From the link provided:
Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy said: "There's a balance to be struck. It is being done as swiftly as industry can do it, given that we need a certain number of C-130s to continue our operations."
Dissembling.
1. Why are we limited to using “industry” to embody a straight forward, simple, modification? Not something to do with ditching the likes of St Athan and ridding the Services of the skills and capacity to do it in-house?
2. Yes, we need the C130s. But if you are relying on the “Engineering Pool” aircraft – typically around 15% of the fleet assumed to be in maintenance at any one time – to meet front line commitments, then by definition you are in overstretch.
Here’s my balanced view ACM. If you’ve gone into print and lambasted the Government and MoD for inflicting these issues on you, then I’ll retract. Otherwise – do your job.