Mind you that was Israeli F-15s fighting Syrian MiG-29s. Crab didn't tell who's dogfight
The thing is, RAF jets have to protect quite a big sky over the islands and its seas - there goes the Typhoons and F3s, than it have to provide Close Air Support for the troops on the ground, on missions in Iraq and Afghanistan - there's where Tornados, and Harriers come in... you need lots of jets to maintain full operatibility in 3 places on the world at the same time. It's not fair saying RAF have too many jets, heck, do you want to end up like we - with only 48 really useful ones... or like New Zealand, with... none ? Would you be happy then ?
And can someone explain to me how canceling order for 40-45 aircrafts will doom the AAC ? That's what the AAC order was - 40 + optional 5... how those numbers go with what it have now - almost 300 helicopters in service ?