Recommendation 21

We noted that £2.6 billion of the £4 billion savings—two thirds of the total—needs to be achieved by March 2025. This is despite the fact that contractual commitments limit TLBs’ flexibility to make savings, for example 62% of Air Command’s spend is already committed over the next ten years. Air Command believes that, as a result, it will need to reduce flying activity considerably, which will have consequences for aviators’ skills.45 The Department said in response it still believes the savings targets are realistic, but it will return to the targets each year to refine them. The latest position will be given in the next Plan, which the Permanent Secretary hopes will be published this Autumn.46 On the question about fewer flying hours, the Department told us that it is up to Air Command on how it manages its priorities, and that the target may reflect the move to more ‘synthetic’ training.47 Other pressures