Boldface,
"Clearly you are not familiar with the state of the MRA4 project PP."
I hear whispers that all is not well with MRA4, but superficially there is nothing being released or written about to contradict the broad idea that after the early difficulties (those which led to the switch from Bournemouth to Woodford, the consequent delays and disruption, the fit of the new wings), which were presumably solved (or en route to being solved) when the contract was restructured in February 2003, it has all been plain sailing, apart from some minor hiccoughs - like the longitudinal stability issues.
The broad impression being given is that it's much the same as Typhoon was a few years ago - late, having suffered massive cost escalation, but fundamentally back on track (albeit with a much later ISD), and with some real improvements having been made in the intervening years.
I'm starting to hear a VERY different story, however, that MRA4 remains a disaster, and perhaps even that the AEW3 would be a better basis for comparison.
Plenty of folk here must know the truth.