Originally Posted by
Fatjoff
"The aircraft was commissioned in response to an Urgent Operational Requirement for an Airborne Stand-off Radar (ASTOR) during Operation HERRICK in Afghanistan in 2008."
I thought it was conceived much earlier than that. Or is my memory deceiving me?
I recall there being an ASTOR Assistant Directorate in MoD(PE) in the mid-late 80s. It was the Director's baby. He retired about 1990, and started at the company in the US the next week.
It was relatively common to receive a nil cost UOR for kit that was already under contract. It served as jusification for Production Permits and Concessions; but as Two's In says, lowering the return on investment. A couple of examples I can think of from GW1 were ARC164 HaveQuick II radios and Prophet Radar Warning Receivers.