Recent UK defence budget cuts and a lack of future aircraft orders are severley limiting opportunites for prospective RAF pilots. The RAF fighter force has slowly been diminishing over the last decade leaving the RAF with barely over 200 front line fighters. This is compared to 10 years ago when the figure was double.

The iconic harrier, one of a few planes recently retired by the RAF

Numerous pilots have already fell victim to these cuts after they were made redundant during their pilot training admidst the annoucement of sudden and drastic cuts revealed by the coalition government.

We have recently seen the retirement of the Harrier and Tornado F3 aircraft and whilst the RAF has Eurofighters on order there simply will not be enough to match previous numbers. Especially since the government has made clear their intention to retire the Tranche One Eurofighter fleet in a few years.

Combine this with reducing Tornado ground attack aircraft and the fact that the F35 Joint Strike Fighter will not be available until the end of the decade then it is hard to see how the RAF can maintain an effective fighter force with the same level of capability as it has seen in past years.

So where does this leave future opporunities for aspiring RAF pilots?

Well the straight answer is rather bleak. Whilst the RAF will continue to recruit and train new pilots they will be far fewer in number and as a result competition for places will be as fierce as ever.

Even for those lucky few who pass selection procedures, the current eceonomic uncertainty and budget deficit harldy inspire job security as many now ex-RAF pilots will be able to vouch for.

And it is not just the fighter pilots who are feeling the pinch. The less fighters there are then the less support aircraft are required. This means less refuellers, less transport aircraft and less reconaissance planes required. Not to mention less flying instructors.

The Nimrod, another aircraft scrapped by the RAF

And don't rely on future aircraft orders, as we have seen these can change at anytime, projects can be cancelled near completion (Nimrod MR4A) and orders can be scrapped or reduced in number. Current orders are by no means guranteed to provide the RAF with new aircraft, even if they are signed on paper.

Combining all of these factors together then the RAF are going to need far less pilots over the next decade unless there is either a dramatic improvement in the economy or new global threats which can force the hand of the government.

If you are wishing to become a RAF pilot then prepare for a tough time ahead. You will be competing with a vast number of other highly skilled applicants and to be successful you will really have to be at the top of your game.

In fact there is a greater chance of becoming a professional sportsman than a pilot in the RAF!