Originally Posted by
Wensleydale
"Only really three options"
You forgot the fourth option which is to cancel the Sentry and join the NATO Component of the AEW&C Force by sending crews to Geilenkirchen (Which is where we were going to be in the late 70s, although the aircraft would not have been at GK).
I kind of included that in the 'Get out of the AEW&C' option - whilst maintaining expertise, we would lose the option to deploy an asset in a non-NATO situation