Originally Posted by
Mil-26Man
The Typhoon can perform all of those aircraft missions though (to a lesser extent the Harrier, as you say).
The C-130 cannot do what the C-17 does, and vice versa. The three transport types aren't duplicating each other, they are providing their own niche capabilities (arguably, the A400M less so as it can do a bit of both).
Australia has it right, with a mix of C-27J, C-130J and C-17.
Typhoon can't do all-weather low level attack: that was a niche role that was give up. I commented up thread that the choice in capability terms should really be between A400 and C17, but neither is politically 'choppable' so the poor old C130 gets it by default.
Australia doesn't operate a fleet of SSBN or aircraft carriers... you pays your money and takes your choice.