RAF chiefs are rejecting fewer applicants than five years ago, leading to fears the Air Force might be lowering its standards to keep recruitment numbers up.
The RAF has long been famous for having the strictest recruitment policy in the British military, rejecting more applicants than the Army and the Navy.
In the past, even having a visible tattoo was a bar to joining the Air Force.
But latest Ministry of Defence figures show that over the past five years, its rejection rate has fallen by 20 percentage points.
Critics say this has coincided with all three forces facing a crisis over recruitment, and claim standards have been lowered to get less-able applicants through the vetting process.
Ministry of Defence figures show that over the past five years, its rejection rate has fallen by 20 percentage points.
The data, lodged in the House of Commons library, shows that in 2015/16, there were 22,107 applications at the RAF, with 13,830 being rejected – a rejection rate of 62.6 per cent.
But in 2019/20, there were 32,634 applications, of which 13,387 were turned away – a rejection rate of 41 per cent.
The RAF is facing a personnel shortage, according to MoD figures released earlier this year. They showed that there should be 31,869 airmen and women, but there are only 29,853.
Former Tory MP and ex-Army colonel Patrick Mercer said: ‘The RAF, like the Army and Navy, have faced a recruitment crisis, and a drop in numbers, so they have reduced their rejection rates. Also, in some cases, they have massaged their figures to allow women into the RAF, who may not be as fit as men.
Former Tory MP and ex-Army colonel Patrick Mercer
‘And what you have to appreciate is that at the RAF, there are very few people flying planes now, so they don’t have to make it so rigorous if you are going to be flying drones from a room.’
However, RAF sources said recruits were being given better advice at the time they apply, so they targeted positions suited to their skills and qualifications.
An RAF spokesman said: ‘There has been no reduction to entry standards.’
Rejection rates at the Royal Navy over the past five years have fallen from 42.6 per cent to 29.4 per cent, and at the Army from 32.3 to 28.2 per cent.