Banana-Boy, some might say the overall aim of the privatisation was to hand over all SAR assets to the MCA as part of an empire-building exercise. On the other hand there are those that think it is the only way to get modern aircraft onto the SAR front-line since the MoD has used all its beans up on very useful
Typhoons.
Once the military engineering is contractorised by the end of next year it will be easier to see the relative cost differences between mil and civ.
I do like the sound of £73k plus allowances though
(but that's about half of what Leopold is on and he's not even a driver!!)