LAL
Fine, Typhoon is realistically the way forward. However the RAF delivery of CAS will only improve if the aircraft have the kit to get them on the target quickly. I assume that you are involved with the present defenders of the Stan. My statement of "doesn't need to talk to" meant exactly that. It didn't mean that FAC were not in the loop.
I have no idea if you know the proceedure and time to translate what the FAC "talks" to get the info required by the pilot for accurate weapons delivery. I have flown as a passenger on a CAS exercise and know I was pulling "g" for 15 mins as the pilot tried to determine the FAC's info. IDM can have that info in the kit and weapons "Hot" in less that half that time. The weapons limited bomber could have operated in the cooler months, but politics put paid to that...
Typhoon may be the best thing since sliced bread and have weapons systems that put a bomb into a CEP of a metre, but the pilot still needs to know were to put it and speed saves guys lives.....
Our government in 91, had no problem in budgeting extras for our aircraft in GW1, if history and my memory are correct..