Of course you're right, barit1 - I plead guilty to being slightly flippant. And obviously the factors you offer were the good reasons for starting the thread this way.
I feel we've moved on, though, and both aircraft are now at even more risk, perhaps, than when the thread started back in 2008. But the projects themselves are so different, and affect such different parts of the military spectrum, that they each deserve their own coverage.
Perhaps I'm going about this the wrong way - perhaps it's not the mods' job to split threads. Should we start another 2 threads - anyone else feel supportive? Although as far as A400M is concerned, I suppose it could all end soon anyway.
Wallowing in a morass of indecision
airsound