Jacko -
1. Yes. As per Jane's!
2. Don't know. Try Jane's and a ruler!
3. Mk 17T
4. Commercially sensitive so won't care to speculate. Not sure what the plans for the mercenaries would be if anyone was stupid enough to try it, so won't speculate either. But I do know that no military pilot I know wants to fly with a mercenary on the same crew.
5. Who knows. Depends on the contract. But you can bet your bottom dollar that MoD would without doubt be taken to the cleaners if they decided that they suddenly needed an unforeseen capability outside the original contract terms! "Sorry, Tony, you can't have any more aircraft until the end of the holiday season - unless you want to buy them from us at, ooooh, let's say £60M per aircraft? And pay for all the lost seats! Can't afford that? Best you try someone else then!"
6. Thanks, Lord F!!
[ 25 November 2001: Message edited by: BEagle ]