The period during which there was no frigate or destroyer in the South Atlantic region was only a few months - but in any case I think the Government decides priorities, not the Service Chiefs.
The question I was asking about MRA4 numbers was to see if the Government had announced a reason for needing less. Unfortunately, do more with less seems to be a common theme.
Would increasing spending on defence equipment be an acceptable way of helping manufacturing industry to weather the economic form? As an easy example - the world-wide recession means a reduction in the demand for civil aircraft, with knock on effects for suppliers. But many of these suppliers also make parts for military aircraft, so ordering more MRA4s (say) would help keep them ticking over........ as well as helping maintain sufficient forces.
Likewise, defence PFIs may be effected by the banking crisis. I don't think that is an acceptable state of affairs, did nobody think about what might happen? I also understand from other forums that the FSTA PFI contract is written in a way that stops the MOD from fitting AAR equipment to other aircraft - Hercules or A400M perhaps? How on earth allowed that to be in the contract? No only is an important capability in private hands, but expansion in an emergency is not allowed....