The irony of the C130K procurement for the RAF in the late 60's is rather than being pared to the bone, the add-ons made the blinging up of new cars look restrained. Why stop at pairs of new radios, when triples can be had? Let's have radio nav aids that only function in Northern Europe, the Gulf and Newfoundland, and even there need to be told where it is so that it can then tell you! Auto Pilots that can't as they are incompatible with the aircraft wiring. Lets fit tactical improvements that aren't like downward looking periscopes and cupolas that cannot be safely pressurised in a pressurised aircraft, and so on and so on. Why all this extraneous and often not fit for purpose kit? So that the PM (one Harold Wilson) could pronounce proudly that half the cost of these aircraft would be in Pounds Sterling. Unfortunately the add on that was necessary to make the aircraft itself fit for purpose was in US Dollars only, ie ESF, and thus not fitted.
Nigegilb is right. This was then and subsequently a failure of RAF Commanders. They were told what was essential fit for when this aircraft went to war (surely the reason for it and the RAF?). They chose to reject those calls despite understanding clearly the hazard that would put the aircraft and occupants in. They failed the RAF, their crews and the nation. Shame on them, and shame on us that though they pay no price for their failure the bereaved suffer it for ever.