DV & MS
I believe your assessments to be correct. It is highly unlikely MoD / Nimrod IPT have staffed the numerous requirements, gathered funding together, let and delivered contracts and embodied/implemented all that would necessary to correct/ameliorate/mitigate the vast catalogue of risks and breaches of airworthiness regulations and requirements outlined by QinetiQ in their original report.
Whoever is briefing Browne is playing with peoples lives. Undoubtedly, Browne knows this. Remember the crux of the matter. ACM Sir Clive Loader stated that airworthiness regs were not implemented properly, by no means the first time this has been noted in a BoI report. Nor was it the first time it had been declared direct to Ministers – they are on record as denying it time after time, even in the face of irrefutable evidence, a fact which I hope comes out at the forthcoming QC’s review. All quiet on that front BTW – still not answering correspondence 3 months after Browne’s announcement.