That Flight International report is encouraging, until you read this bit...
"The
Royal Air Force is now expected to field nine MRA4s, with the programme's three development aircraft not under contract to be converted for operational use."
Still, look on the bright side chaps. In the past it has been rumoured that aircraft have been bought without an adequate spares package for through life support. This has now been solved by buying nine airframes for ops and a further three can be for spares
I thought it was bad that a maritime nation was only going to have 12. Does this mean that it might be realistic to only plan on having six immediately available after allowing for various levels of mainrtenance?
A very sorry state of affairs, almost on a par with the Chinook debacle.