Further to the Winco's post, Mr Boeing provides 215 minutes worth of fire extinguishant in the FWD/AFT Cargo hold of a 747. Mr Boeing is also fitting state of art fuel tank protection to the latest Boeing airliners coming off the line. There have been about 5 attributed fuel tank explosions in airliners in the last 25 years or so. The RAF has had probably 4 in the last 30 months in it's tiny inventory. (anyone see the video of the J on the strip, did you check out the port wing?)
Needless to say civil airliners don't get shot at (with the exception of DHL, which also suffered a fuel tank explosion) and don't do AAR. What does that tell you about cost benefit analysis in the RAF just now?
I am checking out the latest order for 5xJ Hercs from RNAF. I understand that LM is fitting nitrogen gas inerting equipment as standard on the latest Hercs. Maybe this is the way ahead, cut out the customer from the decision making.