But Jacko, 5 years ago was too late.
The lead in times of 'big ticket' military expenditure projects is decades. Your own, much loved Typhoon had its contracts to purcahse signed, sealed and delivered in the 90s and the planning and budget allocation for the Merlin CSP and F/Lynx were also likewise put in place many years back.
As I said, the blame (in part) lies with LAND for failing to put a strong case forward many years ago for suitable funding when they became the lords and masters of JHC. They've never really seemed to accept ownership proper of RAF/RN SH, mainly I believe because the RN/RAF operate them and as a result they've been the poor relation in LAND. But overwhelmingly the blame lies with the government for failing to take heed of those on the ground in Afghanistan in lieu of those Whitehall warriors fighting purely for their capbadge rather than the 'bigger picture', failing to over-rule such petty politics and failing to provide the resources required to do the job asked.
You can almost forgive a brown suited organisation for a lack of airmindedness but I cannot forgive the government for sending service personnel overseas into a war without the means to carry out the task.
Lives are being lost so that Mr Brown can play the world stage on the cheap.
