Unfortunatley the Typhoon hasn't deployed yet on ops and when it does I think some individuals will be eating their words. Look at criticism the Apache was getting on here from the Chinook crews a few years ago!
Yes the Chinook fleet is over 20 years old, So is the sea King fleet and the puma fleet. The FV432 fleet and scimitar fleet are even older as are the Type 22's, Hunt class MCMV's, S & T classes of submarines. this obselence hasn't crept up its been known in the system since they were bought. Now why are programmes not being planned on a long term basis IE why wasn't the Sea King replacement not being planned and budgeted for 15 years ago same with the chinook's etc etc? I would sugest the short term mentality that has crept into the whitehall ministries were planning beyond the next election no longer happens.