Is it hardly surprising that Nimrod aircrew post on here their concerns about the prospect of carrying out AAR duties in the future when woefully inadequate testing equipment is used to give an NFF conclusion from engineering?
Perhaps CAS should volunteer himself for some Nimrod AAR testing in the UK before proclaiming that Nimrod is as safe as it needs to be to continue AAR sorties.
I am in receipt of information suggesting tha the build standard was NOT maintained, and MoD knew about it (as a contract was let on Woodford). If the build standard is not maintained, then by definition the Safety Case cannot be valid, as there is no way of proving it reflects the up to date (or any) build standard - as required by JSP 553. In turn, the MoD cannot demonstrate compliance with airworthiness regs.
Everything is now hanging on the QC's review, no wonder MoD have their tentacles all over it.