RAF ditches airmen ... for woke ‘aviators’

RAF chiefs are facing accusations of ‘needless wokery’ after ditching the terms ‘airmen’ and ‘airwomen’, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

They have decided to replace the gender-specific titles with ‘aviators’ in a bid to be ‘more modern and appropriate’.

But former Tory MP and ex-Army colonel Patrick Mercer last night blasted the plans as ‘woke b ******* ’.

‘For years I had airmen and airwomen under my command,’ he said.

‘You have two perfectly good, historic, tried-and-tested terms which have never caused any difficulties or problems. It is needless wokery.’

There was no official announcement, but the new guidance was included in an article in the official RAF magazine, Air Clues.

It said: ‘No longer does it mean just aircrew, but the term “aviator” has replaced the generic term of “airman” to bring it right up to date.’

Last month, the MoS revealed how defence chiefs had told staff ‘not all women are biologically female’.