Originally Posted by
Roland Pulfrew
Saintsman
We cannot extend the VC10 for ever and the Tristar is not very far behind. FSTA still shows no sign of delivery so we have to do something radical now!
JN
As already discussed the A310 is in short/non-existant supply and can therefore be discounted.
Therefore, and given that FSTA is likely to cost some £500M per annum, you kill off the PFI, take the funding line and then buy new A330 (or B767/B777, lets call them KC-X) tankers at the rate of 3 to 4 per year, starting next FY and do an incremental acquisition. As JN suggested, as new tankers are delivered you retire a VC10 or 2. We have funding lines for FSTA, we have funding lines for VC10 (just extended) and Tristar so the money is out there, just not enough to buy the 20 A330 sized ac that the RAF really needs in one go. So after 5 years (2012 and 2-3 years prior to VC10 OSD) you have a 15 strong fleet of new KC-X aircraft and the VC10 should be out of service (unfortunately just before its 50th
). A few years later we can start to withdraw the Tristars, unless we still need them to augment the still expanding fleet of KC-X, and let's face it the way we are going on war fighting we are still likely to need them!!
It's time to do the unthinkable and sacrifice the Sacred Cow of PFI on the altar of common sense.
At last a sensible idea, I only wish those in power would take note. Ditch the PFI and purchase something sensible that the Service can use when and how it really wants to.
