I hope you get a reply, but with incorrect statements such as:......
bear in mind a tanker needs to keep pace with its receiver a/c –
Surely it's the other way round?
RAF Tristar fleet: 2 at a time
Really? How does it do that then? (I think you're getting mixed up with the fact that it has 2 HDUs for redundancy.)
The basic VC10 design, with high-mounted rear engines produces zero turbulence for the receiving a/c
Hmm.... I take it you've never seen a C130K HF aerial (or what's left of it) after some AAR sorties?
...... I doubt the minister would be inclined to take your argument seriously.