I agree with everything said above
I even acknowledged the timescale constraints, it just seemed to me (and thats why I asked the original question) were we cutting TOO many corners to expedite this acquisition, it would appear not and that is reassuring. It is equally important to recognise however that a quick UOR solution MAY come back and bite later on (Carson MRB effects on the airframe components probably havent been quantified yet)
Again whilst it is fair to say that anybody can bid for work, if a bid process is not used it's kind of difficult to enter the race. I stand to be corrected but wasnt the Carson acquisition a non bidded contract? (again for understandable timescale reasons). Maybe if WHL had bid for a SK re-blade the playing field may not have been level. Would a WHL proposal for a non Def Stan compliant blade been acceptable?, I guess we will never know.
I understand that the Carson blade purchase is a small number for part of the Mk4 fleet only so it might only be an interim acquisition whilst the real 'production' items are sourced which would give Industry in general the chance to bid for the long term solution
I hope that the RM aren't let down in all this
DM