What will be the interim replacement of the VC10s?
There will be no interim replacement of the VC10. Either the old girl will soldier on until FSTA arrives, or one of those dreary phrases such as "capability holiday" will be trotted out.
The TriStar fleet is so committed to the Afghan airbridge that it would struggle to provide more than 2 aircraft for the AAR duties. In the absence of the VC10, one of these would have to be on QRA, leaving the RAF with a grand total of zero gusting one tanker for ops, trails and routine trg.
Shares in Omega anyone?