Who knows, Arters. Eevn AirTanker's own website shows 'contract signature' in 2007 now - and first tanker deliveries after 2010!
Meanwhile, work on the Aussie jet (which is to be owned and operated by the RAAF - no 'crock of $hit PFI' as they described it to me) continues well at Getafe. I saw it earlier in the year being busily worked on - and very nice it looks too! To have a boom and 2 pods.
I look back with interest at the statements made at the 1996 AT/AAR conference at Brize - and remember the civil serpent in charge of FSTA saying a few years later "This programme will NOT slip......"
Of course not. Never. No way. Couldn't happen, could it??
The fast jet-centric Air Staff will probably find this biting their bums before long - as you say, the dear old Vickers FunBus and the TriShaw are being worked very hard - and aren't getting any younger either!