a WHT for the staff and we just cracked on getting the cadets trained up.
Check out some of the Scottish ACF facebook pages, a pal of mine posted on his as he was out for his upskilling.
I’ve heard talk of everyone using the A3 to replace L86 for CISSAM if the ACF do go that way. You’re right that there is no scope for this for any other reason for us really.
In fairness I do remember a few years previous there being concern in my Wing about the amount of ammunition we had used or could source, I can’t remember if it was because we have almost reached our quota, or whether it was the period when we had supply issues, or indeed both of the above. Either way for a while we had to use our own locally purchased ammunition to ensure we kept shooting at the rate we wanted too.
I can assure you it happened (it was in the ACF). 2* meetings are a bit above a normal CFAVs pay grade so I can only assume permission was granted.
People who wanted/needed training got it, but for the majority of the SAAIs who had a wealth of experience training with the LSW and the standard A2 we got a quick briefing and a play with it before we did our WHTs. It was the full time army training team who did it with us so I’m assuming it was all above board.
I completely agree. I also like the L144 - but not as a cadet weapon.
I just think we’re heading for a point where the cost of the activity is much greater than the perceived benefit - all it takes is someone at the MOD to unthinkingky update the JSP, and before you can say “recall”, the L144s will be back at the parent station.
we’re getting a bit shooting techy now and further off topic but…
…before the pandemic i went to an air rifle training day and i think it was the CZ200 air rifle which the instructor was saying is a great stepping stone for L98A2.
being magazine fed it follows the same/very similar drills (load, ready, fire etc) whereas the Scopion Air Rifle was much more 0.22 orientated.
i suppose it all depends where you want to go (and with AR you have) but there are AR which ideally set up a Cadet for either
the target shooting (competition) single shot route (AR>0.22>7.62)
or the more “military” approach with magazines (AR.5.56)
the point i am making is for that unit who was leading the instructing, they said having a magazine AR like the CZ200 and then going to the L144 then to L98A2 the small-bore was a hindrance as it was a new set (single shot style) of drills to learn.
I have never been on a unit with AR on and so believe that small bore does play a part in teaching the MM principles. but if someone has AR in place of L144 i don’t see what the benefit is to go to L144 unless the Cadet is keen on single shot target shooting over a magazine fed weapon system
(ie i don’t feel L144 is necessary if AR experience is held for L98A2, however L144 definitely has a place regardless of AR experience prior to L81A2)
Personally I think the drills in Cadet Shooting went the wrong way, we have shoehorned L98 weapon drills into air rifle and small bore with L81 being the only weapon system with different drill, I think we should’ve used L91 drill last for air rifle and small bore with only L99 being different.
I have been running air rifle for a number of years both single shot and magazine fed on the Scorpion. I find quite a few Cadets are terrified of that step upto full bore and that they like to live fire something else first. If that option didn’t exist kits would choose not to progress from air rifle. (That being said I would oppose making it a mandatory step as many an age to go straight from air rifle to L98 with no issue).
i hate how we’ve “militarised” what is a a “toy” weapon anyone can purchase and use without any need for training or controls.
but contrary to that like how AR sets up the basics of weapons handling and range commands for when it really matters.
