Belfast not developed because it faced the axe along with so many world beating projects by governments 1964-1979 (mainly labour!) Then as now America rules the world!!
i.e. Cancel the worlds best combat a/c -TSR2 and buy (and spoil) Phantoms and order then cancel(but still pay for) F111s. Then force the RAF to have the brilliant Bucc as strike aircraft but still fail to develop further.
Fail to develop Lightning from a point -point interceptor into a true air defence fighter.Then use mud moving phantoms as replacements.
Cancel 4 jet HS146 and let Gulfstream and Dassault corner the long range biz jet market.Then re-invent 146 15 years later.
Cancel supersonic VSTOL development, only to let yanks improve Harrier then go on to "invent" supersonic VSTOL for 21stC.
Buy C130(not a bad choice really) but fail to develop Belfast that could have cornered market in heavy lift prior to US and Russian dominance.Retire Belfast after only 10 years of service, then have to hire civilian freighters and finally lease C17s in late '90s to support world wide commitments.
These are just a few shambolic episodes I can recall from memory.Research will reveal many more but don't! you'll be crying in yer Budweiser!
What a bunch of
ing
wits
Spose the only good thing from this period was the Hawk - a true world beater.Yet here we are again - nearly 30 years in service and only now is the government looking for a replacement, which turns out to be more Hawks! Why not buy a batch of single seat Mk 200s that could have been employed in the mid 80s rather than buying ex US Navy F4Js!? Why not buy an attrition batch of trainers at the same time, then we wouldnt have needed to lease Alpha Jets for research work!!
The mind boggles
