Nige,
Your quote seems to suggest confliction with civvy traffic and not coalition aircraft.
Is the civvy traffic flying in the airways flying lights out? Surely you don't need NVGs to see and avoid them?
How many civvy pilots use NVGs and would be able to see IR strobes?
'I think the money is going to other things more important'
Perhaps you could tell us where the money is going and what is more important than flight safety and human life please?
Firstly, could someone confirm that the lack of TCAS and the rejection of the UOR was based on cost and not some other factor?
Secondly, the problem comes that not all agree that lack of TCAS and IR strobes is a major flight safety issue and that human life is 'unduly' at risk. Lack of these items do not make an aircraft inherently unsafe.
Where does your quote come from? Unreported Airproxes? Not being happy without TCAS but quite happy to go with no radar? Something does not add up with this argument to me.