West Coast's 'balancing act' comment made me do something I haven't done in a while - think and consider an alternative view. I have just go off teh outrage bus - Sorry to disappoint folks.
The sell out of tech to the Soviet Union by left leaning politicans did result in the MiG 15's engine and the evolutions of it.
(I suppose there is irony around the MiG15 is the reverse engineering of the AA2 Atoll from a dud Sidewinder which was reportedly carried back in one. Thank God the Reds never got their hands on a B29.)
The UK can't moan in fairness about this - as the country is a province of the EUSSR, and there is no Special in the Special Relationship anymore.
Business is, after all, business.
'We' can't demand a special place in anyone's hearts if we are shown to have welched on the deal of confidentiality in the past. Similarly the US machine can't point too judgemental a finger eastwards across the atlantic whilst wearing the robes of a blushing virgin of innocence.
I suppose that this could be ironed out if the UK still had an organic arms industry which hadn't been sold or given to either the east or west - Could we adopt SAAB or Dassault?
I could still stand seeing some re-engined, glass cockpit Buccaneers in the strike / CAS role - make sure that they are amphibious for the CVSs.