MRA4 New Systems
I agree that it is a new aircraft and long overdue, but it still has to make it past October.
Undoubtably it could be a very capable aircraft if it gets in service and the mission systems finally get a good work out. I was told in a presentation at ABW that a large amount of testing had been defered until the aircraft was delivered to the RAF (to save money).
However, when you make decisions like that what come back do you have on BAE when things may not work as described when systems are fully loaded?
Integrated Operational Test and Evaluation was supposed to be the panacea to things like the "Blue Circle" Tornado F radar, but as soon as the military starts running short of money then things get chopped at the expense of capability.
Frustrated....