So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.
- Sun Tzu
I say: Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle.-- Sun Tzu
The cuts announced make it much harder for the UK forces to know anything about the enemy forces and their disposition... unless they ask the Americans to get the info for them.
StopStart, the 3 RC-135s were to be the replacement for Nimrod R1... but recently there was a proposal to refurbish the 3 test MR4 aircraft with the surveillance suite intended for the R1 replacement.
So the decision on whether to lease or refurbish is what is being postponed.