The perils of secrecy.......
Few people have even the faintest clue as to how Nimrod R compares with its rivals, in terms of what it can do, and what it can't. What it does better than brand X, and what it does less well, and why you'd actually need to launch brand X and brand Y to do some Nimrod R tasks.
Few people have a clue about the implications of having this as a real, National capability, and many are dazzled by the advantages of common and pooled fleets with our major partners and allies.
It's perhaps understandable that many might think that replacement by another, better-known, better-advertised platform would be an improvement. A better option. However wrong they are.
So expect rounds of applause when the Nimrod R replacement is unveiled, but don't be surprised by the long faces of those who will have to use it and who knew what Nimrod R could do.