Nick: of all people wrapped up in the front line of sales and lobbying you must be much nearer than most of us.
But NOBODY, repeat NOBODY will ever convince me that military sales are anything OTHER than whispers behind closed doors and who owes who favours and what can be done elsewhere if only one side could 'assist' the other side this time round.
GB PLC has its fair share of 'exposures' and I'm damned sure the USA has too. You can bet your bottom dollar that bleary and bushless are chatting about it right now over a glass of californian red!!!
PS: The Britannica stats don't include civilians old boy.