Don't underestimate one other important pay-off for these aspirational blackboard projects - R&D and IP.
As noted above, the reality is that such a project is unachievable for the UK alone. Consider though that UK industry needs continual R&D, and would like free money from the government, which needs political support, which relies on public sentiment.
The press are unlikely to give many column inches to a complex computer simulation generating lower radar cross sections, or a lab which comes up with a significant advance in composite materials, but a sexy ''stealth fighter" made of cardboard and clay - yes please!
So, at Farnborough we have mission accomplished. Press headlines and probably more than a few billion from HM Govt. Plow this into R&D, protect the IP that results and the UK keeps its place at the table when the workshare for international projects comes along.
None of this is a bad thing, so long as when we buy 'foreign' (there's really no such thing anymore) we get at least the balance back in workshare and R&D. And BAE have, I hope, perfected it. Taranis, Herti and now this. All unlikely to go into production (and we probably shouldn't try) but all generate technology with a value that BAE/UK plc can sell which keeps jobs and investment in the UK. F35 is in production now which means that the balance of power comes into play. Russia and China will develop a counter-technology and so the West knows that it's time to plan for F35's replacement now. The UK needs a place at that table, which means that BAE, as our largest defense contractor, need to decide where to throw the $$'s to get us there.
So enough of the 'Oh look, another British product disaster coming'. The UK had better have learned the lesson by now, we've repeated that particular grade at least three times. If the politicians and BAE have finally grasped reality - Good on them.
Last edited by reader8; 2nd Aug 2018 at 23:43.