For anyone wondering why we wouldn't go and buy the P-8 Poseiden instead of MRA4, the reasoning would be somehting like this - even if it can do it's job, and do it well, it's first flight isn't till next year, and then it goes on to testing. Then the fleet of 108 aircraft for the US Navy will be built. Then the ones for the Australians.
How many years down the line will it be before we get ours then....?
Because unlike Typhoon and the Saudi's, I can't see Boeing giving away some of their machines to us instead of giving them to the Navy...