Jacko - I am but a humble logistician interloper here who has never had a desire to fly. I was merely voicing the fact that the Jag has not flown on ops for some time and, as such, will be seen as a cost not worth paying (in cold hard fiscal terms - nothing else meant here). The MoD is procuring more equipment with less and has political pressures to stop boys and girls getting injured and killed at the current front line. Jaguar added nothing to this, and was not going to. It had to go. I agree - the method was V shabby.
OK, they do struggle, hot and high, and the payload is tiny, but these jets have proved their operational utility and worth over the Balkans and on Northern Watch.
Not a lot of use for current or potential future ops and yes - they did prove operational utility - over Eastern Europe.
I have no axe to grind with any platform. I also know nothing of maintaining currency of aircrew, but I can't see how maintaining a discreet aircraft that is not being used in any other role can be a viable method - in this day and age. I'm not being harsh here - just highlighting why I think these decisions are being made - it is a cold harsh unemotional world we're in these days.