MM
Interesting comment on MRA4/MR2. One of my best mates is in the kipper fleet. They have been spending 3-4 months a year out of the country for the past 3-4 years flying on a variety of operations, details of some of which seem to be trickling out (if only to let the rest of the RAF know what they do!!). They routinely have 6 a/c out of the country at a time.
It seems to me from your comments that either what they are doing is pointless (in which case I am sure they would all like to come home!) or it won't be possible to replace them with 6 MRA4s as you suggest.
Still, I am sure the E-3D fleet will be able to pick up any of the commitments the Nimrod fleet can no longer cover under your cunning plan.
P.S Anyone who has read any of your comments over several months knows you are a strong advocate of the 'E-3D can do everything' approach.
MRA4? The worse thing they did was keep the name Nimrod. What was it supposed to do? I don't know half of it, but if we had some senior officers with imagination almost anything! ASW to destruction (nobody else does), ASuw to destruction, SAR, anti imigration (read your RAF news) land attack (fly 4,000 nms+ without support and put more weapons on target than a 4 ship of Tornados), reconn, etc, etc. A more verstile platform it would be hard to find! If BAe could actually get it to work that is!!